Increasing fire safety requirements, sustainability targets and regulatory demands are creating new challenges for manufacturers and users of flame retardant materials. These issues will be addressed at the international conference “Trends in Fire Safety and Innovative Flame Retardants for Plastics”, which will take place on 30 September and 1 October 2026 at SKZ – The Plastics Centre in Würzburg, Germany. The conference will focus on current developments in fire safety regulations and testing methods, sustainable flame retardants, and innovative material solutions for plastics, wood and textiles. The event will bring together international experts for the 20th time in Würzburg and will be held in English.
Regulatory and material challenges
The requirements for modern flame retardant systems are continuously increasing. New legal requirements, stricter environmental regulations and demand for more sustainable materials are placing significant demands on both manufacturers and users. In particular, the reduction or replacement of critical substances such as PFAS, antimony trioxide (ATO) and TCPP is becoming an increasingly important area of focus for research and industry.
Against this background, the conference will provide an overview of current developments across the fire protection value chain, from regulatory requirements and new research approaches to solutions ready for industrial application.
Applications in plastics, foams and textiles
The programme will cover current trends in fire safety regulations and testing procedures, sustainable flame retardants, and innovative flame retardant systems for a wide range of applications. Presentations will also address new concepts for polyurethane foams, halogen-free solutions for engineering plastics such as PBT, and developments in flame-retardant films, thin-walled materials and textile coatings.
The conference has established itself over the years as a meeting point for specialists in fire safety and flame retardant technologies. According to Dr Jürgen Troitzsch, conference chair and owner of Fire and Environment Protection Service (FEPS), the event’s value lies in the direct exchange between research and industrial practice.
"The requirements for modern flame retardant solutions are currently evolving at a rapid pace. It is therefore more important than ever to bring together research, industry and users in one place. This is exactly what this conference stands for, and I am looking forward to inspiring discussions and new impulses in Würzburg."