By almost any measure, Duke University Environmental Chemistry professor Heather Stapleton is, well, a bit of a Superhero.
Her Super-powers include: not taking the words “it’s proprietary” too seriously; using x-ray vision to pierce through the truth of greenwashing labels (an ability amply demonstrated below); and caring far more about the safety and health of your children than the chemical companies (ok, maybe that last one sets a very low bar).
Stapleton was among the first to notice that indoor air pollution – rather than pollution outdoors – might be the pathway by which stuff used in televisions and sofas started showing up in our environment. When studying a particular type of flame retardants, PBDEs, she decided to measure the levels in samples of indoor air and dust from inside homes. As the authors of “Slow Death by Rubber Duck” explain (at 113):
She was shocked at the results. Levels of flame retardants were much higher than she had expected….“When we presented this, it really opened people’s eyes. It made sense. It all fell into place. It was a different paradign about how we think about the sources of, and exposure to, these compounds.” It turns out that PBDEs leach out of the products they are put into: the squishy foam in a sofa, the padding in a mattress and the back of a TV set.
So imagine my delight when Stapleton agreed to an email interview for my series of posts noodling over the unsavory questions raised by my sofa’s apparent role in filling my home with toxic dust bunnies. (Yes, that’s the sofa’s fault, entirely.)
| My questions:
1) Why did you start researching flame retardants in furniture? |
I’ve been researching flame retardants since graduate school. As a graduate student, I was interested in how the chemicals were accumulating in wildlife and how they were metabolized, but then my interests moved more towards understanding human exposure and health effects. This naturally led me into analyzing consumer products to better understand which chemicals were being used as flame retardants in products and to collect information on the levels used in these products.
| 2) What has your research found about the prevalence of flame retardants? What are they doing in baby strollers? |
Some flame retardants are now considered ubiquitous. They are present everywhere, from the dust in our living rooms and bedrooms to the air in the North Pole. They are unfortunately applied to numerous baby products, including strollers, because these products contain polyurethane foam, and some agencies consider these products to be “juvenile furniture.” According to a California state law, juvenile furniture has to meet a flammability standard. And the only way to meet this standard in a product containing foam, is to add these types of chemical flame retardants.
[Note: Just last year, California evidently revised its rule on juvenile furniture to clarify that strollers, nursing pillows and infant carriers are now exempt from the requirement for flame retardants. While common sense prevailed, older items, and even newer items that still may comply with the law, would still have the chemicals in them.]
| 3) What does the research show is the harm, in brief, of these chemicals? (If you’d like to separate PBDEs, Tris and Firemaster 550, that would be fine of course. Is there any new research on harms of Firemaster, in particular?) |
This is a difficult question to ask. We know much more about PBDEs than we do FM 550 or TDCPP (the primary Tris…there are actually many different types of Tris…so use caution in using this term).
TDCPP is a suspected carcinogen and other “Tris” chemicals are known carcinogens (e.g., TCEP).
Some of our research has shown that TDCPP is just as potent a neurotoxicant as the pesticide chlorpyrifos. Chlorpyrifos had its indoor permit withdrawn by the EPA due to concerns about neurotoxicity.
And FireMaster 550 contains chemicals that may also be neurotoxicants and endocrine disruptors…we’re trying to evaluate this now. We just don’t know much at all about FM 550, yet we know that people, are particularly children, are receiving chronic exposure to FM 550 in their homes through contact with indoor dust particles (the same pathway as PBDEs).
| 4) What should consumers do to minimize exposure to these chemicals? |
Support legislative efforts to prohibit use of these chemicals in products, particularly baby products. There is actually no proof at all that these chemicals reduce the fire hazards of furniture (NONE- zippo!). There is a lot of mis-information spread by the chemical industry on this point. Most people assume that these chemicals prevent products from catching on fire, but they do not.
They are suppose to slow down the rate at which the product burns, but some tests shows that this only slows down the rate by maybe 2-3 seconds. In addition, by having flame retardants in the foam, you generate more smoke, soot and carbon monoxide when they burn, which is a concern because many people die of smoke inhalation during a fire. So one might actually argue that the presence of these chemicals in foam containing furniture increases fire hazards!
