Chemical name: Benzene, 1,1'-methylenebis-, dibromomethyl deriv.

Final regulatory action has been taken for the category: Industrial

Final regulatory action: The chemical is Banned

Use or uses prohibited by the final regulatory action:

Annex 1.1, ORR Chem: The manufacture, the placing on the market , the import for private use and use of halogenated organic compounds (like the monomethyl-dibromo-diphenyl methane), as well as preparations containing it, are banned.

Annex 2.14, ORRChem: The placing on the market and the import in a private capacity of capacitors and transformers containing pollutants are banned. Capacitors and transformers are considered to contain pollutants if they contain substances or preparations that are contaminated with monohalogenated aromatic substances (more than 500 ppm) or polyhalogenated (more than 50 ppm). Moreover, the capacitors constructed in 1982 or before are considered to contain pollutants as long as their owner doesn't prove the opposite.

Use or uses that remain allowed:

Exceptions of Annex 1.1:

a.Substances used of research and analytical purposes

b.intermediate products that undergo complete chemical conversion

c.oils and lubricating oils manufactured from used oils containing maximally 1 ppm halogenated biphenyls.

The final regulatory action was based on a risk or hazard evaluation: Yes

Summary of the final regulatory action:

In Switzerland, DBBT has never been produced or imported. DBBT is banned since the 1980s in the European Community and have also been banned in Switzerland. The manufacture, the import, the placing on the market and the use of these substances are banned since 1988. The ban is reported in the new Ordinance on the Reduction of Risks linked to Chemical products (ORRChem) in Annex 1.1 on the halogenated organic compounds.

Moreover, the placing on the market of capacitors and transformers that contain halogenated aromatic substances like DBBT is banned in Switzerland since 1986. At that time, the capacitors and transformers of a total mass higher than 1kg were to be registered by the cantonal authority and put out of operation and eliminated not later than 31 August 1998. The ban is reported in the ORRChem in Annex 2.14 on capacitors and transformers.

The reasons for the final regulatory action were relevant to: Human health and environment

Summary of known hazards and risks to human health:

In the 1980s, DBBT was produced in Europe and used as a PCB substitute. European studies permitted to conclude that this substance was persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic and behaves in the environment as PCBs. It constitutes thus a potentially high risk to man and the environment. Switzerland based its hazard evaluation on the evaluation performed by the EU. Therefore the import of DBBT in Switzerland was refused and the use and the placing on the market banned. This caused DBBT not to get widely established on the market.

Summary of known hazards and risks to the environment:

In the 1980s, DBBT was produced in Europe and used as a PCB substitute. European studies permitted to conclude that this substance was persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic and behaves in the environment as PCBs. It constitutes thus a potentially high risk to man and the environment. Switzerland based its hazard evaluation on the evaluation performed by the EU. Therefore the import of DBBT in Switzerland was refused and the use and the placing on the market banned. This caused DBBT not to get widely established on the market.

Date of entry into force of the final regulatory action: 01/08/2005