Flame retardant chemicals are becoming increasingly important to control fires and provide protection against fire. Standards are increasingly developing stricter fire protection standards and flammability requirements, particularly in building materials and consumer products. Government regulations and directives, along with consumer demand for more environmentally friendly materials have compelled the plastics industry to use non halogenated flame retardants. The RoHS currently bans the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment including heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium) and two categories of brominated flame retardants (PBBs - polybrominated biphenyl and PBDEs - polybrominated diphenyl ethers). RoHS does not require any specific product labeling, however many manufacturers have adopted their own compliance marks which include explicit "RoHS compliant" labels, green leaves, check marks, and "PB-Free" markings. The European Commission has now stipulated for the plastic industry to use RoHS2. As per Tanzco Management Consulting, Article 6 of the RoHS directive requires the European Commission (EC) to carry out a review of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive and to consider any changes that are needed. The Commission published its proposals during December, 2008. One of the most significant changes, though not immediately obvious, is the deliberate removal of the term 'producer'. The proposed recast of the RoHS Directive now applies to 'Manufacturers', 'Importers', 'Distributors' and 'Authorized Representatives' - collectively known as 'Economic Operators'. RoHS2 places obligations on each party in the supply chain. The proposals also specify that sample testing is required and products must be labeled with specified information. No longer can distributors or importers simply turn a blind eye relating to RoHS compliance, claiming it's not their responsibility. Manufacturers must not only build compliant products, they will also be required (for the first time) to draw up technical documentation and a formal declaration of conformity. They must also prove they have procedures in place to ensure ongoing production remains in conformity. Once these, and other tasks, have been completed they are then required to affix the CE mark, which in itself introduces significant responsibilities. Since RoHS will become a CE marking directive, manufacturers will need to carry out conformity assessment based on as-yet non-existent standards. The procedure will be based on the recently adopted EC Directive 768/2008/EC and Regulation 765/2008/EC. These directives and regulations are rather complex and explain how conformity assessment should be carried out as well as other aspects of compliance. Also, the scope of RoHS as specified in Annex I is no longer linked to the scope of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. The new Annex I includes two additional categories: Category 8 (Medical Devices) and category 9 (Monitoring and Control Instruments, including industrial monitoring and control instruments). Military equipment and equipment that is part of out-of-scope equipment are now specifically excluded from RoHS. Annex II has also been added and is a binding list of products that are included, and the EC is able to amend this list. The two additional categories of medical and monitoring and control instruments will be included in scope from the January 1, 2014 (except for in vitro diagnostic medical devices from January 1, 2016) and industrial monitoring and control instruments from January 1, 2017. The Commission will review whether to include active implantable medical devices by January 1, 2020. HBCDD’s main use is as a flame retardant in polystyrene and the other three are plasticizers used in PVC, and some types of flexible adhesive and ink. It is anticipated that the EC to add more substances to Annex IV in the future, and so more substances could be restricted by RoHS. Natural Nano Inc., a developer of advanced nanomaterials and additive technologies based on halloysite clay nanotubes, is developing a range of products with extended release properties including flame retardants for furniture applications based on its family of Pleximer products. The nanotubes, with their hollow structure, can be filled with additives to create a slow or extended release of the additive concentrate. For flame retardant applications, the company can develop flame-retardant compounds that would release only under extreme heat conditions. Headwaters Technology Innovation Group (HTIG) has developed a nano-scaled magnesium hydroxide, 'NxCat' Mg(OH)2, which is primarily used as a flame retardant additive. As halogenated flame retardants are gradually phased out for environmental and legislative reasons new greener FRs are required to be developed. Mg(OH)2 has been used as an alternative because it is environmentally healthy. However a higher loading up to 60% loading is required because of its lower efficiency. High loading levels retards the mechanical performance of plastic. HTIG has developed a process to produce small crystals of 3 nm size. Such a small size provides larger surface area. It also improves dispersion inn polymers.