--- title: "Embracing Sustainability With Bio-based Flame Retardants" id: "3455" type: "post" slug: "embracing-sustainability-with-bio-based-flame-retardants" published_at: "2024-02-01T19:56:28+00:00" modified_at: "2024-02-01T19:56:28+00:00" url: "https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2024/02/embracing-sustainability-with-bio-based-flame-retardants-003455/" markdown_url: "https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2024/02/embracing-sustainability-with-bio-based-flame-retardants-003455.md" excerpt: "Companies worldwide are gathering efforts to develop flame retardant systems based on renewable sources providing an eco-friendly alternative to halogenated flame retardants. Additives with flame-retardant properties, such as phosphorus-based compounds, can chemically modify carbon sources like cellulose, chitosan, and lignin...." taxonomy_category: - "Additives & Colorants" - "Aerospace" - "Automotive & Transportation" - "Building & Construction" - "Durables" - "Electrical & Electronics" - "Industry" - "Medical" - "People" - "Resins" - "Sports & Recreation" - "Sustainability" - "Thermoplastics" - "Toys" - "Vinyl" - "Wearables" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Bio-based flame retardants" - "Flame-Retardant" - "polyamide" - "Thermofire" --- [Home](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/) » [News](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/news/) » [Industry](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/c/industry/) » Embracing Sustainability With Bio-based Flame Retardants # Embracing Sustainability With Bio-based Flame Retardants Embracing sustainability with Bio-based Flame Retardants.### Companies worldwide are gathering efforts to develop flame retardant systems based on renewable sources providing an eco-friendly alternative to halogenated flame retardants. ## **Bio-Based Flame Retardants as a Promising Alternative for Fire Safety** Halogenated Flame Retardants are known to have negative impacts on the environment and adverse health effects. Moreover, their presence as additives in plastic products usually adds difficulties in their recycling processes. Therefore, many countries have acted to ban or voluntarily phase out some of these additives. In response to this challenge, the scientific community is transitioning to develop alternative flame retardants, including those based on renewable sources (bio-based), which are eco-friendly, low-cost, and highly available. Additives with flame-retardant properties, such as phosphorus-based compounds, can chemically modify carbon sources like cellulose, chitosan, and lignin. This results in the successful design of intumescent flame retardants for use in many applications. **You can also read:** [Next-Gen Flame Retardants: Hydrogels & Aerogels](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2024/02/next-gen-flame-retardants-hydrogels-aerogels-003269/) ## **Emerging Initiatives in the Market** In 2023, Bio-based Flame Retardants began to materialize in the market exposing the interest of numerous producers worldwide in more sustainable solutions. Two significant projects have initiated efforts to develop commercial production of Bio-based Flame Retardants. In the [THERMOFIRE project](https://www.thermofire-project.eu/) , twelve stakeholders including Arkema are developing innovative composites that are bio-based and recyclable, and that exhibit enhanced mechanical properties and fire resistance. Also, it will obtain bio-based polymers and reinforce them with Bio-based Flame Retardants and natural fibers. The idea is to test different natural fibers such as cellulose and flax, using various Fire, Smoke, and Toxicity retardants and Polyamide (PA 11) formulations. Finally, the project will test the flame-retardant properties of the different composites. The project team will design the composites for use in the textile, automotive, and aerospace industries Bio-Based Flame Retardants as a promising alternative for fire safety. Likewise, a consortium of 13 collaborators is involved in a project funded by the EU. [COUNTLESS project](https://www.cbe.europa.eu/projects/countless) proposes an efficient lignin depolymerization process to break it into smaller molecules to use it as a source for building blocks that can be convenient in different market areas. This project must overcome certain challenges, even though lignin is the second most abundant renewable biopolymer on earth and has potential uses. The primary challenge is that only about 1-2% of the annual lignin production undergoes chemical conversion for material use. These initiatives worldwide represent a proactive response to the environmental challenges existing nowadays. This will provide advanced and