Posts Tagged ‘Cancer’

12 Apr
2017

California Ban on Toxic Flame Retardants (PBDEs)

Posted by Norman F, April 12th, 2017

organic mattress, green mattress

California has a Ban on Toxic Flame Retardants (PBDEs or polybrominated diphenyl ethers) that took effect in 2011. These commonly found chemicals are toxic and accumulate in breast milk, harming kids development. Several other states have followed California. If you live in other states, you may want to verify this. House dust gets mixed in with PBDE’s, causing this chemical to spread.

Since 1975, manufacturers of furniture have treated their products with inexpensive flame retardant chemicals. Tobacco firms have even pushed for this treatment, preventing them from having to create a fire safe cigarette. These chemicals don’t really cut down on flammability. They cause toxic gasses and smoke to occur, which causes most fire deaths and injuries.

In 2005, some fire retardant chemicals were banned. A study in 2012 that appeared in the journal, Environmental Science and Technology by UC Berkeley and Duke University, found that toxic and untested flame retardants were present on most couches that they examined. These chemicals are linked to cancer and other health problems. It is literally almost impossible to buy furniture without flame retardants. Additionally, furniture with flame retardants are not required to be labeled.

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