Are flame retardants in furniture making indoor allergies and asthma worse?
Yes. Higher body levels of brominated flame retardants line up with more allergies in U.S. adults.
What's actually in it
Brominated flame retardants, mostly the PBDE family, were sprayed onto foam couches, mattresses, car seats, and electronics for decades. They drift into dust, stick to skin, and end up in blood. They're slow to break down and show up in homes long after a couch is replaced.
Allergies and asthma are immune system overreactions. Anything that nudges the immune system can make them worse.
What the research says
A 2026 study in Sci Total Environ looked at a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults and matched their PBDE blood levels with diagnosed allergies and asthma symptoms. Higher PBDE blood levels lined up with more hay fever, eczema, and breathing trouble.
The link was strongest for older adults who lived through the heyday of PBDE-treated furniture in the 1990s and 2000s.
If you have allergies or asthma, vacuum and damp-dust often, ventilate the house daily, and replace pre-2014 foam couches when budget allows. Look for the TB117-2013 tag on new furniture, which means no flame retardants needed. Wool and natural latex bedding don't need treatment to pass fire tests.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Association between brominated flame retardants and diagnosis or symptoms of allergies among a nationally representative sample in the US. | Sci Total Environ | 2026 |
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