hexabromocyclododecane.doc

HEXABROMOCYCLODODECANE DRAFT RISK PROFILE April 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive summary 3 1. Introduction 4 1.1 Chemical identity of the proposed substance 4 1.2 Conclusion of the Review Committee regarding Annex D information 4 1.3 Data sources 4 1.4 Status of the chemical under international conventions 5 2. Summary information relevant to the risk profile 5 2.1 Sources 5 2.1.1 Production, trade, stockpiles 5 2.1.2 Uses 6 2.1.3 Releases to the environment 6 2.1.4 Releases from industrial point sources 7 2.1.5 Releases from products during service life 7 2.1.6 Releases from waste 8 2.2 Environmental fate 8 2.2.1 Persistence 8 2.2.2 Bioaccumulation 9 2.2.3 Potential for long-range environmental transport 11 2.3 Exposure 13 2.3.1 Environmental levels and trends 13 2.3.2 Human exposure 16 2.4 Hazard assessment for endpoints of concern 18 2.4.1 Ecotoxicity to aquatic organisms 18 2.4.2 Toxicity in soil organisms and plants 20 2.4.3 Toxicity in birds 20 2.4.4 Toxicity in terrestrial mammals 20 2.4.5 Human toxicity 22 3. Synthesis of information 23 4. Concluding statement 24 References 25  Executive summary The commercially available brominated flame retardant, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), is lipophilic, has a high affinity to particles and low water solubility. Depending on the manufacturer and the production method used, technical grade HBCD consists of 70-95 % γ-HBCD and 3-30 % of α- and β-HBCD. HBCD has attracted attention as a contaminant of concern in several regions, by international environmental forums and academia. In the EU, HBCD has been identified as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) meeting the criteria of a PBT (persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic) substance pursuant to Article 57(d) in the REACH regulation. In December 2009 HBCD was considered by the Executive Body of the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) to meet the criteria for POPs, set out in EB decision 1998/2. According to indus