Brominated flame retardants, a cornelian dilemma

International audience; Dying immediately in flames or from poisoning in the long run is the cornelian dilemma induced by the use of brominatedflame-retardants. Indeed, these compounds have been intensively used to slow down fires in houses and buildings, thus increasing escape time from about 2 min to 20 min. They were initially thought to be safe, notably because their adhesive properties make them unlikely to reach human tissues. However, recent research has disclosed that brominated flame-retardants are developmental neurotoxicants that trigger neurodevelopmental deficits in young children. Since infants and young children have been exposed to brominated flame-retardants since the early 1970s, we are now observing the long-term developmental impact of this 50-year-old ticking time bomb. Here we discuss the occurrence of brominated flame-retardants, exposure at home, neurodevelopmental diseases and alternative flame retardants.