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What are PBDEs and what are they used for?
PBDEs (Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers) are chemicals often added to foam padding, plastics or fabrics so they won’t catch on fire or burn so easily if they are exposed to flame or high heat.  These flame retardants can be found in computer plastics, upholstered furniture, textiles, televisions and other products.

Why do we use flame retardant chemicals?
Fires are a leading cause of death and injury in the U.S.  Each year, more than 600 children ages 14 and under die, and nearly 47,000 are injured in fires. The elderly are also vulnerable to being injured or killed in fires.

Strict fire safety regulations in the U.S. require manufacturers to take steps to reduce the flammability of their products.  Brominated flame retardants like PBDEs slow the rate at which products catch fire and continue to burn. PBDEs are blended into plastics and foams during the manufacturing process. If products containing PBDEs are exposed to flame and high heat, they release bromines that rob the air of the oxygen needed to start or feed a fire.

Three types of PBDEs
There are three types of polybrominated diphenyl ethers—Penta, Octa and Deca—which contain different amounts of bromines in the molecules.  For example, Penta has an average of five bromines, and Deca has mostly 10 bromines.

PBDEs in consumer products
The three types of PBDEs are used in different kinds of consumer products:

• Penta: Used in polyurethane foam such as in mattresses, seat cushions, other upholstered furniture and rigid insulation.
• Octa:  Used in high-impact plastics such as fax machines and computers, automobile trim, telephones and kitchen appliances.
• Deca:  Used in carpet foam pads, draperies, television sets, computers, stereos and other electronics, cable insulation, adhesives, and textile coating.

It is not easy to tell which of these products contains PBDEs, but many of them do.  There are no product labels that list PBDEs and retailers generally are not aware which of their products contain PBDEs. Also, there is no easy way to test for PBDEs.  A few manufacturers have found alternatives to PBDEs and have stopped putting PBDEs in their products.  Others are waiting for proof that PBDEs cause harm.

Use of PBDEs Around the World
The United States is the world's largest producer and consumer of PBDEs. Most of the world’s supply of Penta (95%) is used in the Americas (North and South America together), as are 40% and 44% of the world’s supply of Octa and Deca, respectively.  

2001 Worldwide Market for PBDEs Penta, Octa and Deca

Deca is the most widely used PBDE flame retardant in the Americas, accounting for 74% of the total market in 2001. 

The only U.S. manufacturer of Penta and Octa is voluntarily phasing them out by the beginning in 2005. This will likely lead to less use of these products.  In addition, the manufacture and use of Penta and Octa have been banned in California and Maine beginning in 2006. 

 2001 Market for PBDEs in the Americas 

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