Do flame-retardant school backpacks pose a chemical exposure risk?
Minimize exposure. Damp-mop floors, wash hands before eating, and choose flame-retardant-free products where possible.
What's actually in it
Flame retardants are added to foam, textiles, and plastics to slow ignition. They migrate out of products into household dust over time.
Babies and toddlers pick up flame retardants from dust by crawling on floors and hand-to-mouth behavior. Some flame retardant chemicals are endocrine disruptors and possible carcinogens.
What the research says
A 2026 study in ann med surg (lond) looked at chemical exposure from everyday products and found: Ingested microplastics and gastrointestinal health: a thorough review of their role in gut inflammation and dysbiosis..
Sultany A(1), Noori H(2), Kumar H(3), Kunwar R(4), Shoaib F(5),.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Ingested microplastics and gastrointestinal health: a comprehensive review of their role in gut inflammation and dysbiosis. | Ann Med Surg (Lond) | 2026 |
What to use instead
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