Brominated Flame Retardants (BRFs) have now been found in breast milk, blood, liver and adipose tissue. One form of BFR, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been shown to disrupt thyroid hormones, mimic oestrogen and are linked to cancer and reproductive damage.

Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) are used to prevent combustion and/or retard the spread of flames in a variety of products including: plastics for computer casing; televisions; mobile phones; white goods; car interiors, as well as reusable food and drink containers; carpets and polyurethane foams in furniture/bedding. Brominated Flame retardants have been found in human blood, liver and adipose tissue, and in breast milk. One form of Brominated Flame retardants, PBDEs or polybrominated diphenyl ethers have been shown to disrupt thyroid hormones, mimic oestrogen and are linked to cancer and reproductive damage. Household Dust BFRs have been found in the dust of homes, schools and offices raising new concerns about potential health risks, particularly to young children.

[1] Toddlers who crawl on the floor and have a lot of hand to mouth activity, generally have a far greater exposure to household dust than adults. We know that these chemicals effect a child’s development and may also place them at greater risk of cancer.

[2] Breastmilk testing in Australia A study commissioned by the Australian Government, published by the Environment Protection Council of Australia and New Zealand in January 2005 showed that the levels of the brominated flame retardants, the polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) in women’s breast milk is 5 times higher than those observed in Europe and Japan.

[3] Collected and tested pooled samples from 20 urban and rural areas around Australia revealed concentrations ranging from a minimum of 6.0 ng g-1 lipid detected in the Tasmanian pool sample to a maximum of 18 ng g-1 in the rural NSW sample.

To learn more visit our Persistent Pollutants Campaign

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