Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0735-0108
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2019-02-28T05:00Z

From: Slotnick, Sue 
Sent: July 19, 2018 3:34 PM
To: Wong, Eva <Wong.Eva@epa.gov>; Anitole, Katherine <Anitole.Katherine@epa.gov>; Au, Sarah <au.sarah@epa.gov>; Bevington, Charles <Bevington.Charles@epa.gov>; EL-Zoobi, Majd <El-Zoobi.Majd@epa.gov>; Figueroa, Zaida <Figueroa.Zaida@epa.gov>; Forbes, Thomas <Forbes.Thomas@epa.gov>; Jacobs, Keith <jacobs.keith@epa.gov>; Kennedy, Amuel <Kennedy.Amuel@epa.gov>; Lehman, Timothy <Lehman.Timothy@epa.gov>; Lynch, David <Lynch.David@epa.gov>; Nguyen, Nhan <Nguyen.Nhan@epa.gov>; Zhang, Liang <zhang.liang@epa.gov>
Cc: Winchester, Erik <Winchester.Erik@epa.gov>
Subject: RE: Update TRI and HBCD

Thomas sent us the summary of TRI reports on HBCD (attached spreadsheet). Row 5 has the information from the Indium Corporation, which means they handled HBCD in 2017. 

Today I learned that the company continues to use it for manufacturing flux and solder paste. So it looks like we have a new COU.

Notes of phone call today with Indium Corporation:

      I called Nancy Swarts at Indium Corporation, in Clinton, N.Y. She is the technical contact for Indium's 2017 report to TRI, which says they used it in a formulated product. Ms. Swarts said they currently use HBCD to manufacture flux and solder paste. It was not clear whether Indium uses HBCD or a formulation containing HBCD. She has not heard of any problems procuring HBCD, but isn't really in a position to know. The flux and solder paste are each sold to customers and also the flux is an ingredient in the solder paste (it is mixed with metal alloys). 
      The solder paste is mainly sold to electronics manufacturers, who use it to solder circuit boards. The amount used is greater than 100 lbs. per year (because that's the reporting threshold), but Ms. Swarts didn't have an estimate of actual volume used. 
      
      The Indium Corporation uses HBCD in manufacturing of chemical mixtures for solder paste in the U.S. and ships them to their overseas facilities (including in China) for the final mixing step and sales. Customers of the final product in China are electronics manufacturers. Indium does not sell directly to consumers. [See photo of use. http://www.indium.com/flux-and-epoxy/tacky-flux/.]
                
      Indium's products are used in the U.S also, although Ms. Swarts isn't sure which industries use it. One of Indium's solder paste competitors is called Kester and is located in Itasca, IL. (I contacted Kester later; they are discontinuing use.)
      
      Ms. Swarts said the company makes multiple products using HBCD. I found only one SDS for HBCD on Indium's site, for a product called TACFlux023UV. http://www.indium.com/technical-documents/safety-data-sheets/english/  
      
      Indium makes different products for Europe vs. the U.S. because HBCD is banned in European products over 1000 ppm, Ms Swarts said.  (Was she correct about the 1000ppm?)

      If we need more info on the marketplace or have other questions, Ms. Swarts can refer us to others in her company.

      Her contact information:  nswarts@indium.com   (315) 853-4900.
      
      Indium website: http://www.indium.com/