Discussing the green transition and fire safety

The pinfa General Assembly, held in Berlin and facilitated online, saw twenty member companies come together to deliberate on pivotal themes like the green transition, regulatory developments, and international actions in fire safety.

Coinciding with the 2023 AMI Flame Retardants in Plastics Conference, the event also welcomed online participants from pinfa North America and pinfa China.

Guest speaker insights and investments for a sustainable future

Elisa Todesco from Cefic presented a pathway towards a net-zero, sustainable chemicals industry in Europe.

Recognising the critical role of chemicals in industries ranging from construction to electronics, the focus was on the necessity of fire safety.

Cefic’s estimation of the investment needed for achieving these goals is between 220 and 240 billion euros.

The European Commission’s involvement and the call for information on initiatives were also highlighted.

pinfa’s ongoing actions and collaborations

The assembly discussed pinfa’s various ongoing actions, including work on regulatory dossiers, fire safety in construction materials, electric vehicles, and the EU Fire Information Exchange Platform (FIEP).

The EU chemicals agency (ECHA) is expected to revise its Flame Retardants Strategy in 2025, with pinfa preparing data collection in collaboration.

Outreach and communication efforts were also noted, including public information videos, workshops, and newsletters.

Building fire safety and regulatory developments

The General Assembly covered topics like fire safety in building materials and recycling challenges.

Heikki Väänänen from the European Commission presented on building fire safety, emphasizing the EU’s role in harmonising fire performance standards.

Celia Gryspeirt from Industrial Minerals Europe discussed regulatory impacts on mineral PIN flame retardants.

Michael Cassart from Plastics Europe highlighted the plastics industry’s sustainability goals, stressing the importance of safety and recycling.

ECHA’s Flame Retardants Strategy and regulatory update

ECHA’s Flame Retardants Strategy, which focuses on halogenated and organo-phosphorus flame retardants, was a key topic.

pinfa members engaged with ECHA representatives to discuss the strategy, highlighting the need for low-hazard flame retardants and closely controlled end-of-life processes.

The discussion also touched on the development of EU-standardised analysis methods and the importance of regulating flame retardants in imported articles.

Looking ahead: Ongoing efforts and challenges

pinfa members also delved into ongoing projects related to inorganic flame retardants, melamine compounds, recycling, smoke toxicity, and education on PIN flame retardants.

The emphasis was on addressing inhalation risks, monitoring environmental traces, and collaborating across Europe, North America, and China.

IFSJ Comment

The pinfa General Assembly 2023 stands as a significant event in the fire safety and chemicals industry, underscoring the complex interplay between sustainability, regulatory challenges, and fire safety.

The discussions at the assembly reflect a global shift towards greener, safer chemicals, and the essential role of collaboration across industries and continents.

The emphasis on investments for a sustainable future, coupled with the challenges of securing such funding, highlights the urgency and scale of the task at hand.

The involvement of key industry players and regulatory bodies like ECHA underlines the collective effort required to achieve these goals.

This event serves as a crucial platform for sharing knowledge, strategies, and innovations, ultimately contributing to the advancement of fire safety standards and sustainable practices in the industry.