Scientists to Address Policy on Flame Retardants at Brussels Meeting in August 2011

The purpose of the Brussels Flame Retardant Science and Policy Meeting is to facilitate information exchange between academic and government scientists and non-governmental organizations.

The panel of speakers includes:

• Linda Birnbaum, Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, U.S.A., How Can Scientists, Government and NGOs Work Together So That Good Science Can Support Policy in The Public Interest?
• Arlene Blum, U.C. Berkeley and Green Science Policy Institute, U.S.A.,  Flame Retardants: How Science can Impact Policy
• Richard Hull, Professor of Chemistry and Fire Science, University of Central Lancashire, UK, The British Furniture Standard and Fire Toxicity
• Ralf Lottes, Secretary General, European Environmental Citizens' Organization for Standardization (ECOS), Belgium, The Need for Environmental Stakeholder Representation in Standardization
• Martin Scheringer, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland, The Substitution Problem: POPs Properties of Alternative Flame Retardants

The meeting will also feature short talks and discussion sessions to bring the science from Dioxin 2011 to decision makers. Discussion topics include:

1. How can chemical policy reform in the United States be coordinated with REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical Substances) in the European Union (EU)?
2. A furniture flammability standard for the EU?
3. Further dissemination of the San Antonio Statement on Brominated and Chlorinated Flame Retardants (view statement and signatories) and the comprehensive review article Halogenated Flame Retardants: Do the Fire Safety Benefits Justify the Risks? (view full article)
4. How can scientists, government and NGOs work together so that good science can support policy in the public interest?
5. Educating the public so that consumer choice can encourage industry to move to safer alternatives.
   

Science and Policy of Flame Retardants: Draft Agenda

9:00 AM The Big Picture: How can scientists, government and NGOs work together so that good science can support policy in the public interest?
     Linda Birnbaum, Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences How can scientists, government and NGOs work together so that good science can support policy in the public interest? (15 minutes
     Lisette van Vliet, Ph.D. Toxics Policy Advisor, Health & Environment Alliance and Ralf Lottes, Secretary General, European Environmental Citizens' Organization for Standardization (ECOS), The EU Policy Arenas where Flame Retardants are treated: ROHS, REACH,EU Standardization processes, and the representation of Health and Environmental public interest organisations in them (25 minutes)
     Panel Discussion with speakers and others from China and other regions (30 minutes)

Break

10:30 AM Science and Policy of Flame Retardants
     Arlene Blum, U.C. Berkeley and Green Science Policy Institute, U.S.A., Flame Retardants: How Science can Impact Policy (15 minutes)
     Richard Hull, (invited) Professor of Chemistry and Fire Science, University of Central Lancashire, UK, The UK Furniture Flammability Regulations and Fire Safety (15 minutes)
     Martin Scheringer, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland, The Substitution Problem: POPs Properties of Alternative Flame Retardants (15 minutes)
One additional speaker (15 minutes)
     Panel Discussion with speakers, Roland Weber, and others (30 minutes)

12:00 PM Lunch will be provided. A payment of 20 euros covers the lunch, coffee, and the venue.

1:00 PM Moving Forward
     Tom Webster, Boston University School of Public Health How scientists and NGOs can work together, Why scientists can find policy problematic and what can be done. (15 minutes)
     Panel Discussion with speaker and others (30 minutes)
     Conclusions (15 minutes)

End at 2:00 pm

Science and Policy Advisory Committee Members
Linda Birnbaum, Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, U.S.
Arlene Blum, UC Berkeley and Green Science Policy Institute, U.S.
David Mortimer, Chemical Safety Division, Food Standards Agency, UK
Myrto Petreas, California Department of Toxic Substances, U.S.
Stefan Posner, Institute Swerea, Stockholm, Sweden Martin Rose, Food and Environment Research Agency, UK
Arnie Schechter, University of Texas School of Public Health, US
Martin Scheringer, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland
Susan Shaw, U.S. Marine Environmental Research Institute, U.S.
Lisette Van Vliet, Health & Environment Alliance, Brussels, Belgium
Roland Weber, POPs Environmental Consulting, Goeppingen, Germany;
Tom Webster, Boston University School of Public Health, U.S.
Cynthia de Wit, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden

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