Are flame retardant chemicals in upholstered furniture toxic?
Minimize dust exposure. Damp mopping and washing hands before eating helps reduce flame retardant intake from dust.
What's actually in it
Flame retardants are chemicals added to foam furniture, mattresses, car seats, and electronics to slow ignition. Brominated flame retardants (PBDEs) were widely used until they were phased out in the 2000s due to health concerns.
PBDEs migrate out of foam into household dust. People absorb them by breathing dust, touching treated surfaces, and hand-to-mouth contact. Infants and toddlers, who spend time on floors, have higher exposures.
What the research says
A 2026 study in bmj paediatr open found that healthcare burden of bronchopulmonary dysplasia among very preterm infants in Zhu Z(1), Yuan L(1)(2), Yang J(2), Jiang S(1)(2), Cao Y(1)(2), Yang J(3), Zhang Y(4), Mo Y(5), Chen C(1)(2), Zhang.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare burden of bronchopulmonary dysplasia among very preterm infants in China: a cohort study. | BMJ Paediatr Open | 2026 |
What to use instead
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