Summary
A new fire-blocking chemical called Burnblock has been developed to make wooden materials safer by preventing fires. This flame retardant, used by a company named Halt in Belfast, protects wood by forming a char layer and releasing water during a fire.
Key Facts
- Burnblock is a flame retardant chemical designed to prevent fires on wooden materials.
- The chemical has been tested successfully in demonstrations, where treated wood remains mostly unharmed when exposed to flames.
- The exact ingredients of Burnblock are not publicly disclosed, but it is said to contain natural components and citric acid.
- Flame retardants are chemicals used to slow down the spread of fire.
- Many older flame retardants are toxic, but newer options like Burnblock aim to be safer.
- Halt, a company in Belfast, uses a special process to apply Burnblock, involving pressure and a vacuum to treat wood.
- Burnblock-treated wood products have been used in various locations across the UK and Ireland, including tunnels for the HS2 project.
- No facilities using Halt's treated wood have experienced a fire incident so far.
