by LeAnn Siefferman
Ever wonder why your waffle iron had an odor the first few times
you plugged it in? Or where that “new car smell” comes from? You may be surprised to learn that many of
our daily olfactory encounters are in fact manufactured bouquets of chemical compounds,
with ingredients known to be hazardous to human health.
Take for example non-stick surfaces. Highly fluorinated
chemicals (HFCs) are used to create a variety of oil and water-repellant
surfaces, from frying pans and microwave popcorn bag linings to raincoats and
stain-resistant carpets, and they are toxic
to animals and humans. These harmful chemicals off-gas emissions when heated,
migrate from surfaces with use, affix themselves to inhaled house dust
particles and can enter soils and groundwater via landfill leachate. The
pollutants then make their way into our bodies through the air we breathe,
water we drink, and the food we eat.
HFCs have not only been linked to a number of health issues, such
as endocrine disruption, obesity and cancer, they are scientifically recognized
as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic,
meaning these harmful compounds build in concentration as they move up the food
chain and do not break down over time. In fact, HFCs have managed to migrate
into and through the biosphere, showing up in remote locations such as in the tissue
of Arctic polar bears.
You may want to sit down to process what you have read thus
far, but before doing so, make sure your chair, couch or ottoman is free of
brominated flame retardants. To figure this out, you want to
first look for a TB 117 label. This label is indication of compliance with
Technical Bulletin 117, adopted in 1975 by California’s Department of Consumer
Affairs, Bureau of Home Furnishings and Insulation. TB 117 stated that
furniture must meet an open flame and smoldering cigarette test. To pass this
test, fire is contained and suppressed through the heavy
use of brominated flame retardant chemicals (BFRs)
applied to the furniture’s foam core.
Image credit: sourcewatch.org
Chemicals commonly
associated with the TB 117 label include known mutagens, carcinogens,
and are linked to neurotoxicity, decreased IQ, hyperactivity and endocrine
disruption. Similar to HFCs, you are exposed to BFRs by way of dermal
absorption, inhalation of contaminated house dust, and ingestion of contaminated
foods. Like HFCs, these flame retardant chemicals are persistent,
bioaccumulative, and toxic. While BFRs are still in use, their application is no longer
required by law. In 2013, California
changed TB 117 to TB 117-2013, whereby all
furniture produced after January 1, 2015 is required to have a label indicating
whether or not the furniture contained chemicals known to be hazardous to human
health.
Amidst growing evidence linking highly fluorinated compounds
and brominated flame retardants with significant health concerns, these chemical
compounds are still in frequent use today. Federal legislation currently allows
for the use of chemical compounds in consumer products before knowing the
extent of their impact on the environment. Extensive scientific research
has produced links between commonly-used chemicals and human health, yet legislation
has not been updated to reflect these findings.
The good news? While plenty of headlines
suggest that the contents of your home could be killing you, there are numerous
ways in which you can mitigate your exposure, and your children’s exposure, to
harmful chemicals. Below are several resources for reducing and removing
sources of toxins in your home:
- Non-stick cookware can be recycled, and this cookware recycling facility locator makes it easy.
- There are many safe alternatives to non-stick cookware. (And if you are a Southerner like me, you will be happy to learn that your grandma’s cast iron skillet is on the safe list.)
- Many furniture manufacturers no longer use brominated flame retardants in their products, and are required by law to tell us if they do. Be sure to look for the TB-117 2013 label and/or ask for products made after Jan. 1, 2015.
- Not sure if your couch contains flame retardants? Check out the Duke University study that will test the contents of your couch for free.
- While currently there are no safe methods for the disposal of flame retardant furniture, research is ongoing to determine possible options, and sofa cushion exchange programs make it possible to reduce your exposure in the meantime.
- Reduce concentration of contaminated particulate matter in your home by frequent wet mopping and use of HEPA filtration.
While it is financially unrealistic to replace everything at
once, start small changes now that, overtime, make a big difference.
Challenge: take a quick inventory of your kitchen, closet or
living room. What cookware do you have that might contain toxic non-stick
coatings? Can you find a TB-117 or TB 117-2013 label on your furniture? What
alternatives could you consider, or have you already considered? Post below
what you find and what you plan to do, or have already done, to minimize exposure
to identified toxic chemicals in your home.
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