But to reduce exposure, the only suggestion we can offer is to avoid buying products that contain foam (and are more likely to contain flame retardants), and wash your hands often. Our recent studies demonstrate that people are more likely to have higher exposure and body burdens if they wash their hands less frequently. Washing hands is always a good practice for all health concerns!
| 5) What do you do in your home to minimize exposure? |
It’s very hard to minimize exposure. The furniture in my house is manufactured in Italy by a manufacturer who does not make furniture to meet the California flammability standard. While it’s great, it’s also much more expensive that most furniture solid in the US. And for most of our baby products I was able to find flame retardant free products by searching for products that do not contain polyurethane foam. Most products that contain polyester filling do not need flame retardant chemicals to meet the California standard.
6) Is it possible to avoid flame retardant chemicals in older furniture? Is there a date before which they may safer?
Flame retardants have been in use in different applications and products for several decades, at least as early as the 1970s, and maybe earlier. No, there is no way to know if older furniture contains flame retardants, but it’s very likely that it will have flame retardants if the furniture contains polyurethane foam AND contains a label indicating that it meets the flammability requirements of CA TB 117.
7) One small furniture maker, Eco-Select Furniture, in NC, sent me their foam label. I would very interested in your view on what is likely to be the chemical used.
The label you sent is simply an advertisement for the Certipur program. This is a program developed by US polyurethane foam manufacturers to demonstrate environmental stewardship. It means that the foam used in that product has been tested for several known toxins including VOCs, metals and a few flame retardants.
But the product can certainly still contain a flame retardant and have the Certipur label.
There are many in use on the market today that are not tested in the Certipur program and for which we have concerns about health effects (e.g., Firemaster 550, V6, triarylphosphates, etc.). If the product has a Certipur Label AND a label indicating that it meets CA TB 117, it still has a flame retardant in it, then that Certipur label only means that it does not have PBDEs (which were phased out in 2005 anyway) or Chlorinated Tris.
| 8) What is the impediment to fixing the California law so that these chemicals are only in products as needed? |
Yeah, that is the million dollar question. Unfortunately, I think any attempt to change the CA law is going to be hampered by the chemical companies lobbyists who spread misinformation and use scare tactics to impede the truth and prevent any legislation from passing.
Thanks for all your work to look into non-flame retardant sofas. We are looking to buy a sofa from Eco-Select Furniture, one of the manufacturers you list as offering a non-FR option. But we live too far from North Carolina to try the sofa in person, so we’re concerned that it isn’t as comfortable as a regular sofa. Would you (or any readers) be able to verify that the non-FR foam is reasonably comfortable? -John Landry
I would ask Ken directly for a few references to see if he has them — or folks, please chime in! I know I have personally spoken with several satisfied customers.
I am an interior designer, and would suggest the following.
Sit in a bunch of sofas at a showroom that you have access to. The primary criteria that affect comfort are the depth of the seat, the Ht. of the seat (usually 18″), the arm height, the construction of the back, and the stuffing. Measure the first three on a sofa you find comfortable. The depth of the seat varies greatly from 20″ to 28″, and the deeper seats tend to have a slouchier feeling. I tend to do deeper seats in family rooms, and shallow-er in living rooms, where you are more likely to sit a bit more upright. Once you know the seat depth, seat ht, and arm ht that feels good to you, check in with Eco-select to find a frame that is the same dimensions.
Second, loose back sofas tend to be comfier to nestle into than tight back ones, where the back cushioning is on the frame, rather than in a separate cushion. However they are deeper, so it depends both how deep of a sofa will fit in your home. The softest sofas have down back cushions, which mold to your body and feel great, but have to be fluffed so they do not look squished. I think it is worth it, but you need to know your self, and whether you can live with this.
I do not believe that you can feel the difference between latex and petroleum based foam. You should pick your sofa based on measurements, back style, and pillow type. If you have sat in a 25″ deep sofa, with an 18″ seat ht., and 26″ arm, with separate dacron wrapped foam back cushions, and you found the comfort and fit perfect, then you can order a sofa with those details, without ever sitting on it, and be pretty darn confident that you will find it comfortable. And if you get a sofa without flame retardants, you have the added comfort of limiting your chemical exposure.
Hope this helps.
Great advice!
Yes, thank you! We’ve ordered the sofa.
Hey Laura!
Your blog is so awesome! Thank you.
