“Toxic Flame Retardants: Are they in your Body ?”
The use of flame retardant chemicals in furniture is a classic example of a questionable use of a chemical: they are frequently ineffective in preventing furniture fires and are linked to serious health effects. Since 1975, an ineffective flammability standard, California’s TB 117, has resulted in the foam inside our sofas, recliners, love seats and bedding to be saturated with toxic flame retardants. Recent studies have found that most couches in the United States contain at least one flame retardant chemical, whether or not they carry a TB 117 label. Because of the widespread use of flame retardant chemicals, Americans carry much higher levels of these chemicals in their bodies than anyone else in the world and California children contain some of the highest levels ever measured. Studies indicate that 91% of urine samples from the homes of American residents contained metabolites of Tris phosphate (TDCIPP) and 83% had metabolites of triphenyl phosphate (TPHP). Home dust samples were contaminated with these flame retardants 100% of the time.
