Chemicals in Furniture
In the article "California to Unveil New Flammability Standard to Avoid Chemicals in Furniture" by Brett Israel and Environmental Health News on Friday, February 8, 2013, says that the new rules would cut down on the use of flame retardants that have been linked to human effects. In 1970, foam that is used in furniture cushion was required to withstand a 12 second exposure to small, open flames. Chemicals were put in the foam to make this possible. There were many concerns about the chemicals being put into furniture because it caused potential health effects such as reduced IQs, attention problems, and other neurological effects exposed in the womb or during infancy. California children have some of the worlds highest measured levels of flame retards in their bodies and these chemicals and building up in bodies. In couches purchased before 2005, 3 out of every 4 contained flame retardants but now new couches contain 94% of flame retardants. Nearly the whole next generation will have furniture that has flame retardants that have chemicals in them and not know the effects of these chemicals because the selling of these furniture's has not stopped.
I choose this article because the title caught my eye. I did not know that furniture had flame retardants which included chemicals that had a variety of health effect as early as being in the womb to during infancy and that was the most interesting fact that I learned. I would think that furniture would be safe, especially because of the amount of time we are near it, sit on it, lay on it, etc., but no. Children are being endangered when they have not even came out of the womb yet.
I think the next step would be to try and stop these chemicals from being inside of any piece of furniture being sold. Reducing the amount of flame retardants would reduce the health effects that young ones have because they are not being exposed to the chemicals. I believe that we should get up to 100% of the furniture on the market today to meet the upholstery smolder only standards instead of the open flame test. The open flame test, you are able to pass the test of withholding a 12 second exposure to small open flame with the chemicals inside. Unlike the open flame test, the upholstery smolder only test manufactures could meet the requirements without using flame retardants.
Permanent Address: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=california-to-unveil-new-flammability-standard-to-avoid-chemicals-in-furniture
I choose this article because the title caught my eye. I did not know that furniture had flame retardants which included chemicals that had a variety of health effect as early as being in the womb to during infancy and that was the most interesting fact that I learned. I would think that furniture would be safe, especially because of the amount of time we are near it, sit on it, lay on it, etc., but no. Children are being endangered when they have not even came out of the womb yet.
I think the next step would be to try and stop these chemicals from being inside of any piece of furniture being sold. Reducing the amount of flame retardants would reduce the health effects that young ones have because they are not being exposed to the chemicals. I believe that we should get up to 100% of the furniture on the market today to meet the upholstery smolder only standards instead of the open flame test. The open flame test, you are able to pass the test of withholding a 12 second exposure to small open flame with the chemicals inside. Unlike the open flame test, the upholstery smolder only test manufactures could meet the requirements without using flame retardants.
Permanent Address: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=california-to-unveil-new-flammability-standard-to-avoid-chemicals-in-furniture