Formulated Polymer Products Blog

In order to reduce the devastating impact of fire on people and the environment, most household items are treated with flame retardants. They are added to most potentially flammable items, such as electronics, textiles, and plastics. However, flame retardancy describes a function, not a chemical. Different chemicals with different structures and properties act as flame retardants and are often combined for effectiveness. Some are considered safer than others, for example, Decabromodiphenyl Ether is safer than Decabromodiphenyl Oxide.

80% of deaths caused by fires in the UK occur in the home. The number of fires is declining but this is no cause for complacency. A significant number of them are preventable and are typically caused by simple accidents.

Many specialists in material sciences and fire safety engineering agree on the importance of flame retardants and their properties to stop or slow the spread of fire. The use of flame retardants is vital because many synthetic materials and products that people have in their homes and construction plants pose a huge fire risk. Therefore, it's vital to choose the right flame retardant manufacturer to ensure optimum fire safety.

In 1988 the UK implemented the Furniture and Furnishing (Fire Safety) Regulations (FFR’s) following a major fire in the furnishings department of the Woolworths store in central Manchester. Tragically 10 people lost their lives in the fire. The regulations led to the use of flame retardants in the foam and on the back of the textiles used in furniture.

Since 1988, all manufacturers and importers of furniture in the UK have to make available, on request, information to prove that their products meet all the latest fire safety standards. For this reason, Formulated Polymer’s flame retardant coatings must meet the necessary requirements to ensure quality and regulatory compliance.

Left untreated, the natural and artificial fabrics used in tents pose a high fire risk. Our team at Formulated Polymers have developed a range of flame-retardant products to enhance the protection of tent fabrics against fire, as well as protection against bacteria, and fungal pathogens. 

Flame-retardants are used to reduce the impact of fire on property, people, and the environment. They can be added to nearly any item to treat flammable components and materials, such as plastics or textiles.

Flame-retardants refer to a functional property, rather than a single substance. There are chemicals with different configurations that act as flame-retardants and together they are more efficient than separately. Basically, there are three methods for this. Let's take a closer look.

Flame retardants can slow or extinguish the spread of fire before it does significant damage. They come in many forms - liquid coatings, soaking sprays, paint additives etc., and can be used in almost any industry. If you're in the market for a flame retardant coating or additive for your product, here are the three most important questions to ask flame retardant manufacturers.

The recent tragic fire at Grenfell Tower in North Kensington highlighted the need for effective flame retardant treatments for both household items and materials used in the construction of buildings.

Flame retardants slow the rate at which a fire propagates allowing more time for people to escape and for emergency services to act. Fire retardants save lives.

Recent reports in the press link the flame retardant Decabromodiphenylether (DecaBDE) to thyroid cancer, and a number of customers have been in touch to query our use of this product.

DecaBDE is a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC). DecaBDE was listed because it is a Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP) and not because it was found to be hazardous to human health.

So, in the interests of clarity, DecaBDE has not been used by Formulated Polymer Products in any of our products since January 2014.