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 Our kids deserve better: Safe Kids Campaign is working toward the immediate phase-out of two highly toxic classes of chemical fire retardants more info about the Safe Kids Campaign Friends Of The Earth became the original sponsor of California Assemblyman Mark Leno’s AB706, which promotes the use of safer, less toxic fire retardant methods  About Friends of the Earth |
Safe Home: Phasing Out Two Highly Toxic Classes of Chemical Fire Retardants Safe Kids Campaign Background: The Safe Homes campaign protects public and environmental health by working toward the immediate phase-out of two highly toxic classes of chemical fire retardants: brominated and chlorinated fire retardants (BFRs and CFRs). These chemicals are widely used in our everyday home furnishings. Yet BFRs and CFRs have been documented in hundreds of peer-reviewed studies to cause serious health problems such as cancer, reproductive, developmental and neurological disorders including birth defects, learning disorders, mental retardation, hyperactivity and ADHD. BFRs and CFRs disproportionately impact young children, who are particularly likely to absorb these compounds through direct physical or oral contact with them in furniture or through inhalation of contaminated house dust and ingestion of these substances from their mothers’ milk. Levels of these chemicals in breast milk have increased forty-fold since the 1970s; they bio-accumulate and are then passed onto our young at critical developmental stages. Legislative Battle: In response to this public health threat, the Safe Kids Campaign has been working vigorously on the legislative front, building ties with legislators and educating citizens about these dangerous chemicals. In 2007, Friends Of The Earth became the original sponsor of California Assemblyman Mark Leno’s AB706, the Crystal Golden-Jefferson Furniture Safety and Fire Prevention Act, adding MOMS (Making Our Milk Safe) as a co-sponsor, and also enlisting significant assistance from MomsRising.org (founded by MoveOn.org co-founder Joan Blades). AB706 mandates the immediate phase-out of BFRs and CFRs in all upholstered furniture and baby products covered by California’s flammability standard, TB117. AB706 promotes the use of safer, less toxic fire retardant methods such as internal fire resistant barriers, wool, melamine and phosphate based chemicals. AB706 also includes language that will stop the passage of a CA regulation, TB604, which would mandate that all bedding sold in the state (comforters, pillows, mattress pads etc.) be made flame retardant. TB604 would be met by using toxic, flame resistant fibers in the filling of these products — fibers which break down into compounds known to be endocrine disruptors.
About Flame Retardants:
In a misguided attempt to be save kids from fire injuries, the Flammable Fabrics Act of 1953 was further tightened and kids in the the '70s grew up wearing sleepwear containing bromine, chlorine or phosphates esters (Tris). Banned from clothing and fabric in 1977 after a two-year study conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) showed that Tris causes cancer and that the chemical could be absorbed by children. Duh! These toxic chemicals bio-accumulate in children’s body at alarming levels. The California upholstered furniture flammability standard (California TB117), adopted in 1978, required flexible polyurethane foam (used extensively in uphholstered furniture) to be resistant to both smoldering and small, open flame ignition. The same chlorinated Tris that was banned from children’s pajamas and fabrics is used in the foam inside furniture to meet these standards. California is still considering similar standards for bedding: pillows, comforters and mattress pads as noted above and the federal safety commission is working to set a national standard, following California’s lead. By the mid 1980s, when pentabromodiphenylether (pentaBDE) became available, it became the flame retardant of choice, particularly for upholstered furniture and mattresses, again, most of which are made from flexible polyurethane foam (FPF). By the end of 2004, it had been voluntarily phased out and by 2006 it too was banned in most places for similar environmental and health hazard reasons. However, to meet the performance requirements of California's fire code TB117, FPF manufacturers still needed flame retardants. But, the foam industry prefers the term 'combustion modifier' (CM), attempting to avoid giving the impression that putting these chemicals all over this foam will prevent it from burning. There is no such thing as a “flame proof” or “fire proof” polyurethane foam (FPF). Even combustion modified FPF can burn vigorously in the right conditions. The combustion modifier (CM) compounds of choice thus far are brominated and chlorinated hydrocarbons. The class of brominated and chlorinated hydrocarbons includes chlorinated paraffins, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), pentabromodiphenyl ether (pentaBDE), octabromodiphenyl ether (octaBDE), decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), tri-o-cresyl phosphate, tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate (TRIS), bis(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate, tris(1-aziridinyl)-phosphine oxide (TEPA), and others. Recognize the names of some of these substances? Despite attention given to small, open flame ignition — basically meaning from sources such as a disposable lighter, match or candle — the majority of household fires involving furniture begin with smoldering ignition from, you guessed it, smoking. Wouldn't it just be easier to ban smoking indoors? Doesn't it make sense to allow us as adult consumers, quite capable of making our own decisions, to make them? Or to make sure our three year olds don't smoke in bed rather than dousing their beds (or pajamas) with toxic chemicals they breathe in most of the day? Health hazard The presence of chlorinated and brominated chemicals in furniture and electronics simply adds more unnecessary health and environmental burdens to the already long list of chemicals that invade our lives every day without our consent. They bio-accumulate in our bodies, food and air. They break down into invasive invisible particles that we inhale, drink, eat or get on our skin. They are probable carcinogens and have been found to be mutagens and endocrine disruptors. Environmental hazard These are highly persistent chemical compounds. They have been found in Polar bears – miles from California's fire codes and our flame retarded furniture. How did they get there? These chemical laden products are not easily disposable or recyclable. The foam is bound forrever with chlorinated and brominated chemicals. Shall they become landfill or shall we burn them? They’ll release toxic fumes, of course, into the air as well as add to the level of carbon dioxide. We still haven't seen any reports of what happened with the toxins in New Orleans where many of these FPF manufacturing plants were located before Hurricane Katrina. Why trade fire risks for chemical toxicity risks? Is it necessary to add fire retardants to every piece of furniture and electronics in our homes? Who is to say? Shouldn’t we start assessing solutions that actually pose no health hazard to our children, to us, to the environment? Protect your family. Please familiarize yourself with this bill's fact sheet, AB706 and visit the Initiative for Green Science Policy and the Safe Kids Campaign. Spend time reading the materials provided by scientists, physicians, industry professionals and environmentalists. The more you learn the better you're prepared. |
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