responsible solutions related to flame retardant production. Certainly, Bio-based Flame Retardants are ready to lead the transition to sustainable flame retardants. By **[Fabian Arevalo](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/author/fabiana/)** | February 1, 2024 ##### [Fabian Arevalo](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/author/fabiana/) [+ postsBio ⮌](#) ### Other posts you could read [May 6, 2026Reinforcement Learning for Polymer Design and Manufacturing](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/05/reinforcement-learning-for-polymer-design-and-manufacturing-011146/) [May 8, 2026Redefining “Premium” Appearance in Sustainable Plastics](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/05/redefining-premium-appearance-in-sustainable-plastics-011191/) [May 4, 2026Why Your Feeder Choice Is Quietly Undermining Consistency](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/05/why-your-feeder-choice-is-quietly-undermining-consistency-011175/) [May 21, 2026Rheological Additives for Low-Roughness Aerospace Coatings](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/05/rheological-additives-for-low-roughness-aerospace-coatings-011279/) [April 27, 2026Nanocomposite Films from Car Bumper Waste](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/nanocomposite-films-from-car-bumper-waste-011041/) [April 29, 2026Renewable Functional Coatings for Advanced Applications](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/renewable-functional-coatings-for-advanced-applications-011134/) [May 18, 2026Packaging Redesign: Why Most Fail and What Drives Success](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/05/packaging-redesign-why-most-fail-and-what-drives-success-011263/) [May 22, 2026Packaging Embellishment as Brand Storytelling in Premium Design](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/05/packaging-embellishment-as-brand-storytelling-in-premium-design-011273/) ## Share Your Thoughts [Cancel reply](/2024/02/embracing-sustainability-with-bio-based-flame-retardants-003455/#respond) - [https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=3455&text=Embracing+Sustainability+With+Bio-based+Flame+Retardants&via=Plastics_Mag](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=3455&text=Embracing+Sustainability+With+Bio-based+Flame+Retardants&via=Plastics_Mag) - [https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=3455&t=Embracing+Sustainability+With+Bio-based+Flame+Retardants](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=3455&t=Embracing+Sustainability+With+Bio-based+Flame+Retardants) - [https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=3455&title=Embracing%20Sustainability%20With%20Bio-based%20Flame%20Retardants&summary=Companies+worldwide+are+gathering+efforts+to+develop+flame+retardant+systems+based+on+renewable+sources+providing+an+eco-friendly+alternative+to+halogenated+flame+retardants.+Additives+with+flame-retardant+properties%2C+such+as+phosphorus-based+compounds%2C+can+chemically+modify+carbon+sources+like+cellulose%2C+chitosan%2C+and+lignin.+This+results+in+the+successful+design+of+intumescent+flame+retardants+for+use+in+many+applications.&source=Plastics+Engineering](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=3455&title=Embracing%20Sustainability%20With%20Bio-based%20Flame%20Retardants&summary=Companies+worldwide+are+gathering+efforts+to+develop+flame+retardant+systems+based+on+renewable+sources+providing+an+eco-friendly+alternative+to+halogenated+flame+retardants.+Additives+with+flame-retardant+properties%2C+such+as+phosphorus-based+compounds%2C+can+chemically+modify+carbon+sources+like+cellulose%2C+chitosan%2C+and+lignin.+This+results+in+the+successful+design+of+intumescent+flame+retardants+for+use+in+many+applications.&source=Plastics+Engineering) - [https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=3455&title=Embracing+Sustainability+With+Bio-based+Flame+Retardants](https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=3455&title=Embracing+Sustainability+With+Bio-based+Flame+Retardants) - [/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2f105c5a4d454a4c5b127f434e5c5b464c5c0f6a414846414a4a5d4641480f020f6a424d5d4e4c4641480f7c5a5c5b4e46414e4d4643465b560f78465b470f6d4640024d4e5c4a4b0f69434e424a0f7d4a5b4e5d4b4e415b5c094d404b5612475b5b5f5c150000585858015f434e5c5b464c5c4a414846414a4a5d46414801405d4800105f121c1b1a1a](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2f105c5a4d454a4c5b127f434e5c5b464c5c0f6a414846414a4a5d4641480f020f6a424d5d4e4c4641480f7c5a5c5b4e46414e4d4643465b560f78465b470f6d4640024d4e5c4a4b0f69434e424a0f7d4a5b4e5d4b4e415b5c094d404b5612475b5b5f5c150000585858015f434e5c5b464c5c4a414846414a4a5d46414801405d4800105f121c1b1a1a) - [#comments](#comments)