Bangor (Maine) Daily News, April 26, 2007

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE BACKS BAN ON DECA

[Rachel's introduction: Maine may soon ban the brominated flame retardant known as deca.]

By Kevin Miller

A legislative committee voted in support of a bill Wednesday that would ban one of the most common types of chemical flame retardants used in televisions and other consumer products.

On a 10-3 vote, members of the Natural Resources Committee sent the bill, LD 1658, to the full Legislature for consideration. The committee vote after a lengthy work session late Tuesday as well as hours of public testimony earlier this month on the proposal to ban the chemical known as "deca."

The measure would phase out the use of deca in televisions and other electronics sold in Maine by 2010. The bill also would prohibit the sale of mattresses and other upholstered furniture containing deca beginning next year, although bill supporters say that is largely a preventive ban since deca is not currently used in those products.

Environmental and health organizations claim that deca, a type of polybrominated diphenyl ether, or PBDE, is a neurotoxin that could pose health risks to humans and wildlife. The chemical is used in plastic casings in televisions, computers, other electronics and some upholstered products, such as the flame-resistant backing on drapes.

Deca manufacturers have steadfastly defended the chemical as safe, well-researched and extremely effective at stopping or slowing the spread of deadly fires. They also questioned whether the alternative fire retardants are any safer or as effective.

The chemical industry and Maine organizations pushing to ban deca have been involved in a public relations war for the past several weeks over the bill.

The Bromine Science and Environmental Forum, which represents the major manufacturers, has run television and newspaper ads defending the safety of deca and suggesting that the bill could put Maine residents at risk because of fire. Bill supporters have responded by accusing the industry of putting profits ahead of safety.

The committee spent a considerable amount of time discussing whether the top alternatives to deca are any safer.

In the end, lawmakers amended the bill to give the Department of Environmental Protection the authority to restrict the use of other flame retardants if health or safety concerns arise. DEP officials would have to consult with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the state fire marshal about available alternatives.

DEP Commissioner David Littell said Wednesday evening that he supported the version of the bill endorsed by the majority of the committee. The department had recommended adding deca to the list of PBDEs already banned in Maine.

"The bill certainly works. It includes all of the department's recommendations and builds on them, so we are quite pleased with it," Littell said.