New Study Finds High Levels of Toxic Fire Retardants in Children’s Blood
Toddlers Have Three Times the Level of PBDEs as Their Mothers
A new study finds that the concentrations of hormone-disrupting chemicals known as PBDEs in young children are significantly higher than their mothers. The investigation, conducted for the Environmental Working Group, tested blood samples of 20 mothers and their young children for PBDEs, a common fire retardant found in foam mattresses, furniture, and electronics.
According to the study, 11 different flame retardants were found in the children’s blood, and the levels were three times that of their mothers. Deca, a PBDE banned in Europe but still legal and unregulated in the US, was measured in 65 percent of the children. Two other fire retardant chemicals, Octa and Penta, are no longer made in the US, but are found in items made before the ban. Importing furniture containing Penta is still legal, due to a regulatory loophole.
