Chlorinated flame retardants are chlorine-containing additives that release hydrogen chloride in a fire to trap the radicals that keep a flame burning, and they fall into 3 classes: Dechlorane Plus, chlorinated paraffins and chlorinated phosphates such as TCPP. Three of the 8 substances in this group are now Stockholm Convention POPs and a fourth is a REACH authorisation substance, so the practical question for a compounder is which ones remain usable, and in which plastics.
Chlorinated flame retardants are one of the halogenated branches of the flame retardant group of plastic additives, next to the larger brominated branch. Both branches release a hydrogen halide in the flame, but chlorinated systems serve a narrower set of host plastics: polyurethane foam, PVC and cable compounds, and nylon and polyolefin connectors.
This page covers how the hydrogen chloride mechanism and antimony trioxide synergy work, the 3 chemical classes and their 8 named substances, the plastics that use them, how chlorinated systems compare with brominated ones, the UL 94 and cable tests that qualify a compound, the Stockholm Convention, REACH, TSCA, toy and regional rules that now restrict 4 of the 8 substances, the substances that replace them, and the producers still supplying the market.
What Are Chlorinated Flame Retardants?#
Chlorinated flame retardants are halogenated flame retardants whose active element is chlorine bonded to carbon, either in a chlorinated hydrocarbon such as Dechlorane Plus or chlorinated paraffins or in a chlorinated phosphate ester such as TCPP. The halogenated group of flame retardants splits into 2 branches: brominated systems, built around decaBDE, DBDPE, TBBPA and HBCD, and chlorinated systems, built around Dechlorane Plus, the chlorinated paraffins (SCCP, MCCP and LCCP) and the chlorinated phosphate esters TCEP, TCPP, TDCPP and V6. The phosphate esters carry both chlorine and phosphorus, so suppliers and regulators list them as halogenated flame retardants and as organophosphate flame retardants at the same time.
The hub on flame retardants for plastics compares chlorinated systems with brominated, phosphorus, mineral and intumescent ones. Flame retardants as a whole are an estimated USD 8.1 to 9.3 billion market in a 2025 analyst range, though our sources do not isolate a separate figure for the chlorinated branch alone.
How do chlorinated flame retardants work?#
Chlorinated flame retardants work mainly in the gas phase: heat releases hydrogen chloride, and HCl converts the highly reactive H· and OH· radicals that sustain combustion into less reactive chlorine radicals. Combustion runs as a self-feeding cycle: heat pyrolyses the polymer into volatile fuel, the fuel ignites, and the flame's chain-branching reaction (H· + O2 → OH· + O·) keeps releasing heat that feeds back into the polymer surface. A chlorinated flame retardant interrupts that cycle before it becomes self-sustaining.
The flame-inhibition sequence runs in 3 steps.
- Heat decomposes the chlorinated additive and releases hydrogen chloride (HCl) into the gas phase.
- HCl reacts with the H· and OH· radicals that drive chain branching, exchanging them for less reactive chlorine radicals (Cl·).
- Chain branching slows, less heat feeds back to the polymer surface, and the flame loses the fuel supply it needs to keep burning.
Chlorinated phosphates such as TCPP add a second route: they also act in the condensed phase, where their phosphorus content chars the polymer surface and slows the release of fuel. The full chemistry of how flame retardants work in the gas and condensed phases sits on the mechanism page.
Why is antimony trioxide used with chlorinated flame retardants?#
Antimony trioxide is used with chlorinated flame retardants because it has no flame-retardant effect alone but reacts with the released HCl to form volatile antimony trichloride, which carries chlorine into the flame and traps radicals there. Chlorinated paraffins rely on the same synergist: antimony oxide is their flame-retardant synergist of choice, added alongside the chlorine donor rather than in place of it.
The reaction runs in 4 steps as the halogen-to-antimony ratio in the char falls:
- Sb2O3 + 2HX → 2SbOX + H2O
- 5SbOX → Sb4O5X2 + SbX3
- 4Sb4O5X2 → 5Sb3O4X + SbX3
- 3Sb3O4X → 4Sb2O3 + SbX3
Identity and the Carc. 2 classification are on antimony trioxide. Antimony trioxide (CAS 1309-64-4) carries a harmonised Carc. 2 H351 classification under CLP, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer placed trivalent antimony compounds in Group 2A in 2022; California has listed antimony trioxide under Proposition 65 for cancer since 1 October 1990. Antimony trioxide is not on the REACH Candidate List.
