Halogen Free Guideline

Flame-retardant plastics are commonly needed to meet strict fire safety codes for electronic equipment. Certain halogenated compounds, such as brominated flame retardants, or BFRs, are used as flame retardants in a variety of applications including thermoplastics, insulation ma­terials, component mold compounds, solder masks and printed circuit board laminates. In addi­tion, polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, a resin that contains the halogen (chlorine), is a commonly used base resin for certain cable jacketing. However, concerns have arisen that these materials may pose certain risks to health or the environment particularly at end-of-life. In response, “halogen­free” alternative materials are either available on the market or in development. At this time, there is little knowledge on the performance characteristics, supply chain readiness, costs and/or environmental and human health aspects of certain “halogen-free” alternative materials. This Guideline is intended to address this knowledge gap to enable companies to make more informed decisions with respect to material substitution.