Flame retardants are chemicals that are added to a large variety of materials to increase their fire safety. For example, many plastics are easy to ignite, therefore flame retardants are added to keep the risk of fire as low as possible. Even natural materials, such as wood and wool can also be treated with flame retardants in order to reduce their flammability.
				The following pages will explain what types of flame retardants exist, what role they play in fires and what disadvantages and advantages their application entails.