Do flame retardant chemicals in furniture and electronics affect child growth?

What's actually in it

Organophosphate ester (OPE) flame retardants replaced earlier brominated flame retardants like PBDEs in many furniture and electronics products. TDCPP, TPHP, and EHDPP are common types. They're in couch cushions, car seats, mattresses, and electronics casings and migrate into household dust continuously.

Fetuses and young children are exposed through the pregnant mother's inhalation and ingestion of house dust, and through their own dust ingestion after birth. Children have proportionally higher dust exposure because they spend more time on floors and put hands in mouths.

What the research says

A 2026 study on gestational exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants and child growth found that higher maternal OPE levels during pregnancy were associated with differences in child growth patterns, including BMI, height, and weight gain trajectories in early childhood.

OPEs disrupt hormones that regulate metabolism and growth, including thyroid hormone and sex hormones. Growth disruption during critical windows can have long-term metabolic consequences.

Reducing exposure means wet-mopping floors to remove flame retardant-containing dust, vacuuming with a HEPA filter, and choosing furniture certified to be free from added halogenated or organophosphate flame retardants.