Fire retardants
Fire retardants are a class of chemicals that are used in building materials and products to meet important fire safety standards and codes. The use of these substances helps prevent the ignition and spread of fire by raising the temperature at which a material ignites while decreasing the rate at which it burns. This gives extra time for evacuation in case of an emergency, and flames can be controlled more easily by automatic sprinkler systems and firefighters.
The most common flame retardants used in construction are PFOAs/PFOs, Brominated Fire Retardants (BFRs), Chlorinated Fire Retardants (CFRs), Phosphorus-based Fire Retardants and Alumina.
Therefore, since fire retardants have various compositions, concerns have been raised about the health and environmental impact of some retardants. The current focus is on BFRs and PFOAs/PFOs as they are hazardous to humans and the environment.
Anyway, continuous research is needed to ensure that flame retardants meet fire safety requirements while being harmless for construction users and the environment.
Some of the relevant flame retardants are:
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This article can be found in the 2022 edition of the document. Find the full publication here:
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