Imagine this: you’re sitting comfortably in your living room, enjoying your favorite TV show. However, what you might not realize is that your sofa, along with your chair, computer, carpet padding, bed, and even house dust contain toxic chemicals that pose significant health risks. These chemicals are fire retardants, which have been linked to cancer, developmental issues, and other illnesses. Incredibly, they don’t even slow or prevent fires. So, how did our homes become filled with these dangerous and unnecessary substances?
The origin of toxic fire retardants can be traced back to the tobacco industry. Decades ago, cigarette makers faced pressure to create safer cigarettes that wouldn’t cause fires when smokers accidentally fell asleep while smoking in bed or on their sofa. The tobacco companies decided that making a safer cigarette would be too expensive. Instead, they hatched a plan to promote the use of fire retardant chemicals added to furniture, supposedly to stop lit cigarettes from starting house fires.
To keep their involvement hidden, tobacco companies covertly supported the formation of the National Association of State Fire Marshals, which then pushed for federal regulations mandating the addition of flame retardant chemicals to household furniture.
As time went on, large chemical corporations saw a lucrative opportunity in producing and selling chemicals for use in furniture. They backed the creation of another group called Citizens for Fire Safety, advocating for the widespread use of fire retardants. This organization claimed to be comprised of fire professionals, educators, community activists, burn centers, doctors, fire departments, and industry leaders, but in reality, it was a front for three chemical companies: Chemtura, Albemarle, and ICL Industrial Products.
Eager to add credibility to their cause, some proponents of fire retardants went as far as fabricating stories. For example, a burn doctor in the pockets of Citizens for Fire Safety, testified before regulators about the lifesaving properties of fire retardants. Closer inspection revealed that much of his testimony was fictional.
Meanwhile, research has uncovered the negative health and environmental effects of these chemicals:
- A study by the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom revealed that flame retardants actually increase the danger of toxic gases during fires, which is the primary cause of death in such incidents. The researchers found that flame retardants increased the levels of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide released during combustion.
- Laboratory tests have demonstrated that flame retardants may also raise the risk of autism, learning deficits, and memory problems. Researchers at the University of California Davis discovered a link between exposure to these chemicals and neurodevelopmental deficits associated with reduced sociability and learning.
- Flame retardant chemicals have been detected in the environment at increasing concentrations. According to studies conducted at Indiana University Bloomington, the environmental levels of these compounds are rising rapidly. Moreover, scientists at Baylor University found that flame retardants can cause malformations and changes in animal behavior and be lethal by disrupting thyroid function.
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American babies are born with significantly higher levels of flame retardant chemicals in their blood compared to infants born in other countries. Pregnant women in Northern California were found to have the highest exposure to these chemicals ever measured. This is especially concerning, given the link between flame retardants and disruptions to thyroid hormones, which are crucial for fetal brain development.
In addition to affecting our health, flame retardants are pervasive in our indoor environments. They seep out of furniture into house dust, which poses a unique risk to young children who crawl on the floor and inadvertently inhale or ingest the toxic particles.
If the production of flame retardants ceased today, the chemicals would continue to pose a hazard to humans and the environment for years to come. Now is the time for people to demand that chemical companies cease producing and promoting flame retardants. Contact the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to ask why action hasn’t been taken to address this problem. Knowledge and awareness are our best weapons in the fight against these toxic and unnecessary substances.
