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Flame retardants are chemical additives that are intended to reduce the risk of fires. They show up in a wide range of products, from car seats and strollers to camping equipment like tents and sleeping bags. You can also find flame retardants in everyday items like electronics, furniture, and even the materials used to build our homes. Their widespread use comes at a cost, however, to both our health and the environment.
The primary aim of flame retardants is to buy us valuable time during a fire emergency, allowing us to escape safely and minimize property damage. However, the use of these chemicals has raised important questions about their safety.
Let’s delve into the environmental problems associated with flame retardants, their potential dangers to our health, and how to avoid them whenever possible.
Persistent Pollution: Flame Retardants in the Environment
Flame retardants have a knack for sticking around long after they’ve served their intended purpose. Many of these chemicals are persistent and can accumulate in the environment. Take, for instance, the flame retardants known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).
PBDEs have been widely used in furniture, electronics, camping gear, baby products such as car seats, and various other goods for decades. Recently, they were phased out of new products due to environmental and health concerns. Unfortunately, PBDEs continue to linger in the environment, with traces detected in wildlife, water bodies, soil, and even our own bodies.
Brominated flame retardants have an alarming tendency to bioaccumulate in living organisms. As they move up the food chain, these chemicals become increasingly concentrated in the tissues of animals. This bioaccumulation poses a risk to both wildlife and to people who then consume contaminated food.
The Dangers of Flame Retardants To Human Health
While the intention behind using flame retardants is to enhance consumers’ safety, flame retardants actually pose major unintended health risks, especially to vulnerable populations like infants, children, and pregnant women. Research has associated brominated flame retardants with adverse effects on neurological development, thyroid function, and hormone disruption. These substances can enter our bodies through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact, making exposure to them practically inevitable.
Flame retardants can accumulate in the fatty tissues of our bodies, creating a long-term exposure risk. Additionally, some flame retardants break down into even more toxic compounds when exposed to heat or UV radiation, further complicating things.
Although flame retardants were once a common addition to camping equipment and baby gear as a means to meet strict fire safety regulations, our growing awareness of the environmental and health risks of flame retardants has led to a shift in the approach of more eco-conscious companies. You can now find strollers made without flame retardants so you don’t have to worry about exposing your baby to these additives.
Where Are Flame Retardants Commonly Found?
Flame retardants have historically been used in a wide range of consumer products to reduce flammability and meet fire safety regulations. While they’ve been largely phased out or reduced due to environmental and health concerns, here are some common products and items that have traditionally contained flame retardant chemicals:
- Furniture: Upholstered furniture like sofas, couches, and armchairs often used flame retardants in the foam cushions and fabric. Luckily, you can find couches without flame retardants if you know where to look.
- Electronics: Flame retardants were common in electronic devices, including televisions, computers, and mobile phones, to prevent overheating and fires.
- Textiles: Items such as curtains, drapes, carpets, and mattresses may have contained flame retardants to meet fire safety standards.
- Car seats: Some older car seats used flame retardants in their upholstery and padding to reduce fire risk in vehicles.
- Children’s products: Baby gear like high chairs, changing pads, and crib mattresses might have contained flame retardants.
- Mattresses: Mattresses, particularly older models, often used flame retardant chemicals to meet fire safety regulations.
- Camping equipment: Tents, sleeping bags, and camping mattresses may have contained flame retardants to reduce flammability.
- Appliances: Large appliances like refrigerators and stoves sometimes used flame retardants in their components.
- Building materials: Certain construction materials, such as insulation and foam boards, may have incorporated flame retardants for fire safety in buildings.
- Children’s clothing: While less common, some children’s clothing items used to contain flame retardants. These days, pajamas are typically either made out of naturally flame resistant materials like polyester, merino wool, or tight fitting cotton.
Regulations and consumer preferences have driven many manufacturers to reduce or eliminate harmful flame retardants in these products. However, it’s still important to check product labels, do your research, and choose products labeled as “flame retardant-free” to avoid exposure to these chemicals.
5 Types of Concerning Flame Retardants
There are various types of flame retardants, and they’re often characterized by their chemical structure. These classifications typically revolve around whether the flame retardant has elements like bromine, chlorine, phosphorus, nitrogen, metals, or boron.
Here are some of the different flame retardant types:
1. Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs)
As mentioned above, BFRs stand out as a particularly concerning group due to their toxic nature and widespread use. These chemicals have been employed for decades in a multitude of consumer products, ranging from electronics to upholstery to furniture. Manufacturers have phased out older versions of BFRs in favor of newer ones, but both exhibit toxic endocrine effects.
Brominated flame retardants have been associated with a range of health issues. Some BFRs, like polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), have been linked to neuro-developmental problems, hormone disruption, and thyroid dysfunction. Children and developing fetuses are especially vulnerable to these adverse effects.
2. Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
PBDEs are structurally similar to brominated flame retardants (BFRs). They don’t chemically bind to the products they’re added to, such as furniture, making them easily airborne and prone to settling in dust. While manufacturers began phasing out PBDEs in 2004, PBDE-containing products remain in circulation. Research has linked exposure to PBDEs to neuro-developmental disorders.
3. Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)
Primarily used as a brominated flame retardant additive in polystyrene foam construction materials, HBCD poses environmental concerns during production and from leaching out of consumer products. Disturbingly, it has been detected in the food supply. Health worries include potential impacts on the immune and reproductive systems, neurotoxic effects, and hormone disruption.
