Flame-Retardants

Ug.  I didn't even want to think about this subject as I feel powerless to avoid carcinogens that are mandated for various baby products by our government.  Ignorance is bliss.

However, a friend sent me this link about the latest carseat study and yes, you guessed it, carseats are not only required to bring your baby home from the hospital, but littered with flame-retardants (go here if you want to see how your carseat stacks up).  Earlier this year there was more good news.  A full 80% of baby products tested in one study contained known carcinogens from flame-retardants.  So, I decided to find out just how toxic the various flame-retardants really are and if there's anything I can do about it.

There are a number of different types of flame retardants, all inhaled or ingested via dust that contacts contaminated products in your home.  Here are the main ones along with the problems each one may cause:

1. penta-BDE (pentabromodiphenyl ether/pentabromodiphenyl oxide) -  Stored in your body fat, scientists have no proof that it is harmful to humans, but in limited studies on animals it has damaged the liver, thyroid, and caused hyperactivity and changes in brain function/motor activity.  In 2005 the United States banned the production and import of products containing penta-BDE and in 2010 the Stockholm Convention, a treaty to eliminate persistent organic pollutants, added it as an elimination target.
2. TDCPP (chlorinated tris) - I can't find a lot on this substance except for a news article repeated word-for-word in various newspapers and magazines.  It was in children's sleepwear until 1977 when they phased it out, because in mice and rats it became a mutagen and caused cancer in other test animals.  Although banned from sleepwear, it continues to be used in other baby items such as carseats to this day.  According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission report from 1977, the TDCPP can be eliminated by washing an item three times.  So much for fire safety.
3. TCEP - Very similar to TDCPP in structure, according to this National Resources Defense Council article, it causes cancer, neurological, and reproductive damage to, yet again, lab animals.  From what I can tell, this is still a very legal product in the United States (although Europe has banned its production) and showed up in 14 of the 101 baby products tested.
4. Firemaster 550/600 - A newer chemical produced by Great Lakes Chemical (Chemtura), there basically haven't been any studies concluded on its toxicity.  Here, an article, describes the EPA's assumption that, given its ingredients (the exact amounts of which are undisclosed as a trade secret), this substance will be toxic just like the penta-BDE it is replacing.  The latest article on the EPA's website says that EPA will have data and a conclusion on Firemaster 550 in 2009.  That was two years ago.  The Natural Resources Defense Council lists several problems here, but admits the data is lacking.  I don't see anything here that proves Firemaster is safe or harmful.
5. TCPP (Tris ( chloroisopropyl ) phosphate) - Is this the same thing as TDCCP?  I don't think so.  This article from 2002 says nothing harmful about TCPP has been found.

My conclusion?  No one knows how these will affect humans.  My general rule is to be wary of substances and practices that humans haven't done for thousands of years (i.e. we haven't really evolved to do them).  However, I wonder if the hype is blown out of proportion.  I think I'll spend my time worrying more about eating healthy foods and exercising, the opposite of which will probably kill me for sure.

If you don't just want to shrug this off, there are some things you can do.  Mainly, clean up the dust regularly, buy wool, cotton, and polyester products instead of polyurethane foam, and buy used children's clothing, which is more likely to have been through several washes, washing away some of these chemicals.