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. 2015 Mar;123(3):A56-63.
doi: 10.1289/ehp.123-A56.

Hand-me-down hazard: flame retardants in discarded foam products

Kellyn S Betts

Hand-me-down hazard: flame retardants in discarded foam products

Kellyn S Betts. Environ Health Perspect. 2015 Mar.
No abstract available

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New furniture labeling and flammability standards in California are expected to offer a market-driven solution for people who want to avoid flame retardants. © Jason Schneider
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Under California’s new rule SB 1019, any foam product that is subject to flammability testing under TB117-2013 must also carry a permanently attached label that states whether flame retardant chemicals have been added to the item. The rule applies to products manufactured and sold in California after 1 January 2015. © Joseph Tart/EHP
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The benefits of a market-based approach to removing flame retardants from foam items will trickle down slowly to lower-income populations; people with less money are more likely to hold on to older products in which the foam is breaking down. This economic reality may help explain findings that lower-income homes tend to have higher levels of flame retardants in house dust. © Rob A. Johnston/Walkabout Wolf Photography/Getty
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California’s earlier flammability standard required that foam be able to withstand an open flame applied for 12 seconds. The revised standard, TB117-2013, requires that furniture components pass an updated smolder test. In this test, a lit cigarette is placed on the surface of the material being tested. Materials fail if charring occurs on multiple samples more than 1.8 inches in any direction from the lit tip. The emphasis of the new standard is on stopping ignition of external materials to prevent the foam inside from burning. TB117-2013 does not forbid the use of chemical flame retardants. However, flame retardants are not needed to pass the test; many fabrics suitable for upholstery are inherently smolder-resistant, or manufacturers can place a smolder-resistant barrier material between the upholstery and the foam. © janewhitney.com
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Foam and upholstery professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area are participating in the Safer Sofa Foam Exchange, in which consumers can swap existing cushion foam for new foam without added flame retardants. At an estimated cost of $45–95 per cushion, it’s cheaper than buying a new sofa. © Paul Chinn/San Francisco Chronicle
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The bare blocks used in “foam pits” may leach flame retardants more quickly than fabric-covered foam items. Studies to date suggest that use of specialized equipment can result in especially high exposures to flame retardants among gymnasts and other athletes who train indoors. Foam pits have also become a popular feature at indoor children’s parks. © Reuters/Andrew Wong
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References

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