New Chemical in Polymers and Textiles Under Scrutiny

In European harmonised classification and labelling news along the lines of CLP classification, the EU Committee for Risk Assessment RAC has adopted opinions on two proposals. 

Two chemical-substances in question

HBCDD, or hexabromocyclododecane is the first.

RAC agreed with the proposal from Sweden to classify HBCDD for reproductive toxicity due to effects on the unborn or breast-fed child.  The main downstream uses of HBCDD are in the polymer and textile industries.  HBCDD can be used on its own or in combination with other flame retardants.  The classification of HBCDD is not harmonised, to use the European spelling, now at the EU level, although various member states have approached classification of the substance.

Leucomalachite green is the second.

RAC also agreed with a proposal from the U.K. to classify leucomalachite green as a carcinogen and mutagen. Leucomalachite green is used as a cell stain in laboratories (histopathology stain).  The classification of this substance is not currently harmonised at the EU level.

Details of the new opinions are expected to be posted at this link, "in the near future," according to ECHA:  http://echa.europa.eu/about/organisation/committees/rac/committee_opinions_en.asp

Who is RAC?

RAC is the group responsible for providing scientific opinions for ECHA on proposals for chemicals' harmonised classification and labelling, also known as CLP or just C&L. The final decision for harmonised classification and labelling is made by the European Commission, by committee.  RAC falls under the risk assessment arm of Chemicals Management in the EU.

(Toby Sharp for CJ)

Building a Green Supply Chain: Top 10 Green Building Products

BuildingGreen, Inc., publisher of the GreenSpec^® Directory, directory of green building products, and Environmental Building News^™, recently announced the 2010 Top-10 Green Building Products.  The firm thereby recognizes exciting products the publishers have recently added to their directory or covered in their news.  See also a previous article on Safety by Design in building construction.

This year’s Top-10 selections include a cellular glass insulation with excellent compressive strength and no flame retardants, a high-performance modular wall system insulated with cellulose, and an advanced LED lighting module offering halogen light quality, using a quarter the electricity and lasting more than 20 times as long.

“Our selections of the Top-10 Green Building Products represent a wide range of product types in many different application areas,” noted BuildingGreen founder and executive editor Alex Wilson.

Leading the way in providing green building products are companies like Owens Corning, which develops glass fiber and foam products that use an average of 40% recycled glass content. Other companies such as Fastenal offer energy-efficient LED lighting systems.

“Many of our Top-10 products this year have multiple environmental attributes,” said Wilson. Approximately 180 product listings have been added to the GreenSpec database during the past year. The database, maintained by BuildingGreen, includes more than 2,200 product listings.

BuildingGreen.com provides an online version of GreenSpec where users can find products organized by LEED credits.  

The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED^® Rating System (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) says it continues to drive development of green products by awarding points for using green materials or through the use of energy-saving products. “Designers of LEED buildings are looking for green products, and manufacturers are responding,” said Wilson.

Guest blogger Laura Chidester has worked as a technical writer for over ten years, and is currently the Manager of Technical Documentation for Actio Corporation.