Research out of Washington State has found that a new generation of chemicals, chlorinated organophosphate flame retardants (CIOPFRs), are being released into the air at rates higher than previously thought. The airborne particles are so small that they can be inhaled deep into the air tract and penetrate the lung tissue. Since this family of flame retardants is used in polyurethane foam and found in commonly used products like furniture, children's products, building materials, and textiles, the implications of this finding are significant.

CIOPFRs were introduced to replace an earlier generation of flame retardant compounds called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which were found to be very harmful and to be building up in humans and the environment. Now the replacement chemicals, CIOPFRs, have been characterized as carcinogenic and linked to neurodevelopmental damage as well, highlighting the need to carefully evaluate the safety of alternatives before they are widely used in consumer products.

The authors of the January 2016 article in Chemosphere describe how they followed ten individuals wearing personal air samplers. They found that every participant was exposed to some amount of CIOPFRs during the day, at levels significantly higher than levels found in dust. Dust is a major exposure route for PBDEs, and this new evidence of airborne exposure signals a need to reevaluate the way exposure is measured for CIOPFRs.

Washington State has been a leader in the movement to eliminate the use of hazardous flame retardants where safer alternatives are available, and was one of the first states to ban PBDEs. Now, as state lawmakers look towards strengthening this law, legislators have introduced a bill that would ban five flame retardants from upholstered furniture and children's products, as well as set up a system to ensure the safety of new replacements. Health Care Without Harm is following these developments and supports efforts to further protect individuals and the environment from unnecessary exposure to flame retardants. The Healthier Hospitals Safer Chemicals Challenge provides resources for healthcare facilities that are interested in moving away from flame retardants and other chemicals of concern, including comprehensive lists of furnishings  that do not contain flame retardants.

[Source: Environmental Health News]