Three EU deadlines for flame retardants by the end of 2026
By December 2026, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is expected to deliver three outputs that will shape flame-retardant formulation in Europe: on brominated flame retardants, on organophosphorus flame retardants and on PFAS.
Dr. Fouad Laoutid · Flame retardancy of polymers & composites- Aromatic brominated flame retardants. Following a European Commission mandate of November 2025, ECHA is preparing a REACH restriction dossier on non-polymeric additive aromatic brominated flame retardants, due in December 2026. It targets DBDPE, TBPH and BTBPE, three substances of very high concern identified as very persistent and very bioaccumulative, while 19 further substances are under assessment. A call for evidence ran from January to March 2026.
- Organophosphorus flame retardants. In parallel, ECHA is assessing organophosphorus flame retardants and the alternatives to brominated ones. A first report is expected in December 2026 and a broader one in December 2027, to decide whether a restriction is warranted.
- PFAS. ECHA aims to finalise its opinions on the universal PFAS restriction by the end of 2026. Many UL 94 V-0 formulations use PTFE as an anti-drip agent, and the proposed transition period currently covers electronics only.
Our view: substitution has to be anticipated now. Alternatives must be assessed not only on fire performance, but also on their own hazard profile and on recyclability, in line with a safe and sustainable by design approach.
Sources: ECHA call for evidence on ABFRs (GPC) · ABFR dossier and OPFR timeline (Normachem) · PFAS timeline (pinfa)