ECHA launches public consultation on decabromodiphenyl ether restrictions ECHA has recently proposed restrictions on the manufacture, use and product marketing of decabromodiphenyl ether bis (pentabromophenyl) ether, decaBDE. The public consultation will run from now until March 17, 2015. The ECHA Scientific Committee encourages all stakeholders to provide comments as early as November 17, 2014 to facilitate the initial discussion meeting of this restriction proposal. Decabromodiphenyl ether is mainly used as a flame retardant in plastics and textiles. Due to its persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity (PBT), it has been identified as a substance of very high concern (SVHC). In the EU REACH regulations, decabromodiphenyl ether is also classified as highly persistent and very bioaccumulative, and was included in the SVHC candidate list in December 2012. Source: Chemical Watch (2014-09-18) (PIDC compilation)