Determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and PBDD/Fs during the recycling of high impact polystyrene containing decabromodiphenyl ether and antimony oxide

A high impact polystyrene (HIPS) plastic, flame retarded with decabromodiphenyl ether (DecaBDE) and antimony trioxide (Sb2O3) has been repeatedly processed and the amount of debromination of the flame retardant and possible formation of PBDD/F was monitored. No indications of debromination were found. The reprocessed (recycled) plastic was found to comply with the German Chemicals Banning Ordinance. The concentrations of relevant PBDD/F congeners were at least one order of magnitude below the regulated limit values for PBDD/F (1 ppb for the sum of four congeners, 5 ppb for the sum of all eight regulated congeners).