Formulators can replace part of the antimony trioxide with zinc borate, zinc stannate or zinc hydroxystannate to cut smoke or ease Proposition 65 labelling, though these substitutes rarely remove antimony trioxide completely from a chlorinated formulation. Zinc borate and stannates are compared with antimony trioxide on flame retardant synergists.
What Are the 3 Classes of Chlorinated Flame Retardants?#
The 3 classes of chlorinated flame retardants are chlorinated cycloaliphatics (Dechlorane Plus), chlorinated paraffins (SCCP, MCCP and LCCP) and chlorinated alkyl phosphates (TCEP, TCPP, TDCPP and V6). A fourth, largely historical group, the chlorendic acid derivatives, appeared historically in unsaturated polyester laminates; our source library carries no identity or current use data for that group beyond this mention.
1. Chlorinated cycloaliphatics: Dechlorane Plus#
Dechlorane Plus (CAS 13560-89-9) is a fully chlorinated cycloaliphatic flame retardant, C18H12Cl12 with 12 chlorine atoms per molecule, used in nylon, polypropylene and wire and cable compounds. The molecule has a molecular weight of 653.7 g/mol, a melting point of 350 °C and a density of 1.8 g/cm3, and commercial grades contain syn and anti isomers in a ratio of about 1 to 3. OxyChem sells the substance under the Dechlorane Plus name.
Isomer data and every exemption date are on Dechlorane Plus. Dechlorane Plus has been on the REACH Candidate List since 15 January 2018 for its very persistent, very bioaccumulative (vPvB) properties, and the Stockholm Convention added it to Annex A at COP-11 in May 2023 (decision SC-11/10). The EU implemented that listing through Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1930, in force since 15 October 2025, which sets an unintentional trace contaminant limit of 1,000 mg/kg until 15 April 2028 and 1 mg/kg after that date.
2. Chlorinated paraffins: SCCP, MCCP and LCCP#
Chlorinated paraffins are chlorinated n-alkane mixtures that contain about 30 to 70 wt% chlorine and are grouped by carbon chain length into short-chain (SCCP, C10-13), medium-chain (MCCP, C14-17) and long-chain (LCCP, above C17) grades. All 3 groups started out as combined plasticizer and flame-retardant additives, but their regulatory paths have since diverged sharply.
| Grade | Chain length | Status |
|---|---|---|
| SCCP | C10-13 | SVHC since 28 October 2008; Stockholm Convention Annex A since 2017 |
| MCCP | C14-17 | SVHC since 8 July 2021; Stockholm Convention Annex A since COP-12, May 2025 |
| LCCP | above C17 | Not an SVHC; REACH tonnage band 10,000-100,000 t/a |
Grades, chlorine levels and PVC use are covered under chlorinated paraffins as plasticizers and flame retardants, which owns the plasticizer side of this chemistry; this page treats the 3 grades only as 1 of the 3 chlorinated flame-retardant classes. SCCP is now a legacy substance: the EU POPs Regulation prohibits its manufacture and use, subject to derogations, under Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 Annex I Part A, following its Stockholm Convention Annex A listing at COP-8 in 2017 (decision SC-8/11).
MCCP took the same path in 2025. The Stockholm Convention listed C14-17 chloroalkanes with at least 45 % chlorine by weight in Annex A at COP-12, held 28 April to 9 May 2025 (decision SC-12/10), and the depositary notification of 16 December 2025 sets the listing's entry into force at 16 December 2026 for Parties that do not opt out.
The full POP timeline is on MCCP (medium-chain chlorinated paraffins). LCCP, by contrast, is not an SVHC as checked on 22 September 2026 and stays outside the Stockholm listing, although commercial LCCP grades can contain C14-17 fractions that fall under the MCCP rules.
