A flame-retardant chemical used in building materials and textile products such as curtains will likely be added to the list of toxic substances banned under an international treaty to protect human health from pollutants, a government source said Tuesday.
Officials from countries that have signed the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants were to hold a three-day meeting from Tuesday in Geneva, and are expected to discuss the substance — hexabromocyclododecane, or HBCD.
Animal test data show the substance, used widely in Asia, Europe and North America, adversely affects biological reproduction, behavior and immune systems.