Maine becomes first state to ban flame retardants

[Chemical Watch] The first of its kind in the United States, Maine passed a bill that “prohibits the sale of residential upholstered furniture containing more than 0.1 percent of a flame-retardant chemical, or containing more than 0.1% of a mixture that includes them.” The new law will be implemented Jan. 1, 2019.

A broad coalition of organizations supported this groundbreaking law, including the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Silent Spring Institute, and Safer States. Professional Firefighters of Maine was also a leader in advocating for the legislation, given the health risks associated with exposure to these chemicals, such as elevated cancer risks. In fact, the full title of the new bill is “An Act to Protect Firefighters by Establishing a Prohibition on the Sale and Distribution of New Upholstered Furniture Containing Certain Flame-retardant Chemicals.”

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