Benefits and Risks of Flame Retardant Additives in Consumer Products

Since the 1970s, flame retardant chemicals have been increasingly used to meet fire safety regulations. However, although these flame retardant chemicals improve fire safety, they can also pose a risk to health and the environment. Some of the popular flame retardant chemicals in use tend to accumulate in the environment. Humans and wildlife are then exposed to these flame retardant chemicals, which can cause a variety of adverse health effects. Although certain flame retardant chemicals have been banned or phased out, products that contain them are still in use, and the popular replacements for these chemicals have not been adequately tested to determine their effects. Currently, there is a policy question as to whether the potential increase to fire safety outweighs the potential risk to health and environmental safety. health, and the environment. exterior thickness of the object. Some standards require the use of flame retardant chemicals, even though they pose risks. Additional testing should be performed to determine whether such flame retardant chemicals are required or if the use of such chemicals could be reduced or eliminated. As such, this thesis discusses tests performed on 3D printed containers made out of both flame retardant and non-flame retardant ABS. These containers were exposed to an internal source of fire to determine how the flame retardant ABS performed compared to the non-flame retardant ABS. In some cases, flame retardant chemicals may not be necessary. In order to avoid the usage of potentially dangerous chemicals, such alternatives should be carefully considered.Mechanical Engineerin