Document Lpgwv42vyX6k93aN9qGyENvk3

BASF Aktiengesellschaft BASF Aktiengesellschaft 0-6700 Ludwigshafen Herrn Dr. K. Hinderer BFGoodrich Company 500 South Main Street A k r o n,.0hio 44318 USA i fa - Luftpost " AUG l e BS2 Ludwigshafen, 02.08.82 sa-so D-HRS/B Dr. Sand Tel.: 0621/60-21356 Fire behaviour of plastics toxicity of thermal decomposition products Dear Dr. Hinderer, we appreciate the opportunity of exchanging ideas on the above subject as you initiated with your letter to Dr. Doerfel, dated june 23, 1982. In our count.ry there are no legal requirements on toxicity of thermal decomposition products of materials used as building materials except for noncombustible materials (class A, DIN 4102). This is due to the fact that until now the toxic hazard of combustible materials was deemed to be known from traditional materials such as wood and has not changed since synthetic materials have been introduced in building construction. The same applies to other fields of application. Only for plastics foams used as thermal insulation in ship construction, toxicity of thermal decomposition products must be not greater than that of wood decomposition products. However there ist some tendency of.building authorities to include combustible materials in certain applications e.g. floor and wall coverings in high rise building into the category of noncombustibles with respect to smoke and toxicity requirements As cone erns the q ue s tio n of toxi c ha zard of PVC fir e gases, there i s no i ndicatio n f ro m f ir e stati stic s that an unusu al hazard exists One has to cons id er in th is cont ext that the use of PVC as wall cla ddin g is not a s w ide sp read in our country as in the USA. But for piping an d e lec tr ical in sula tion PVC is cer tainly used in same amounts a s i n y ou r count ry. 2- - Telefon (0621) 60-1 (Vermittlung) Telex 4 64 811 basf d (Zentrale) Bankverbindung: Landeszentralbank 6700 Ludwigshafen, Girokonto 545 07300 Sit2 der Gesellschaft. 0-6700 Ludwigshaten Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender: Bernhard Timm Vorstand: Matthias Speffildcr, V.QfSitlfindfif; \ i I f I i t f o oo :: h* **T L0--N V4 w |> BASF Aktiengesellschaft BASF Aktiengesellschaft D-6700 Ludwigshafen Herrn Dr. K. Hinderer BFGoodrich Company Akron, Ohio 44318 USA Seite 2 r Ludwigshafen, 02.08.82 sa-so D-HRS/B Dr. Sand Tel.: 0621/60-21356 Fire behaviour of plastics toxicity of thermal decomposition products Our own work in this field was directed to the assessment of relative toxicity of thermal decomposition products generated in small scale experiments, using rats. This work was passed to the ISO/TC 92 WG 12, now SC 3, the activities of which you are certainly aware. We are wholly in line with the general guide lines laid down in ISO TR 6543. A better under standing of the complex matter is necessary before any of the test methods proposed can be used for regulatory purpose. In other countries in Europe the situation is similar to ours except France where there is a limitation of nitrogen and chlorine containing synthetic materials in public buildings. Since the hazard estimation is based on analytical measurements only this approach is doubtfull, but since the limits are not too stringen this regulation does not do much harm. The method to DIN 53 436 which was developed in our country is studied by a number of laboratories in Europe and it might be the basis of a EC-regulation. However no quick EC activity this field is expected. in We hope that this information is pf some value for you and we will be pleased to give you more details if needed. Sincerely BASF Aktiengesellschaft o -A rc;x io\5 Telefon (0621) 60-1 (Vermittlung) Telex 4 64 811 basf d (Zentrale) Bankverbindung: Landeszentralbank 6700 Ludwigshafen, Girokonto 545 07300 Sitz der Gesellschaft: D-6700 Ludwigshafen Aufaichtsratsvorsitzender: Bernhard Timm VnfStand' Ltahhine Saolaldar Uateityaiufep' L g -N f. 9030 500