Chlorinated paraffins as flame retardants and secondary plasticizers#
Chlorinated paraffins do two jobs in flexible PVC: they extend the primary plasticizer, with a 70:30 DOP:CP blend giving the same hardness as DOP alone, and together with antimony oxide they add flame retardancy to cable compounds. Why CPs cannot replace DOP alone is explained under secondary plasticizers. In PVC cable compounds, chlorinated paraffins rarely appear without antimony oxide, since the combination is what restores the flame-retardant effect that a plasticizer otherwise dilutes.
3. Chlorinated phosphates: TCEP, TCPP, TDCPP and V6#
Chlorinated phosphates are phosphate esters with chlorinated alkyl groups, such as TCPP, TDCPP, TCEP and V6, that combine chlorine and phosphorus in one molecule and are used mainly as additive flame retardants in polyurethane foam. TCEP was the first of the group in wide use, serving as a flame-retardant plasticizer in polyurethane foam, polyester resins and polyacrylates, but the EU has had no TCEP production since 2001.
TCPP replaced TCEP in most foam grades and is now the standard additive flame retardant for rigid polyurethane and PIR insulation boards, spray foam and one-component foam, and it also appears in flexible foam. TCPP (CAS 13674-84-5) carries about 9.5 % phosphorus and 32.5 % chlorine by weight, and it is not on the SVHC Candidate List and not restricted under REACH Annex XVII.
TDCPP (CAS 13674-87-8) serves flexible polyurethane foam in furniture, automotive interiors and baby products, and its use rose after the US phased out pentaBDE in 2005. TCEP has needed REACH authorisation since 21 August 2015, when its Annex XIV sunset date passed. V6 (CAS 38051-10-4) serves flexible polyurethane foam for automotive seating; commercial V6 can contain TCEP as an impurity, and because its regulatory record rests on limited research, this page states only that V6 is not on the SVHC Candidate List.
Are chlorinated phosphates halogenated or organophosphate flame retardants?#
Both: TCPP, TDCPP, TCEP and V6 are halogenated flame retardants because they contain chlorine and organophosphate flame retardants because they are phosphate esters, so regulators and suppliers list them in both groups. Chlorine-free phosphate esters are compared on organophosphate flame retardants, which owns the broader organophosphate category; this page keeps its focus on the chlorinated members of that family.
8 Chlorinated Flame Retardants Compared: Identity, Plastics and Regulatory Status#
The table compares the 8 chlorinated flame retardants that plastics compounders meet today, from Dechlorane Plus to V6, by identity, host plastic and regulatory status on 22 September 2026.
| Substance | Class | CAS / EC | Main plastics | SVHC (REACH) | POP status | Other key status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dechlorane Plus | Chlorinated cycloaliphatic | 13560-89-9 / 236-948-9 | Nylon, PP, wire and cable | 15 Jan 2018 (vPvB) | Stockholm Annex A 2023; EU 2025/1930: 1,000 mg/kg to 15 Apr 2028, then 1 mg/kg | Japan CSCL Class I Specified from 18 Feb 2025 |
| SCCP | Chlorinated paraffin | 85535-84-8 / 287-476-5 | Legacy PVC, rubber | 28 Oct 2008 (PBT, vPvB) | Stockholm Annex A 2017; EU POPs Annex I Part A | Prop 65 (average C12, about 60 % Cl) cancer, 1 Jul 1989 |
| MCCP | Chlorinated paraffin | 85535-85-9 / 287-477-0 | PVC cable, rubber, sealants | 8 Jul 2021 (PBT, vPvB) | Stockholm Annex A 2025 (SC-12/10), in force 16 Dec 2026; EU C(2026) 6262 adopted 11 Sep 2026, 0.1 % UTC, not yet in OJ | EU RoHS addition dropped in 2024 |
| LCCP | Chlorinated paraffin | 63449-39-8 / 264-150-0 | PUR, soft PVC | No | Not listed (C14-17 fractions fall under the MCCP listing) | REACH 10,000-100,000 t/a |
| TCEP | Chlorinated phosphate | 115-96-8 / 204-118-5 | Legacy PU, polyester resins | 13 Jan 2010 (Repr.) | None | Annex XIV entry 13, sunset 21 Aug 2015; Prop 65 1 Apr 1992; TSCA final risk evaluation Sept 2024; EU toys 5 mg/kg |
| TCPP | Chlorinated phosphate | 13674-84-5 / 237-158-7 | Rigid PU/PIR, spray and one-component foam, flexible foam | No | None | Not restricted in Annex XVII; EU toys 5 mg/kg |
| TDCPP | Chlorinated phosphate | 13674-87-8 / 237-159-2 | Flexible PU foam | No | None | Prop 65 28 Oct 2011; harmonised Carc. 2; EU toys 5 mg/kg (as TDCP) |
| V6 | Chlorinated phosphate | 38051-10-4 / 253-760-2 | Flexible PU foam (automotive seating) | Not on the Candidate List (limited research) | None | May contain TCEP as impurity |
Status checked 22 September 2026. MCCP's EU listing is adopted but not yet published in the Official Journal.
