Ecological aspects of polymer flame retardation

The practical application of commercial polymer flame retardants can no longer meet present requirements in terms of effectiveness or hazard. The most effective flame retardants used thus far have been halogen‐, phosphorus‐, antimony‐, and heavy‐metal‐based compounds, which, however, have the most environmental impact, either when they perform their action or when they are burned in the incineration of waste containing fire‐retardant polymeric materials. The practical search for new ecologically friendly flame retardants requires cooperation between industry and academia. This paper is devoted to only a few of the new approaches to this very important task: polymer char formers, low‐melting‐glass systems, and morphological modifications.