OPTIMUM ADDITIVE LEVEL OF ORGANOPHOSPHATE FLAME RETARDANTS IN MATERIALS

Flame retardants have been used in polymers to reduce the flammability of plastics, building materials,fabric and papers. In recent years, organophosphate flame retardants were used as substitutes forBrominated Flame Retardants. The consume amounts of organophosphate flame retardants in 2001was about 5 times than that of 2000 in Japan. Recently, several studies have shown the carcinogenicityand neurotoxicity of organophosphate flame retardants. Reducing the risk of fire is the main advantageof using organophosphate flame retardants. However, there are possible health risks from the toxicity oforganophosphate flame retardants. Health and fire risk assessment methods of organophosphateflame retardants were established in this study. Optimum additive level of flame retardants wasproposed by comparing the two kinds of risks. The method was applied to estimate the optimumadditive level of TCPP in wall covering materials. Practicality of the risk minimization approach wasproved. However, because it is an interdisciplinary study, there are some problems such as datadeficiency etc. Accuracy of the risk assessment method should be promoted in the further study.