The consumption of plastics and resins has become increasingly widespread across various fields of production and daily life. However, due to their flammability, plastics and resins can easily cause fires, leading to casualties and economic losses. Since the 1960s, some developed countries have begun producing and using flame-retardant plastics. In the 1970s, the consumption and variety of TCPP flame retardants abroad increased rapidly, with an annual growth rate of 6–8%. Today, TCPP has become the second-largest category of plastic additives, ranking just after plasticizers.

Nowadays, using flame retardants to reduce the risk of fire has gradually become a key aspect of fire prevention. As people’s awareness of environmental protection, safety, and health continues to increase, the environmental requirements for flame retardants have also become more stringent. In the future, countries around the world will focus on developing and applying environmentally friendly flame-retardant products, while strengthening safety supervision. So, under what conditions can TCPP flame retardants be used? The following provides an overview:

1. Toxicity Assessment: Conduct toxicity evaluations for TCPP flame retardants suspected of being harmful to human health and the environment. Their production and use must be strictly controlled. If found unsuitable for use, production and sales should be immediately stopped. For example, tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate was once a widely used and highly effective flame retardant, but it was later discovered to be carcinogenic and has since been banned in many countries. Similarly, harmful compounds such as pentabromodiphenyl ether (PentaBDE) and octabromodiphenyl ether (OctaBDE) have also been prohibited.
2. Evaluation of New Products: Newly developed products should be thoroughly studied and assessed for their impact on human health, safety, and the environment. Detailed information should be provided to ensure safe production and application. On one hand, efforts are being made to enhance the safety levels of existing flame retardants and materials; on the other, research is focused on developing new environmentally friendly flame retardants and promoting their adoption. For instance, halogen-free flame-retardant polypropylene currently accounts for about 20% of the total global flame-retardant polypropylene. The development of new flame-retardant products will not only ensure safer material usage and reduce fire risks but also minimize their environmental impact.

This product is mainly used in the production of soft and rigid polyurethane foams, epoxy resins, acrylic resins, polystyrene, cellulose acetate, ethyl cellulose resins, phenolic resins, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, as well as rubber and coatings as a flame retardant and additive. It is especially recommended for use in rigid polyurethane foams due to its excellent thermal insulation and hydrolytic stability. It is particularly suitable for ASTM84 (Class II) applications, composite polyurethane foams, unsaturated resins, and phenolic plastics, and also serves as a raw material for BDP production. With its low viscosity at low temperatures, TCPP is often used in combination with antimony trioxide (Sb₂O₃) to enhance flame-retardant efficiency.