Flammability standards for furniture, building insulation and electronics: Benefit and risk

Abstract

Flammability standards for furniture, building insulation and electronics were established in an attempt to mitigate fire risk. However, research suggests that some of these flammability standards should be reconsidered. High levels of flame retardant chemicals, primarily organohalogens, are added to these products in order to comply with fire safety standards. Organohalogen and organophosphate flame retardants are associated with adverse health effects such as diminished immune function, endocrine disruption, and cancer. Further, flame retardants may not provide a significant fire safety benefit as used in many products, and these chemicals can hinder material recycling. We reviewed evidence of how flammability standards drive the continued use of harmful flame retardants and investigated cases in which flame retardants are used to achieve standard compliance without providing a significant fire safety benefit. The widespread continuous use of toxic flame retardant chemicals demonstrates that toxicological evidence and chemical-by-chemical regulation alone are not sufficient to prevent their inclusion in consumer products. However, recent experiences show that updated flammability standards can reduce the use of flame retardants while maintaining, or even increasing, fire safety. Additional opportunities exist for improved standards that could further decrease flame retardant use and maintain fire safety.