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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
MY COLOUR

Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 230/2/11

22 December 2004

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 346/2004

European Union (EU)* : Restrictions on the Marketing and Use of Pentabromodiphenyl Ether

Further to Commercial Information Circular No. 92/2003 of 1 April 2003, the European Commission (the Commission) has adopted a Directive to relax the current restrictions on the marketing and use of pentabromodiphenyl either (pentaBDE) in aircraft emergency evacuation systems. Details are set out in Commission Directive 2004/98/EC (the Directive), a copy of which is attached (pdf format) to this circular for reference. Member States are required to put the Directive into force by 1 January 2005 at the latest.

DETAILS

  1.  
  2. PentaBDE is used as a brominated flame retardant in order to protect plastics, fabrics and other articles against fire. On the basis of a risk assessment, the marketing and use of the substance is restricted under certain conditions as detailed in Commercial Information Circular No. 92/2003. Recently, new information has become available showing that pentaBDE is used in specific fabrics for aircraft evacuation slides and slide-rafts and cannot be replaced by suitable alternatives due to the extensive safety testing and regulatory requirements. In light of the limited application of pentaBDE in aircraft emergency evacuation systems and the negligible risks posed by pentaBDE to health and the environment, the Commission has adopted the Directive to exempt the existing restrictions on pentaBDE from applying to aircraft emergency evacuation systems until 31 March 2006.

ENQUIRIES

  1. For enquiries about the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5684.




Yours faithfully,



(Miss Sandra SOU)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

* The EU includes Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.



  • While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.