Plastics are increasingly widely used in various fields of production and life, but at the same time, fires caused by the flammability of plastics also bring casualties and economic losses. Therefore, since the 1960s, some developed countries have been producing and applying flame retardant plastics. In the 1970s, the consumption and variety of flame retardants abroad grew rapidly, with an annual growth rate of 6-8%. At present, the consumption of flame retardants has jumped to the second place in plastic additives, becoming a major variety second only to plasticizers. Business Communications Corporation (BCC) predicts an annual growth rate of 5.2% for flame retardants.

The research on flame retardancy in China started relatively late, with only over 40 types of flame retardants available in 1985. The production is about 5000 tons, which is only 10% of the annual production of flame retardants in the United States. However, by 1998, the annual production of flame retardants in China had reached over 70000 tons, 200. The annual demand is over 90000 tons.

In China, chlorine based flame retardants account for 69%, while inorganic systems only account for about 17% of flame retardants. Half of them are antimony dioxide, while aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide account for less than 10%. Halogen based flame retardants account for about 80% of the total flame retardants. Currently, foreign flame retardants mainly use inorganic systems, accounting for 50-60% of the total, with the main varieties being aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide.

The research on flame retardants in China started relatively late, and although significant progress has been made, there is still a certain gap in yield and variety structure compared to advanced countries. At present, the focus of research and development in China is on inorganic flame retardants, red phosphorus microencapsulation, and intumescent flame retardants, and has achieved certain results. Halogen-free, high-efficiency, low smoke, and low toxicity new flame retardants are the development direction of flame retardants today.