THE TRUTH ABOUT FLAME RETARDANTS
Flame retardants are found in a variety of household products despite evidence they put people’s health at risk.
“We spend up to 90% of our time indoors – in our homes, our offices or at school. However, studies show that indoor environment can be more polluted and therefore worse for our health than air outdoors. Worrying harmful chemical pollutants such as flame retardants have been routinely found in dust. Children, particularly babies and toddlers playing on floors, are specifically vulnerable to ingesting these pollutants through breathing in or eating dust”.
“Flame retardant chemicals are linked to a number of disorders, including fertility problems, brain development disorders, neurotoxicity, thyroid effects and cancer. Many of them are endocrine-disrupting chemicals, interfering with hormone signalling in the body and can therefore affect health in many ways. Long term exposure occurring in homes and offices poses uncontrolled and involuntary risks.”
“Flame retardant chemicals leak out of products and build up in the environment. They create a toxic legacy that does not disappear over time, but stays in the air, soil and sediments of the oceans – eventually ending up in the food we eat.”
“We have already seen kitchen utensil and plastics cutlery with hazardous flame retardants. As long as toxic chemicals enter the cycle, they might end up recycled into new products. Toxins in, toxins out.”
“Concerning assessment of a possible decrease in the risk of fires associated with use of flame retardants, available data do not make it possible to conclude that flame retardants in upholstered furniture for domestic use are effective”.
“Brominated and chlorinated flame retardants can increase fire toxicity, but their overall benefit in improving fire safety has not been proven.”
“Too many risks are linked to consumer’s exposure to flame retardants and it is now clear that the current situation is a loss for everybody. We need a real discussion on the consequences of using flame retardant chemicals in furniture, and a clear answer to how fire safety can be achieved in more effective and less harmful ways”.
“We have already seen kitchen utensil and plastics cutlery with hazardous flame retardants. As long as toxic chemicals enter the cycle, they might end up recycled into new products. Toxins in, toxins out.”
An Alliance of stakeholders, NGOs and industry is strongly committed to end the use of flame retardants in the furniture sector: “Mounting evidence makes it clear that using flame retardants in furniture is simply not worth the risk. They provide little meaningful protection against fires, but they do pose health risks”.
There is no need to choose between fire safety and preventing exposure to hazardous flame retardants. The Alliance for Flame Retardant Free Furniture is calling on the European Commission and the EU Member States to harmonise furniture flammability requirements at a level that would not lead to flame retardants use, considering health and environmental risks.
A safe fire safety is possible.
EFIC
The European Furniture Industries Confederation
EEB
The European Environmental Bureau
EBIA
European bedding industries’ association
EFBWW
The European Federation of Building and Woodworkers
Cancer Prevention Society
The Cancer Prevention & Education Society
EFFUA
The European Fire Fighters Unions Alliance
Zero Waste Europe
Zero Waste Europe
Environmental Coalition on Standards
Environmental Coalition on Standards
CHEM Trust
CHEM Trust
HEAL
Health and Environment Alliance
ARNIKA
ARNIKA
FENA
European Federation of Furniture Retailers
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The Alliance for Flame Retardant Free Furniture in Europe consists of stakeholders ranging from environmental and health NGOs to industry, cancer organisations, fire fighters and labour unions.
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