Flame Retardatants in Couches and Mattresses Flame Retardants in Couches Keep in mind that these companies use toxic foams, glues, fabric finishes and possibly particle boards. Companies selling green upholstered furniture generally do not use flame retardants. Always ask, but I have not found one that does. For a list of totally green, non-toxic sofa companies see my post on non-toxic furniture. There are many companies making organic or natural fiber carpets, such as wool. And for rugs, some good options include cotton, rattan or jute. Carpets should explicitly state that they use all natural materials. I go over the greenest carpet companies in this post. Conventional types from big box stores contain a long list of chemicals including flame retardants. However, many big box stores now carry carpets with the Green Label Plus certification which means the carpets emit low levels of VOCs. Always ask about FRs, since these are not considered VOCs.I have a post on window coverings with chemical-free options.
Flame Retardants in Insulation HBCD is typically used in polystyrenes, in concentrations of up to 1% in EPS, and up to 5% in XPS. TCPP is typically used in polyisocyanurate foams (up to 10%). There is no EPS or XPS insulation without flame retardants on the market currently. Almost all spray foams made in the US contain FRs according to Treehugger, usually TCPP () Natural insulation options in . Apple phased out brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in 2008 but uses "safer" unspecified flame retarding chemicals. Motorola is BFR-free and Sony has phased it out of some products (). How much these can leach out of electronics is not clear. With furniture, it is when the particles become dust bound that they become the biggest problem. Flame retardants become mobile in dust as opposed to gas. So keeping a dust free home is of utmost importance. HEPA vacuum is the best way to deal with the dust if you have conventional furniture, carpets and curtains.
The Nilfisk brand is recommended by the experts. You can also add a HEPA filter (or even better, this one) to a Shop-Vac. (High-efficiency filter bags are also needed to catch all the fine dust.) (which some people say has a plastic smell), and . A decent one that is a more affordable is this . I have heard pretty good experiences with Honeywell considering the price. LAST UPDATED – Jan 2017. Polyurethane foams found in mattresses can be pretty unhealthy. The chemicals used to make these products are known to emit harsh volatile organic compounds (VOCS) we know as chemical fumes. It should be no surprise that some unhappy customers that purchased and used polyurethane foam products have been experiencing nasty side effects from their new mattress and expressing themselves online. People are sharing their experience to inform the public. In the end, it’s not good for the chemical companies associated with polyurethane foams. Foam manufacturers are now trying to influence public perception by becoming certified by the CertiPUR-US standard.
Their goal is to convince the public that CertiPUR-US products are healthy. Let’s take a look at what CertiPUR-US is… CertiPUR-US was conceived by the Polyurethane Foam Association (PFA) – its members are chemical companies and foam fabricators. The Alliance for Flexible Polyurethane Foam (AFPF) is a not-for-profit company responsible for registering and maintaining the activities of CertiPUR-US. Much of the funding for CertiPUR-US is provided by the very same chemical companies that want to convince the public that their chemicals are safe enough to be considered healthy. Just to name a few of their sponsors and monetary supporters: – Dow Chemical – Polyurethane Chemicals Manufacturer and platinum sponsor – ICL Industrial Products – Chemical Fire Retardant Manufacturer “monetary support” Even one of the elected CertiPUR-US board of directors comes straight from the chemical and foam companies. CertiPUR-US claim all products that are certified have undergone a vigorously regulated process performed by independent labs, therefore the certified product must be considered healthy.
But, how true is this? We stacked up the CertiPUR-US standard next to the GreenGuard Gold standard. GreenGuard Gold certification ensures that a product has met some of the world’s most rigorous and comprehensive standards for low emissions of VOCs into indoor air. Here is what we found: It is clear that the key VOCs that concern the public are not minimized. One of the main VOCs being discussed today is formaldehyde. In fact, as per their testing, CertiPUR-US will allow more than 10x the amount of formaldehyde compared to other standards. Sure, CertiPUR-US standard may be trying to do what they can to minimize the number of harsh VOCs that emit from polyurethane foam and perhaps a step in the right direction. But I believe that this standard is simply not trying hard enough. I encourage you to explore our certifications and testing as well as our mattresses.The quality of sleep you receive is critical to your overall health and wellness. At Intellibed, we’re dedicated to providing you and your family with mattresses that not only provide optimum comfort and support, but also ensure that you and your family are not exposed to potential toxins.
