Eco-Chic - Flame Retardant
24.1.12
It's a new year and Eco Chic, Jo Alcorn of Whitewash & Co is back to keep us in the know, and break down all those eco and green terms we come across. This month, she is uncovering what's behind fire retardant products, and if we are safe from the product that keeps us safe from fire.
Flame retardant, what
does that even mean!
Flame retardant, that
sounds scary, something more powerful then fire, really!! That is like the
super hero of all chemicals if that is true. Which raises the question what is
this chemical that can stand up against fire and keep the product protected and
in tact while fire attacks it?
I had to open with a pretty picture!
Flame retardant is
important in some cases for sure, like fire fighting uniforms, certain building
materials, electrical wire cloths or people who lite fire to their clothing as
stunts. But is it really necessary in our homes. All I can think about is what
kind of VOC’s are produced by this chemical. The most common place this
chemical is found within our homes is our mattresses, right at the surface
where we lay our heads for hours at a time. Originally this chemical was added
due to people smoking and falling a sleep, however is it necessary to contaminated
us all now in our most precious time of relaxation?
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Research on
laboratory animals have linked “PBDE exposure to an array of adverse health
effects including thyroid hormone disruption, permanent learning and memory
impairment, behavioural changes, hearing deficits, delayed puberty onset,
decreased sperm count, fetal malformations and, possibly, cancer. Research in
animals shows that exposure to brominated fire retardants in-utero or during
infancy leads to more significant harm than exposure during adulthood, and at
much lower levels. Many questions remain, but new evidence raises concerns that
low levels of PBDE exposure pose a significant health risk to developing
animals, and may pose a health risk to fetuses, infants and children at levels
currently detected in American women.”
I find sometimes I
wish I didn’t do this research. The PBDE chemical that is used in all of our
homes, hotels, restaurants and sometime our clothing is a very dangerous
substance, and we have lived with this enemy for years!!! I stopped looking
further into because I kept finding highly disturbing information, on how the
government and society has known and allowed this chemical to enter our living
spaces. Now this is the conspiracy theorist in me, but could this chemical be linked
to the drug companies and them cashing in the horrible health effects that we
seek medical advice on? Raises a question on why we have allowed such a
chemical as the “Fire retardant”, which is a Marketing word, to even be allowed
to enter our precious homes and expose our loved ones to ticking time bombs! So,
the next time you lay your head down on that comfortable and warm bed of yours,
stop and think, what are you exposing yourself to??
www.plushbeds.com
Look for organic and
green solutions. Stay green and keep raising questions!!
Until next time,
Eco-Jo
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