Scare flares over fire retardant in polar bears

Sydney Morning Herald ^ | June 2, 2004 | By Alister Doyle, in Oslo

[dead]

Chemicals widely used as flame retardants in homes have been discovered in Arctic polar bears and birds, and could pose a health hazard, Norwegian scientists say.

Now the Government is to seek a European Union review of the chemicals, which are used in everything from computers to clothes.

"Traces of the compounds were found in studies of polar bears and in glaucous gulls," said Geir Wing Gabrielsen, head of a toxicology research program at the Norwegian Polar Institute. "This is the first time that this flame retardant has been found in the Arctic."

Traces of the so-called deca-BDE flame retardant, commonly used in car upholstery and televisions, had previously been found in falcons in Sweden and samples of human blood further south.

But the discovery in Arctic animals, far from sources of pollution and swept north by prevailing winds and ocean currents, was a sign that they might not break down as quickly into harmless units as previously thought, Dr Gabrielsen said.

The European Union will ban two other types of brominated flame retardant, penta-BDE and octa-BDE, this year because of health worries. Norway, a non-member, will ban them, too.

The environmental group WWF called for a ban on deca-BDE, even though it said little was known about its toxicity.

"The fact that it travels long distances, accumulates in wildlife and potentially breaks down into other harmful compounds is, in WWF's view, enough to justify a ban," it said.

Brominated flame retardants save thousands of lives every year by slowing the spread of fires, manufacturers say.

Reuters

[dead]

Once they’re impervious to fire, they’ll be no stopping the polar bears from ruling the world.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Scare flares over fire retardant in polar bears

Lord knows it's keeping me up nights. :)

[Kenton]

I'm happy for the polar bears if they no longer have to live their lives in fear of spontaneous combustion.

[martin_fierro]

Scare flares over fire retardant in polar bears

There's a limerick in here somewhere.

[DonaldDuke]

Once they’re impervious to fire, they’ll be no stopping the polar bears from ruling the world.

Exactly {evil laugh}.

The stupid scientists don't realize that the polar bears sneak in at night and lick their computers for the flame retardant. Why, sometimes they chew the computers, and the maroons still don't catch on. Only thing they catch on is fire.

[dighton]

Scare flares over fire retardant in polar bears

Terrific headline, perhaps not intended as such.

Bonus.

[glock rocks]

[dead]

LOL! Hung butchers!

[Red Badger]

There once was a bear from Polare
Who had an affair with a flare,
He lit up the sky,
With a match he did fry,
And now he's the bear with no hair...........

[Dan from Michigan]

The environmental group WWF called for a ban on deca-BDE, even though it said little was known about its toxicity.

The other "WWF"(now WWE) was more intelligent. "Oh it's true! It's damn true!"

[Rebelbase]

Maybe a hiku?

Polar bear attacks
uh-oh, Knife at a gun fight
Flamethrower useless

[martin_fierro]

At the North Pole when I was once there
was a glow most decidedly rare;
The details might bore ya
but it t'weren't no aurora:
Those Northern Lights came from a bear

[steplock]

I want to know...

How many people wearing fire retardent clothing did the bears EAT before the chemicals began to accumilate?

The gulls? They're carrion birds also.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

After a teddy bear is set aflame, its fur coat is bruined. :)

[Blzbba]

"At the North Pole when I was once there
was a glow most decidedly rare;
The details might bore ya
but it t'weren't no aurora:
Those Northern Lights came from a bear"


[applause] Excellent!

[Blood of Tyrants]

If only Frankenstein's monster had known about this.

[Gothmog]

Ha ha ha! Maybe they need it to protect them from the Aurora.

[End Times Sentinel]

A new and exciting use for polar bears!  I wonder how many of them you'd have to grind up to insulate a 2400 square foot house?

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[martin_fierro]

(bowing)

[Fiddlstix]

Bump
To read later
(This has to become a classic thread)
(Maybe a new "moose/cheese" thingy)