As we recently reported, chemical flame retardants that potentially pose worrisome health risks have been widely used in baby products such as car seats and even nursing pillows to meet unique flammability standards established by California.

Now, in a new peer-reviewed study presented at the 10th International Symposium on Fire Safety Science at the University of Maryland on June 21, researchers presented evidence that California's furniture flammability standard actually does not provide a measurable fire safety benefit and has led to the unnecessary use of flame retardant chemicals at high levels in both baby products and furniture, posing possible harm to human health and the environment.

Even though the standard, which requires polyurethane foam in furniture and children’s products to withstand a small open flame for 12 seconds, is a California state regulation, it affects products sold nationwide because polyurethane foam manufacturers typically use chemical additives as an efficient method of meeting the California rule. But new research lead by Vytenis Babrauskas, Ph.D., a fire safety engineer, found that adding flame retardants to furniture to meet the California standard does not prevent ignition nor reduce the severity of a fire.

Chemicals used as flame retardants can leak from the polyurethane foam into house dust, which is a primary source of exposure for humans, particularly babies and young children. Recent research has shown that one of the most commonly used flame retardants is chlorinated tris (TDCPP), a probable carcinogen whose use was discontinued in children’s pajamas decades ago due to concerns about health risks. And as the study points out, other chemicals also are being used for this purpose without adequate pre-market safety testing.

"With regard to flame retardants, I am concerned about not only cancer, but the developing brain and reproductive and neurological effects as well," said study co-author Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., an award-winning microbiologist and toxicologist who serves as director of the National Institute for Environmental Health Science, a federal research center that focuses on how the environment influences the development and progression of human disease. Said Birnbaum: "I think the question should be: Why do we need these chemicals in these products at all?"