Did you know that SO MANY items we own and come in contact with daily are laced with toxic chemical flame retardants? That’s right...mattresses and bedding, couches, chairs and pillows, carpets and rugs, even electronics and more! And baby items are the WORST!...car seats, infant mattresses, nursing pillows, changing table pads...you name it!
So, how did this all start, why are we still using these chemicals today, and what effect do they have on our health?
"Flame retardant chemicals were developed in the 1970s, when 40% of Americans smoked and cigarettes were a major cause of fires. The TOBACCO industry under increasing pressure to make fire-safe cigarettes, resisted the push for self-extinguishing cigarettes and instead created a fake front group called the National Association of State Fire Marshals. This group pushed for federal standards for fire-retardants in furniture.”
In 1975, California Technical Bulletin 117 (TB117) was passed requiring flame retardants in furniture. It became essentially a national standard, and although the original bill author had specifically included language requiring that any chemical used be safe for human health, politicians removed that language before the law went into effect. (surprise surprise right?)
Since then, even though numerous studies have shown that most widely used flame-retardants provide NO benefit for people and create more toxic smoke, the chemical industry has spent millions to keep TB117 and other like bills in place. (another perfect example of why I always say "follow the money")
Flame retardant exposure builds up in the body and has been linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, cardiovascular disease, cognitive delays, and decreased infertility.
Isn’t that crazy!? So basically because the Tobacco industry was tired of getting sued and you know...corporate greed, we have outdated laws that are causing more harm then good. And they continue to remain outdated because again...cooperate greed. The chemical industries standing to lose the most money are lobbying the hardest to keep the laws in effect.
While many laws have been repealed and some chemicals have been banned in some states, other equally toxic chemicals have taken their place (much like BPA being taken out of plastic but replaced with equally toxic chemicals) Thankfully, some companies are creating great flame retardant free products! (More on that in a second)
What Products Contain Flame Retardants?
Infant and children’s convertible car seats
According to the latest toxicity study in car seats done by the Ecology Center, 83% of the car seats tested still contain flame retardant chemicals that may be hazardous. (Also the fabrics used on car seats and foams meant for shock absorption are treated with these chemicals and others as well)
Those flame retardants types are halogenated, which include brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, and non-halogenated. (halogenated is suspected to be less toxic but still not great)
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) itself can’t justify the use of these flame retardant chemicals. The NHTSA “never evaluated the effectiveness of the federal motor vehicle standard in children’s car seats."
They also said they’re "unaware of any records, data or studies that indicate the current flammability standard is relevant or provides any fire safety benefit in a child’s car seat.”
In fact...
Car seats that contained these flame retardants produced twice as much smoke, 7x’s as much carbon monoxide, and 70x’s as much soot as ones without flame retardants! Not only is it ineffective but it adds to injury!
So how does this realistically effect our children?
Since flame retardants aren’t chemically bound to products, they off-gas and can settle on things like our food, dust on objects or even in the air. Children are more susceptible to inhaling or ingesting because of their frequent hand to mouth habits.
They are “persistent pollutants”, which means they do not break down once released into an environment. Plus, they can travel far from the point of origin, allowing them to contaminate even drinking water.
Toxic flame retardant exposure builds up in the body and has been linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, cardiovascular disease, cognitive delays, and decreased fertility.
THANKFULLY some companies are now trying to use less harmful chemicals and 4 major companies have now come out with infant carriers and convertible seats completely flame retardant free, mainly using wool as a natural retardant, therefore meeting the federal requirements!
Those companies are:
-Nuna
-UPPAbaby
-Clek
-Maxi-Cosi
(I personally trust UPPAbaby, Clek, and Nuna the most. Also note, it's only certain colors these companies sell that are completely flame retardant free. i.e the UPPAbaby Henry and Jordan models etc)
*If you’re not able to get one of these seats, check out the EC toxicity study done to find another one that’s rated “lower concern”
Lookup the car seat you are currently using and see where it lines up!
Ok onto the next item...we got this... lol
Mattresses (both adult and children's)
Mattresses (esprcially kids mattresses) are loaded with toxic chemicals like various petrochemicals, plastics and vinyls, synthetic latex (typically styrene which is a carcinogen), and you guessed it...flame retardants.
This chemical "cocktail" releases VOC’s (volatile organic compounds), which are linked to numerous health problems, from respiratory irritation, neuro-developmental delays, hormone disruption to cancer.
Baby and toddler mattresses contain higher amounts of chemicals and flame retardants because of the waterproofing covers...those also contain phthalates (endocrine disrupters).
Obviously, this is concerning especially considering how long babies and young kids spend sleeping in bed, and also considering that our bodies do the most repairing and immune systems work the hardest at night!
And to make matters worse, companies aren’t legally required to disclose every chemical they put in mattresses.
Again, THANKFULLY there are a growing amount of companies creating safer mattresses that are flame retardant free!
I’ve found that safe crib mattresses are slightly harder to find but my favorite brand and what I personally have for my kids’ rooms is Naturepedic.
It meets all the safety requirements without using any toxic chemicals! (They use wool for example which is naturally flame retardant)
A few other companies providing safe mattresses that are also great are Soaringheart Natural beds, Lifekind, White Lotus, & the cheaper options lol Avocado Mattress and My Green Mattress.
**(The best brands will have both the GOTS and GOLS certifications!)
more posts on this to come...
There's also flame retardants in cushions in furniture (like couches, chairs etc)...but if you buy newer it won't be nearly as bad since laws have changed more on that front.
Any questions? Sources you want to see? Information you know on these topics that I missed?
What brand of car seats and mattresses do YOU use?
Comment below and tell me all about it!!
Sources:
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