# Flame retardants

Additives that slow ignition and flame spread in plastics, cables, foams and textiles; about 2.3 Mt a year, led by aluminium hydroxide and bromine compounds.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/flame_retardants/

Specialty chemicals · Performance additives · No. 79

- Product family
- Feedstock: Minerals and salts
- about 2.3 Mt a year (Ceresana 2024 edition, 2023 base); 2.19 Mt in the 2022 edition
- 2.4 t CO₂e per t
- HS 382499
 Specialty chemicals · Performance additives · Foundation · Matter

The biggest flame retardant is not an exotic chemical but plain aluminium hydroxide, which puts out fire by releasing water.

Chart: Illustration: Flame retardants

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Aluminium hydroxide is precipitated from alumina refinery liquor; brominated types are made with Dead Sea or brine bromine, and DBDPE is about 82% bromine.

##### Three things to know

1. Brominated retardants are 28% of the market in Asia but only about 4-5% in Western Europe, reflecting stricter rules.
2. Halogen-free cables for metros and data centres need very high mineral loadings, around 50-65% of the compound.
3. Construction takes about 33% of flame retardants, mostly for insulation foams and panels that must pass fire codes.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Raw minerals**Bauxite, Dead Sea bromine, phosphate, antimony
2. 2 **Synthesis**Precipitation, bromination or phosphorus chemistry
3. 3 **Compounding**Mixed in at 1-65% depending on type
4. 4 **Products**Insulation foam, circuit boards, cables, textiles
5. 5 **Fire safety**Slows ignition and flame spread

##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/flame_retardants/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/flame_retardants/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/flame_retardants/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/flame_retardants/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/flame_retardants/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/flame_retardants/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/flame_retardants/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/flame_retardants/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/flame_retardants/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/flame_retardants/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/flame_retardants/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/flame_retardants/links/index.md)