A new international electronics standard (IEC 62368) concerning a great number of electronic equipment is being developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Section 7 of this standard requires all plastic enclosures to be highly resistant to an open flame. If this new standard should be adopted, including Section 7, it means that an enormous amount of hazardous flame retardant chemicals would need to be added to nearly all electronic products in order to fulfil the new requirements. The enforcement of such a standard could also be in conflict with current EU environmental legislation.

In April the different national electronic standardizations committees will vote for or against the proposal. In a previous preliminary vote the national committees voted in favour of this standard but they were at that point not aware of the environmental implications following an adoption of this standard including Section 7. ChemSec therefore strongly encourage all voting parties to vote against the proposal, adding the comment that Section 7 should be deleted. ChemSec also ask stakeholders to actively contact their national committees and urge them to vote NO to this new standard. Please see the attached list of national committees that will vote.

Most flame retardants in use today pose a serious threat to human health and the environment. Adding them to the covers of TVs, stereos and computers would expose consumers to substances known to be neurotoxic, endocrine disrupting and potential carcinogenic. Additionally there is no evidence for the actual need of having such strict flame proofing in the covers of electronics. Please note that there are two more electronic standards (IEC 60065 and IEC 60950-1) currently being voted on for amending them with the same requirements as in Section 7 of IEC 62368. These standards are in use until the new standard (62368) will enter into force. It is very important that the national committees vote against the amendments for these two standards as well as the wording of the new standard.

ChemSec position paper

White paper

Link to the voting national committees within the IEC