Every parent should know the flame retardants content in the products they purchase. Many decades ago, house fires were a common and often deadly threat. From the use of fireplaces for heating to the fallibility of early electrical wiring systems and the widespread practice of smoking indoors, there were a lot of fire hazards present in early-mid 20th century homes. This led scientists to develop a range of flame retardant chemicals to add to common household items (in order to slow the spread of house fires). During the 1970s, these chemicals became required by law in a range of different products.
Even today, in an era when we know so much more about how to prevent fires from starting, some products still have to have these flame retardants and they recommend them in many others. Governments take a “better safe than sorry” attitude and suggest that flame retardants be added to a wide array of both household and personal items, despite the fact that scientist have largely disproved their efficacy in recent years.[1]The problem, of course, is that they may not in fact be safe: An increasing body of research has linked flame retardants to a number of serious health problems, with babies and children being the most vulnerable.
You can find flame retardants throughout most American homes. They are typically present in high concentrations in furniture cushions, carpeting, mattresses, plastics (such as those used for TV stands, shelving units, and so on), and electronics (including small appliances). Household wire insulation, some drapery and upholstery, and even some clothing items and baby products may also contain flame retardants.[2]
Back in 2005, when news of the toxicity of a class of fire retardants called PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) hit the mainstream media, many informed parents and environmentalists breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, they thought, they would ban toxic fire retardants from their homes. Unfortunately, while they indeed banned PBDEs from American-made products that year, what came as a replacement in many products is just as harmful. Today, they are treating many products with a compound – TDCIPP (or “chlorinated tris”). TDCIPP is simply a chlorinated version of brominated tris, a chemical that was so closely tied to DNA mutations and cancer that it was banned from use in child’s products back in 1977.[3]
This includes baby products, particularly car seats, changing table pads, crib mattresses, nursing pillows, and nap mats. This is concerning because, as reported in the Washington Post, “Studies in laboratory animals and humans have linked the most scrutinized flame retardants, called polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, to thyroid disruption, memory and learning problems, delayed mental and physical development, lower IQ, advanced puberty and reduced fertility… At the same time, recent studies suggest that the chemicals may not effectively reduce the flammability of treated products.”[4]
All of the chemicals we mentioned above are doubly hazardous because they do not fully bond with the products they are applied to. This means that, as the products are subjected to normal use, they emit toxic particles. These particles end up in household dust, which we then inhale. We are therefore exposed to these toxic compounds throughout the day, not just when we’re using the actual products that contain them.
Due to the chronic exposure described above, the toxins from flame retardants gradually build up in our bodies. Scientists estimate that 90% of Americans have flame retardant chemicals in their bodies, with most people having six or more types in their system. Furthermore, flame retardants often accumulate in breast milk; children have been shown to have levels of flame retardants “that are as much as five times higher than their mother’s.”[5]
Currently, there are no flame retardants on the market that they have conclusively proved safe. Therefore we strongly advise that parents avoid exposing themselves and their families to any of them. This is, of course, not usually completely possible.
Contact IndoorDoctor for additional tips on how to keep your children safe contact
[1] Why are toxic flame retardants still all around us?, Richard Denison. https://www.edf.org/health/dangers-of-toxic-chemicals-flame-retardants
[2] Link Between Flame Retardants and Neurodevelopmental Delays in Children, Dr. Mercola. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/12/27/flame-retardant-chemicals.aspx
[3] Flame Retardants Do More Harm Than Good, Research Shows, Dr. Mercola. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/20/toxic-flame-retardants.aspx
[4] Flame retardants in consumer products are linked to health and cognitive problems, Liza Gross. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/flame-retardants-in-consumer-products-are-linked-to-health-and-cognitive-problems/2013/04/15/f5c7b2aa-8b34-11e2-9838-d62f083ba93f_story.html?utm_term=.ed9e2a67dbdc
[5] Flame Retardants Do More Harm Than Good, Research Shows, Dr. Mercola. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/05/20/toxic-flame-retardants.aspx
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