Which Plastics Use Chlorinated Flame Retardants?#
Chlorinated flame retardants are used mainly in 3 groups of plastics: polyurethane foam (chlorinated phosphates), flexible PVC and PVC cable compounds (chlorinated paraffins) and nylon, polypropylene and cable compounds (Dechlorane Plus).
Polyurethane foam#
Polyurethane foam is the largest user of chlorinated phosphates: TCPP is the standard additive flame retardant in rigid PU and PIR insulation boards and spray foam, while TDCPP and TCPP serve flexible foam. Rigid PIR and PUR insulation boards combine TCPP with triethyl phosphate, DMMP or reactive phosphorus polyols, while flexible foam formulations pair TCPP and TDCPP with expandable graphite or melamine.
| Foam type | Chlorinated FRs | Other FRs | Standards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rigid PU/PIR insulation, spray foam | TCPP | Triethyl phosphate, DMMP, reactive P-polyols | EN 13501-1 |
| Flexible foam (furniture, bedding) | TCPP, TDCPP | Expandable graphite, melamine | TB 117-2013, BS 5852 |
Rigid and flexible foam packages are compared on flame retardants for polyurethane foam. Furniture and bedding foam in the US has been tested against California's smoulder standard TB 117-2013, effective from 2014, which replaced the earlier open-flame test enacted in 1975 with a smoulder test on the cover fabric; cable and building products in Europe follow BS 5852 and EN 13501-1.
PVC and PVC cable compounds#
PVC contains about 57 % chlorine by mass and is flame retardant on its own, but the plasticizer in flexible PVC adds fuel, so cable compounds add chlorinated paraffins together with antimony trioxide to restore flame retardancy.
The complete cable-compound package is on additives for PVC. Rigid PVC needs little additional flame-retardant help, but flexible PVC formulated with 5 to 65 wt% plasticizer dilutes that intrinsic chlorine content, so cable compounders add chlorinated paraffins, antimony trioxide, aluminium trihydrate or zinc borate, or switch to a phosphate plasticizer, to bring flame performance back up. The pending EU MCCP act grants a 2-year exemption of up to 2 % MCCP by weight for flexible PVC in construction wires and cables, and a separate 2-year exemption of up to 2 % MCCP for plastic recovered from cable metal recycling.
Nylon, polyolefins and wire and cable#
Dechlorane Plus is the chlorinated flame retardant of nylon, polypropylene and wire and cable compounds, where its 350 °C melting point suits high processing temperatures. Cable classes and halogen-free options are covered under flame retardants for wire and cable.
Alternatives used where Dechlorane Plus is restricted or unsuitable include aluminium diethylphosphinate, DBDPE and brominated polystyrene. The EU's Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1930 exempts Dechlorane Plus uses in aerospace, space, defence, medical imaging and radiotherapy applications until 26 February 2030, and spare parts until 31 December 2043.
Phosphinate and melamine systems are on flame retardants for nylon. Nylon compounders weigh Dechlorane Plus against these halogen-free phosphinate systems mainly on processing temperature and colour stability, since Dechlorane Plus tolerates the high melt temperatures of glass-filled polyamide without degrading.