Growing evidence links a range of illnesses and diseases to toxic off-gassing from synthetic materials and flame retardants found in most conventional mattresses. With the number of sleep disorders growing at alarming rates, it’s time consumers studied the link between toxicity and sleep. In the early parts of the 20th century mattresses were made with cotton batting for cushioning and steel springs for support. This combination provided both natural, non-toxic cushioning and strong support. However, with the invention of petroleum based polyurethane foam in the 1937 this began to change. By the 1950’s polyurethane foam began to replace cotton, even though such foam is known to off-gas VOC’s, or volatile organic compounds. In fact, according to the EPA, exposure to such petro-based foams has been linked to respiratory and other health problems. Over the last 30 years, cotton has been completely replaced by synthetic foams for both support and cushioning. At the same time, the number of sleep related problems has also increased.
The fact is, most consumers don’t know that nearly all of today’s mattresses are made up of these petro-based, synthetic foams. In 2007, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission required all mattresses to meet strict flame resistant standards. Unfortunately, the Commission did not mandate which materials should be used by companies to accomplish this. As a result, mattress makers now spray a cocktail of chemicals both to the outside and inside of their mattresses to provide this flame resistant barrier. Here are just a few of the chemicals used in mattress flame retardants: PCDE’s (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) PCDE’s were used in mattresses before 2004. However, since it was determined that these chemicals were toxic to your liver, thyroid, and nervous system mattress, companies have phased use out. Boric Acid (known carcinogen properties) Melamine resin (contains formaldehyde) Perhaps the most disconcerting fact relating to fire retardant chemicals is that most companies do not disclose to consumers the chemicals they use, nor do they disclose the quantities used.
Instead, there is a vague statement such as our products “consistently meet all safety standards”. How can a mattress be toxic? The danger from conventional mattresses comes from off-gassing, where toxic chemicals inside and outside of the mattress emits fumes that people breathe or absorb through the skin. A mattress contains toxic chemicals from foam fillers, adhesives, flame retardants and waterproofing. With new mattresses, especially memory foam based mattresses, this off-gassing is very apparent. Do a simple Google search for ‘memory foam off-gassing’ and you will find hundreds of examples where consumers purchased a memory foam bed and were unable to stand the chemical smell for the first several days of ownership. Unfortunately, this off-gassing continue to be a problem with such mattresses throughout the life of the product, even though the odor goes away. Mattress toxicity research has primarily focused on groups of people who require more sleep due to age and condition — specifically infants, children and pregnant women.
However, the potential for harm from off-gassing from synthetic materials and flame retardants can affect everyone, no matter what age. Research has proven that significant exposure to toxins during pregnancy can be harmful to both the woman and the fetus. Studies confirm pregnant women carry toxic chemicals in their blood and urine, including toxins found in mattresses. (University of California, San Francisco) Another study found that toxic chemicals actually pass from a woman’s bloodstream, through the placenta and to the fetus. Toxins were also identified in breast milk. (Harvard School of Health/Centers for Disease Control) Recent studies examine an infant’s sleep environment as a possible contributor in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, cases. Two doctors in the United Kingdom and New Zealand concluded a decade-long study that linked toxic crib environments to infant health issues, including possibly SIDS. The resulting awareness campaign caused the number of SIDS cases in both areas to drop dramatically.
Learn more about the evidence here. Researchers are examining links between sleep patterns, sleep environment and child development, with interesting results. One study by the Children’s Mercy Hospital in Missouri discovered that children who exhibited symptoms of ADD/ADHD were more likely to also suffer from sleeping disorders. Evidence suggests that synthetic foams may contribute to a range of adult sleep disorders due to the lack of firm support that adults need, plus a range of health risks from off-gassing. These connections are only now gaining the attention of the scientific community Here are just a few of the problems potentially related to toxins in your mattress, with links to additional information: Non-Diagnosed Sleep Disorders:Even though 1 in 5 Americans suffer from a sleep disorder, few Autism:Researchers are discovering that autism may be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.Learn more about autism and toxins here.
SIDS: New research on SIDS shows that a toxic sleeping environment may be a factor.Learn more about SIDS here. Asthma and Allergies:Scientists know that certain toxins are known to affect the severity and intensity of some respiratory illnesses.Learn more about these toxins here. ADD/ADHD: Studies show a correlation between poor sleep and ADD/ADHD. Cancer: From pesticides to flame-retardants, what carcinogens are being used to make mattresses?Learn more about cancer and toxins here. It’s a fact that toxins in our environment can affect our health-and Intellibed wants to ensure that your sleep space remains clean and pure so that you can get the restful, healing sleep your body needs. When consumers understand the facts surrounding the importance of sleep and the possible connections between toxic materials and health issues, they can make an informed decision about how to achieve quality sleep for themselves and their families. While additional research needs to be done regarding toxicity and mattresses, we ask: WHY TAKE THE RISK?