Blogs Bromine-free PCB production a ‘publicity stunt’

Bromine-free PCB production a ‘publicity stunt’

Current moves to remove potentially harmful bromine flame retardants (BFRs) from PCB production have been dismissed as little more than a marketing gimmick.To get more news about Halogen Free PCB, you can visit pcbmake official website.

Ericsson has become one of largest companies to back the bromine-free lobby. It has unveiled plans for 80% of its PCBs in new products to be bromine-free by January 2002 because of environmental concerns.But the move was dismissed by Brian Haken, non-executive director of the Printed Circuit Interconnection Federation (PCIF). He questioned the motives of companies trying to get BFRs banned.

“I understand it was the European mobile phone companies who tried to get BFRs banned to gain an environmental sales advantage over their competitors,” he said.Another point in Haken's argument is that the alternative halogen-free materials being offered could be equally hazardous and are much more expensive than BFRs.

“Isola, the laminate manufacturing global leader, offers halogen-free retardants, but they are 40 to 50% more expensive than BFRs, and I do not think the technology is proven scientifically to be as effective,” he said. “They could be just as bad environmentally as BFRs or worse.”

Frank Coultard, director of the PCIF, believes replacements for halogen-based flame retardants are needed but the industry requires time to find solutions.He is concerned that some materials are being rushed into use because of the impending introduction of the EU directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).

“The ideas behind the WEEE directive are laudable, but time is needed to find new applications,” he said. “Lots of work needs to be done to find reliable new methods.”