How Do Chlorinated Flame Retardants Interact with Other Additives?#
Chlorinated flame retardants need antimony trioxide to reach their full effect, weaken basic HALS light stabilizers through the acids they release, and in PVC work alongside the primary plasticizer rather than replacing it. The table below lists the co-additives that most often appear in the same formulation and what each interaction means for the compounder.
| Co-additive | Interaction with chlorinated FRs | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Antimony trioxide | Synergist: forms SbCl3 in the flame | Add as synergist, not as a substitute for the chlorine donor |
| Basic N-H HALS | Deactivated by acidic species released from halogenated FRs (N-H pKb about 4-5) | Use NOR or low-basicity HALS (pKb about 8-10) instead |
| Primary plasticizer in PVC | Chlorinated paraffins act as a secondary plasticizer; a 70:30 DOP:CP blend matches DOP hardness | Keep a primary plasticizer in the formulation |
| Zinc borate with ATH in PVC | 3 to 6 phr reduces smoke and dripping | Use as a smoke-reduction route alongside the chlorine source |
Chlorinated vs Brominated Flame Retardants: What Is the Difference?#
Chlorinated and brominated flame retardants work the same way, by releasing a hydrogen halide (HCl or HBr) that traps flame radicals with antimony trioxide as synergist, but they differ in their members, their host plastics and how far regulation has removed them.
DecaBDE, DBDPE and TBBPA are covered under brominated flame retardants. The brominated branch is larger by volume: brominated flame retardants made up an estimated 390,000 tonnes, about 19.7 % of flame-retardant volume, in a 2011 industry estimate, while our sources do not give a comparable figure for the chlorinated branch alone.
Stockholm Convention listings now cover both branches: PBDEs since 2009, HBCD since 2013 and decaBDE since 2017 on the brominated side, against SCCP since 2017, Dechlorane Plus since 2023 and MCCP since 2025 on the chlorinated side. Ecodesign Regulation (EU) 2019/2021 bans all halogenated flame retardants, chlorinated and brominated alike, in the enclosures and stands of electronic displays from 1 March 2021, and current EU pressure continues on both branches: the MCCP POPs act was adopted in 2026, and ECHA's restriction dossier for non-polymeric aromatic brominated flame retardants has a draft Annex XV filing planned for December 2026.
| Criterion | Chlorinated FRs | Brominated FRs |
|---|---|---|
| Halogen released | HCl | HBr |
| Synergist | Antimony trioxide | Antimony trioxide |
| Main members | Dechlorane Plus, SCCP/MCCP/LCCP, TCEP/TCPP/TDCPP/V6 | DecaBDE, DBDPE, TBBPA, HBCD, brominated polystyrene |
| Main plastics | PU foam, PVC and cable, nylon and PP | Styrenics, PA, PBT, EPS/XPS, epoxy laminates |
| Stockholm POPs | SCCP (2017), Dechlorane Plus (2023), MCCP (2025) | PBDEs (2009), HBCD (2013), decaBDE (2017) |
| Current EU pressure | MCCP POPs act adopted 2026 | Aromatic BFR restriction in preparation, Annex XV draft planned December 2026 |
| Ecodesign display ban | From 1 March 2021 | From 1 March 2021 |
How Are Chlorinated Flame Retardants Tested in Plastics?#
Plastics made flame retardant with chlorinated additives are tested like any other flame-retardant plastic, by UL 94 vertical burning, limiting oxygen index and, for cables, the EN 13501-6 classes that also rate smoke and acidity. Criteria for V-0, V-1, V-2 and HB are on UL 94 flammability ratings.
- UL 94 vertical burning (harmonised as IEC 60695-11-10/-20) rates a specimen V-0 when each single afterflame lasts no more than 10 seconds, the total afterflame across 5 specimens over 10 applications stays at or below 50 seconds, the afterflame plus afterglow after the second application stays at or below 30 seconds, and no specimen drips flaming particles that ignite the cotton indicator below it.
- Limiting oxygen index (ISO 4589-2 / ASTM D2863-23e1) measures the minimum oxygen concentration, in an oxygen and nitrogen mixture, that sustains candle-like burning of the specimen.