I am curious about these claims…would this company pass the test for you and Heather? I’ll also send her a link.
http://www.rowefurniture.com/about-us/eco-rowe.html
~Katie
I got a very quick and courteous response from Heather Stapleton re: my above question in regards to flame retardants and Rowe furniture. Here is what she wrote,
Hi Katie-
This statement: “foam fire retardant materials contain organic, halogen free, and PBDE free materials”, are likely organophosphate flame retardants, which we believe could be just as toxic as the PBDEs……they have not been sufficiently tested for health effects at all and I am concerned about their use in furniture and baby products,
Let’s hope we can move away from flammability standards requiring these chemicals in foam in the first place…..
best wishes,
Heather Stapleton
She is so great at parsing the B.S. — but I wonder how many people have been utterly misinformed by the misleading use of the word “organic” — such intentional greenwashing is so upsetting. Thanks for keeping up apprised!
Another comment and question via email:
Hi Laura,
I hope you get this email. I’ve visited your site several times, which popped up when I “googled” fire retardant free sofas. Like you, I’ve been on a mission to purge my home of toxic chemicals since my son was born six years ago. My latest search (which has probably been going on for the last two years) is to find a fire retardant free sofa. I’ve visited most of the sites that carry non-toxic furniture and either haven’t liked the styles or the cost. Yesterday, my family and I visited the Drexel Heritage showroom in Atlanta, as I had read that you can special order sofas from them without fire retardants. The sales person there told me that none of their cushions have these chemicals in them (cushions are made mostly of down and they use no foam), that their fabrics are not treated and that they only use real wood. I actually ended up ordering a sofa and chair but am questioning my decision now. In all of your research, did you come across Drexel Heritage? Their prices are up there with the non-toxic websites, but at least I can see the furniture and won’t have to pay shipping charges. Any information you have on this would be greatly appreciated. Trying to figure out these things alone can be so hard. Most of my friends think I’m crazy, and sometimes I even have to battle my husband. Getting him to give up his weed-killer was a job, but our grass looks even better now.
My reply:
Hi there! Thanks so much for writing. On the blog’s Facebook fan page, another alert reader also asked about Drexel — she wrote “Drexel heritage says they offer cushions with no fire retardents, customer service could not tell me the source of the cushions.”
I don’t know about the details on this onw, and have no other comments on them on the blog. Do they sell furniture in California? It seems to be that companies that do all have FRs in them; companies that sell only locally or regionally may not. So it may be fine. I am certainly reassured by the fact that they use down, rather than foam, and untreated fabrics. I think it sounds promising.
One step for extra safety may be to ask for reassurance in writing that there are no FRs in the furniture. This puts companies on the hook a bit more under truth in advertising rules, which are really the only way any of us know what is in anything. Other than that, we all basically have to take the word of the company. It’s certainly a plus to be able to see what you are paying for!
Hope that helps! All best, Laura
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you or Dr. Stapleton say that PBDE’s were phased out in 2005. Is that right? No more PBDE in furniture cushions manufactured after 2005?
Hi Walter,
Thanks for the question, but unfortunately we don’t have any such reassurance. There are bans on several forms of pbdes, but a third remains largely unregulated. Companies did generally use less pbdes because some savvy consumers started asking about it, but there’s no legal rule, and who’s to say that the substitutes are any better.
Sorry — all best,
Laura
What is the Italian furniture label? Thanks!
Hi there! I don’t have that information, but I’m sure you could ask Heather Stapleton. Her email address is on the University of North Carolina Web site, and she’s accessible and friendly in my own happy experience. Please do share the information if you do find it out! All best, Laura
I was wondering if you live in a state outside of california if you would run into an issue with flame retatdents in sofas, I have called and called and 98% of the manufactures simply don’t know any they have and one says no but ow do I believe when I have another co. Telling me it is required in all sofas even in my state notin calif. and the other one says o we don’t but the local dealer says yes so I get so many conflicting stories. I’m looking at the everyday brands. I’m wondering if buying leather would encase the fire retardants or would the leather pose a problem?
Hi Dd, Thanks for your question! It’s sad but true that so many companies either don’t know or won’t say if their sofas have chemical flame retardants in them. The research I and others have done indicates that the vast majority of sofas have these chemicals in them. As to whether leather would be better, I still think you’d get dust off the bottom and top that would get into the air, sadly. Sorry I don’t have more reassuring news! All best, Laura