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14 The PCB Magazine • March 2015 mon flame retardants, including TBBPA and concluded for the smoke and gases released in case of fire: "The major hazards of most fires arise from the existence of the fire and not the materials burned and there is no evidence that flame retardants contribute to the direct human health risks arising from toxic gas effects." The report also concluded: "Examination of the toxicology of six of the more common flame retardants used in consumer products indicates that in general they do not pose any significant threats to human life and the envi- ronment. Moreover any indication of risk from the toxicology of flame retardants themselves in isolation will be exaggerated because of their limited bioavailability when they are incorpo- rated into a polymer matrix." Under the framework of the European risk assessment (RA) a report into the human health risks of exposure to TBBPA published in 2006 concluded [7] : Human health: No health effects of concern have been identified for TBBPA. Workers Conclusion (ii) There is at present no need for further information and/or testing and no need for risk reduction measures beyond those which are being applied already. No health effects of concern to adults have been identified. Therefore conclusion (ii) is reached in relation to all endpoints and for all exposure scenarios. Consumer: Conclusion (ii) There is at present no need for further information and/or testing and for risk re - duction measures beyond those which are being applied already. Given that consumer exposure is negligible conclusion (ii) is reached in relation to all end- points. Underlining the use of TBBPA as an additive flame retardant, BSEF states [8] : TBBPA is classified in the EU as an H410 sub- stance, which means that it is toxic to aquatic FIRE RETARDANCy: WHAT, WHy, AND HOW continues Feature figure 3.