- EN 13501-6 cable classes, using EN 60754-2 for acidity, rate cable compounds for acidity: class a1 requires conductivity below 2.5 µS/mm and pH above 4.3, and class a2 requires conductivity below 10 µS/mm and pH above 4.3, alongside a smoke class s1 that caps total smoke production (TSP1200) at 50 m2.
ISO 4589-2 test conditions are on limiting oxygen index (LOI).
Acidity and smoke classes are decoded under cable fire tests and CPR classes. Halogen-containing cable compounds are rated across acidity classes a1 to a3 without this reference predicting which class a specific chlorinated formulation reaches, since no UL 94 or LOI values for named chlorinated formulations are published in our sources.
Which Chlorinated Flame Retardants Are Banned or Restricted?#
Four of the 8 chlorinated flame retardants are restricted by global or EU instruments: SCCP, Dechlorane Plus and MCCP are Stockholm Convention POPs and TCEP needs REACH authorisation, while TCPP, TDCPP, LCCP and V6 remain on the market under product-specific limits.
Furniture standards and bans for all FR classes are on flame retardant regulations.
Stockholm Convention POPs: SCCP, Dechlorane Plus and MCCP#
Three chlorinated flame retardants are listed in Annex A of the Stockholm Convention: SCCP since COP-8 in 2017, Dechlorane Plus since COP-11 in May 2023 and MCCP since COP-12 in May 2025, with the MCCP listing entering into force on 16 December 2026.
- 2017: SCCP listed in Annex A at COP-8 (decision SC-8/11), effective December 2018.
- May 2023: Dechlorane Plus listed in Annex A at COP-11 (decision SC-11/10).
- May 2025: MCCP (C14-17 chloroalkanes, at least 45 % chlorine by weight) listed in Annex A at COP-12 (decision SC-12/10); the listing enters into force on 16 December 2026 for Parties that do not opt out.
Every additive POP is tracked under POPs in plastics. The United States has not ratified the Stockholm Convention and is not a Party to these listings, so US federal restriction on these 3 substances runs through separate instruments such as TSCA rather than through Stockholm.
EU REACH: SVHC, Annex XIV and the EU POPs Regulation#
In the EU, 4 chlorinated flame retardants are on the REACH Candidate List (SCCP since 28 October 2008, TCEP since 13 January 2010, Dechlorane Plus since 15 January 2018 and MCCP since 8 July 2021), and TCEP has needed authorisation since its sunset date of 21 August 2015. Inclusion dates for all additives are on the SVHC Candidate List page.
| Substance | SVHC (date, reason) | Annex XIV | EU POPs Reg. (EU) 2019/1021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dechlorane Plus | 15 Jan 2018, vPvB | No | Annex I Part A via Del. Reg. (EU) 2025/1930 (in force 15 Oct 2025): 1,000 mg/kg until 15 Apr 2028, then 1 mg/kg |
| SCCP | 28 Oct 2008, PBT and vPvB | No | Annex I Part A; waste limit Annex IV 1,500 mg/kg (Reg. (EU) 2025/2457) |
| MCCP | 8 Jul 2021, PBT and vPvB | No | Pending: C(2026) 6262 adopted 11 Sep 2026, 0.1 % UTC, to apply 16 Dec 2026, not yet in the Official Journal |
| LCCP | Not listed | No | Not listed |
| TCEP | 13 Jan 2010, Repr. | Entry 13; sunset 21 Aug 2015 (Reg. (EU) No 125/2012) | Not listed |
| TCPP | Not listed | No | Not listed |
| TDCPP | Not listed | No | Not listed |
| V6 | Not on the Candidate List (limited research) | No | Not listed |
The Commission adopted Delegated Regulation C(2026) 6262 on 11 September 2026 to add MCCP to Annex I Part A of the POPs Regulation with a 0.1 % limit from 16 December 2026; it is not yet published in the Official Journal. SCCP is listed in Annex I Part A of Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, and Dechlorane Plus followed via Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1930, in force since 15 October 2025, at 1,000 mg/kg until 15 April 2028 and 1 mg/kg after that date.