4. Organophosphate Flame Retardants (OPFRs)
Commonly found in textiles, electronics, and industrial materials, OPFRs serve as replacements for other flame retardants and as plasticizers in various products and construction materials. Emerging studies suggest these chemicals might also carry risks to bone and brain health.
5. Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA)
Used in plastic paints, synthetic textiles, electronic devices, and as an additive in other flame retardants, TBBPA has been identified as a carcinogenic agent in rodent studies, causing cancer in both rats and mice. You generally find this flame retardant in plastics and synthetic resins.
How to Avoid Flame Retardants When You Shop
Given the environmental problems and health dangers associated with flame retardants, many of us are left with the important question: How can we protect ourselves and the planet from flame retardants?
A handful of manufacturers that prioritize sustainability and safety are now opting for alternative materials and design strategies to create camping equipment, furniture, and baby gear that meet stringent safety standards without relying on these harmful additives.
One of the most effective strategies to avoid these chemicals is to opt for products that are labeled as flame retardant-free. Many manufacturers now produce healthier car seats, strollers, cribs, crib mattresses, camping equipment like tents, camping pads, and sleeping bags, and couches and other furniture without flame retardant chemical treatments.
You can also opt for organic clothing for adults, kids, and babies to make sure you’re getting the safest possible non-FR fabrics in your family’s clothing.
Reading product labels, doing research, and choosing brands committed to using non-toxic and environmentally friendly materials can go a long way in reducing exposure to flame retardants. You can also find non-toxic and organic mattresses and pillows made with materials such as natural latex that aren’t treated with flame retardants.
Seeking out products made from natural and inherently flame-resistant materials, such as wool and cotton, can offer a safer alternative to flame retardant chemicals. These natural materials often meet federal flammability standards without the need for chemical additives.
Understanding Environmental Certifications
When you’re shopping, you can also keep an eye out for certifications that indicate a product is eco-friendly (though not necessarily flame-retardant free). Two well-known certifications that focus on product safety and environmental impact are GREENGUARD Gold and OEKO-TEX Standard 100.
GREENGUARD Gold certification sets stringent limits on indoor air emissions. It focuses on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other harmful substances. While GREENGUARD Gold encourages low-emission products, it does not explicitly prohibit the use of flame retardants. Some products with GREENGUARD Gold certification may contain flame retardants if they meet the VOC and emissions criteria.
OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification evaluates textiles and related materials for a wide range of harmful substances, including heavy metals, formaldehyde, and certain chemicals used as flame retardants. While OEKO-TEX Standard 100 restricts the use of harmful flame retardants, it allows for the use of specific flame retardants that meet safety criteria.
What this tells us is that you have to go beyond looking for these certification labels and inquire directly with the companies you’re considering buying from to determine whether their products have been treated with flame retardants.
Make a Healthier Choice by Avoiding Flame Retardants
While flame retardants were initially introduced with good intentions, their widespread use has unfortunately brought forth a complex web of environmental problems and health hazards. As consumers, it’s up to us to be aware of these issues and to make informed choices when selecting products for ourselves and our families.
In an era where sustainability and health-conscious decisions are becoming more important, we can advocate for safer alternatives and support eco-friendly manufacturing practices. We can also demand transparency from companies regarding the use of flame retardants in their products.
By doing so, we not only protect ourselves and our families (especially little ones) but also contribute to a safer and more sustainable future for everyone. Our choices today can help shape a world where safety and environmental responsibility go hand in hand.
FAQs About Flame Retardants
What are flame retardants, and why are they used in products?
Flame retardants are chemical additives that reduce a product’s flammability and slow down the spread of fires. Manufacturers use flame retardants to meet safety regulations and minimize fire-related risks, especially in items like furniture, electronics, and textiles. However, some flame retardants pose major dangers to the environment and our health.
Are all flame retardants harmful?
No, not all flame retardants are inherently harmful. However, some types of flame retardants, particularly brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and certain formulations, are concerning due to their environmental persistence and health risks.
What are the environmental problems associated with flame retardants?
Flame retardants, especially BFRs, can persist in the environment and accumulate in ecosystems. They have been found in soil, water bodies, and even wildlife. Some flame retardants can also break down into more toxic compounds under certain conditions.
What are the potential health risks of exposure to flame retardants?
Health risks associated with flame retardants may include neurodevelopmental problems, hormone disruption, thyroid dysfunction, and more. Vulnerable populations, such as children and pregnant women, are particularly at risk.
Why are eco-conscious companies phasing out flame retardants in their products?
Eco-conscious companies are increasingly phasing out flame retardants due to concerns about their environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and health hazards. These companies prioritize non-toxic and sustainable materials to meet safety standards without relying on harmful flame retardant chemicals.
How can we avoid flame retardants in products?
To avoid flame retardants, you can choose products labeled as flame retardant-free. You can also opt for items made from naturally flame-resistant materials like wool or cotton. Additionally, researching brands committed to non-toxic and eco-friendly practices can help you make informed purchasing choices.
Are there certifications that restrict the use of flame retardants in products?
Certifications like GREENGUARD Gold and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 focus on product safety and environmental impact. While they encourage low emissions and restrict certain harmful substances, they may still allow the use of specific flame retardants that meet safety criteria. It’s essential to check product labels and specifications for detailed information rather than relying on one of these certifications alone if you want to ensure a product is flame retardant-free.
Are there safer alternatives to flame retardants?
Yes, some products are designed to meet flammability standards without using flame retardants. Safer alternatives include materials that are inherently flame-resistant, such as wool, cotton, and certain synthetic fibers with a tight knit that makes them more fire resistant. Researching and choosing products made with these materials can help reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals.
