* M E D I A   A D V I S O R Y *

THURSDAY - NOV. 4, 2004

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

 

The Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) at UMass Lowell will present a Fire Safety and Flame Retardants workshop Thursday, Nov. 4 in Worcester to help Massachusetts companies discover alternative solutions to flame retardant chemicals used in manufacturing.  Companies are facing regulation deadlines from other states and countries that forbid the use of certain brominated chemicals suspected of causing health and environmental problems.

 

WHERE:  Crowne Plaza Worcester Hotel, 10 Lincoln Square, Worcester

 

WHO:   Keynote speaker Robert Varney, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) New England Region administrator, will address issues and concerns regarding fire safety, health and the environment at 11:30 a.m.  Tom McDonald, a toxicologist with the California EPA and an international expert on PBDEs (flame retardant chemicals found in human breast milk and the environment) will discuss human health and environmental issues.  Motorola, Advanced Micro Devices and other leading manufacturers also will share their solutions with companies. 

 

WHAT:  The interactive workshop will feature guest speakers from the EPA, representatives from the manufacturing supply chain and TURI, and researchers from UMass Lowell.  Attendees - mostly from the electronics and coated wire and cable industries - will learn:          

§         What is the latest science saying about the human and environmental threats of flame retardants?

§         Which flame retardants are under greatest scrutiny?

§         Will the U.S. have to trade fire safety for environmental and human health protection?

§         How do flame retardants work and what are the common classes of flame retardant materials?

§         What strategies are OEMs, resin compounders and other manufactures using to meet these requirements?

§         What are the alternatives to substances restricted by the European RoHS Directive?

 

The full agenda is attached and available online at:  http://www.turi.org/content/content/view/full/1924/

Businesses interested in registering should contact Anne Basanese at anne_basanese@uml.edu  or 978-934-3144.

 

A G E N D A

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Flame Retardants and Fire Safety

Thursday, November 4, 2004

 

8:00	Registration and Coffee
	Welcome and Introduction to the Conference		Liz Harriman, MA Toxics Use Reduction Institute
	Flame Retardant Materials - Overview		Susan Landry, Albermarle Corporation
	Flame Retardant Materials - Human Health and Environmental Issues and Concerns		Tom McDonald, California EPA
10:15	Break
10:30	International Restrictions on Flame Retardant Use		Tim Greiner, Greiner Environmental
	Fire Safety and Testing Requirements		Tom Chapin, Underwriters Laboratories
	Keynote: Ensuring High Standards for Fire Safety, Health and the Environment		Robert Varney, Region 1 Administrator, US EPA
12:00	Lunch
	Recognizing the Leaders (during lunch)	Lead-Free Electronics Supply Chain and Research Consortium	Dr. Sammy Shina, U Mass Lowell
			MA/COM - Tyco Electronics
		Coated Wire and Cable Supply Chain and Alternatives Research	Dr. Joey Mead, U Mass Lowell
			AlphaGary Corporation
1:00 PM	Alternative Flame Retardant Materials		Tim Greiner, Greiner Environmental
	Cutting Edge Materials	New Developments in the Use of Nanotubes in Elastomers	Patrick Collins, Hyperion Catalysis International
		NSF Center for High Rate Nanomanufacturing	Joey Mead, U Mass Lowell
	OEM Perspective: Halogen-Free Flame Retardant Use at Motorola		Steve Scheifers, Motorola, Inc.
2:45 PM	Break
3:00 PM	OEM Perspective: Working With Your Supply Chain To Incorporate Safer Alternatives		Larry Dungan, Advanced Micro Devices
	Environmental Stewardship and the Production Part Approval Process at Prestolite Wire		Fred Kelley, Prestolite Wire Corporation
	Supply Chain Updates		Liz Harriman, MA Toxics Use Reduction Institute
4:30 PM	Adjourn