TCEP's sunset date is listed on the REACH Annex XIV authorisation list. TCEP entered Annex XIV as entry 13 under Regulation (EU) No 125/2012, with a latest application date of 21 February 2014 and the sunset date of 21 August 2015 noted above.
US: TSCA, Proposition 65 and state laws#
In the US, TCEP is the only chlorinated flame retardant with a final TSCA risk evaluation (September 2024), while Proposition 65 lists chlorinated paraffins (1989), TCEP (1992) and TDCPP (2011) as carcinogens. EPA's evaluations are summarised under TSCA and plastic additives.
- TSCA final risk evaluation for TCEP (Federal Register notice, 26 September 2024): unreasonable risk found for workers in 7 of 21 conditions of use, for consumers in 3 conditions of use, and for aquatic species; risk management rulemaking is pending.
- California Proposition 65 cancer listings: chlorinated paraffins (average chain length C12, about 60 % chlorine by weight) since 1 July 1989, TCEP since 1 April 1992, and TDCPP since 28 October 2011.
- California Assembly Bill 2998: bans halogenated and organophosphorus flame retardants above 1,000 ppm in juvenile products, mattresses and upholstered furniture from 1 January 2020.
Warning rules are explained on California Proposition 65. TCEP's risk evaluation found unreasonable risk in the conditions of use above, but EPA has not yet finalised a risk-management rule, so no additional federal restriction on TCEP manufacture or use is currently in force beyond the state laws listed above.
Toys, childcare articles and furniture foam#
Toys for children under 36 months, and toys meant for the mouth, may contain no more than 5 mg/kg each of TCEP, TCPP and TDCP in the EU under Directive 2014/79/EU.
The successor rules are covered under the EU Toy Safety Regulation. The new Toy Safety Regulation (EU) 2025/2509 applies generally from 1 August 2030, and this reference names only the current Directive 2014/79/EU limit until the successor regulation's flame-retardant provisions are confirmed.
ECHA's 2018 screening report identified a risk to children from TCEP, TCPP and TDCP in flexible polyurethane foam used in childcare articles and furniture, and the Commission's related restriction work has been on hold since 2019. California's AB 2998 and furniture standard TB 117-2013 apply comparable substances to a wider set of consumer products in the US.
Canada, Japan and China#
Three more jurisdictions restrict chlorinated flame retardants by name: Canada (Dechlorane Plus, 2026), Japan (Dechlorane Plus, 2025) and China (SCCP in toys, from 1 November 2026).
- Canada: the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2025 (SOR/2025-270), in force 30 June 2026, permits Dechlorane Plus manufacture and import for listed uses only, with end dates running to 2044.
- Japan: Cabinet Order No. 382 under the Chemical Substances Control Law classifies Dechlorane Plus as a Class I Specified Chemical Substance from 18 February 2025, with an import ban on listed products from 18 June 2025.
- China: national standard GB 6675.4:2025 adds limits including SCCP for toys manufactured or imported from 1 November 2026.
What Replaces Chlorinated Flame Retardants?#
Chlorinated flame retardants are replaced substance by substance: TCPP replaced TCEP in polyurethane foam, halogen-free phosphinates or brominated alternatives replace Dechlorane Plus in nylon, and non-chlorinated plasticizers or LCCP replace MCCP in PVC.
| Substance under pressure | Replacements named in our source library | Watch-out |
|---|---|---|
| TCEP | TCPP | TCPP is within the scope of ECHA's organophosphorus FR investigation |
| TDCPP | TCPP, expandable graphite | - |
| TCPP | Triethyl phosphate, DMMP, expandable graphite, reactive P-polyols | - |
| Dechlorane Plus | Aluminium diethylphosphinate (AlPi), DBDPE, brominated polystyrene | DBDPE has been an SVHC since 5 November 2025 |
| MCCP | ESBO, DINP, phosphate plasticizers, LCCP | LCCP grades can contain a C14-17 fraction covered by the MCCP listing |
| SCCP | Phosphate plasticizers, LCCP | MCCP is no longer a substitution route, since it is restricted too |
Replacements are those named in supplier and regulatory sources; performance equivalence is not implied.
Formulators should check each replacement's own status: DBDPE has been an SVHC since 5 November 2025, and LCCP grades can contain C14-17 fractions covered by the MCCP listing.
Phosphinate, phosphorus and mineral routes are compared on halogen-free flame retardants. The substitution chain for TCEP runs from TCPP to TDCPP or reactive phosphorus polyols, while the 2005 US phase-out of pentaBDE pushed flexible foam formulators toward TDCPP, an example of a regrettable substitution that traded one restricted substance for another.
Who Makes Chlorinated Flame Retardants?#
The chlorinated flame retardants still sold for plastics come from a small group of producers: ICL (Fyrol PCF) and Lanxess (Levagard PP) for TCPP, and OxyChem for Dechlorane Plus within its remaining exemptions.
| Substance | Trade name | Producer |
|---|---|---|
| Dechlorane Plus | Dechlorane Plus | OxyChem |
| TCPP | Fyrol PCF | ICL |
| TCPP | Levagard PP | Lanxess |
| LCCP | Hordaflex, Cerechlor, ESSECHLOR, Chlorparaffin, chlorowax | Not established in this reference |
All producers are compared in the directory of flame retardant manufacturers and suppliers. Lanxess added Levagard PP to its portfolio after completing the acquisition of Chemtura on 21 April 2017.
Buyers should request the SVHC and POP declaration with every chlorinated flame retardant quotation.
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How Do Chlorinated Flame Retardants Fit into the Flame Retardant Family?#
Chlorinated flame retardants are one of the 2 halogenated branches of a family that also includes brominated, phosphorus, nitrogen, mineral and intumescent systems, and most new formulations now start from the halogen-free branches.
Halogen-free and mineral alternatives#
Mineral flame retardants such as ATH and MDH replace halogenated systems in halogen-free cable compounds, at 160 to 180 phr in EVA/LLDPE, because they work by endothermic water release (1051 J/g for ATH, 1316 J/g for MDH). Loadings and grades are on mineral flame retardants (ATH and MDH). ATH begins releasing water from about 200 °C, while MDH stays stable to about 320 °C, so compounders choose between them mainly by the polymer's processing temperature.
Chlorinated flame retardants in recycled plastic#
Chlorinated flame retardants return in recycled plastic: SCCP is still detected in imported PVC consumer goods and toys, and the pending EU MCCP act allows 2 % MCCP for 2 years in plastic recovered from cable recycling. Screening and limits are covered under legacy additives in recycled plastic. The EU POPs Regulation's Annex IV waste limit for SCCP is 1,500 mg/kg under Regulation (EU) 2025/2457.
Are chlorinated flame retardants harmful to humans?#
Two chlorinated flame retardants carry the clearest health classifications in this group: TCEP is classified as a presumed reproductive toxicant (Repr. 1B) and suspected carcinogen (Carc. 2) in the EU, and TDCPP is a suspected carcinogen that Proposition 65 has listed since 2011. Exposure studies are summarised under flame retardants and human health. Heather Stapleton and colleagues at Duke University, in a 2012 study published in Environmental Science & Technology, found flame retardants in 85 % of 102 US household couches sampled, with TDCPP present in 52 % of couches bought in 2005 or later, the period after the US pentaBDE phase-out. Dechlorane Plus and MCCP both carry the persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) or very persistent, very bioaccumulative (vPvB) hazard properties that qualified them for REACH SVHC status.
Do chlorinated flame retardants release HCl in a fire?#
Yes: releasing hydrogen chloride is how chlorinated flame retardants work, because HCl in the gas phase traps the H· and OH· radicals of the flame. This reference does not quantify HCl yield or the corrosivity of combustion gases for any specific chlorinated formulation.
Is chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) a flame retardant?#
Chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) is covered in this reference as an impact modifier for PVC, not as a flame retardant, even though it contains 34 to 44 % chlorine. Grades and PVC use are on chlorinated polyethylene (CPE).
What is the difference between TCPP and TCP?#
TCPP is tris(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) phosphate, a chlorinated flame retardant for polyurethane foam, while TCP is tricresyl phosphate, a chlorine-free aryl phosphate; the two abbreviations are often confused. TCP does not appear elsewhere in this reference and is named here only to prevent that confusion.