In 2017, Maine became the first U.S. state to ban flame retardants in furniture. Many used couches, made in factories decades ago are being sold daily at places like Goodwill. Socioeconomic class and affordability affect whether or not non-toxic furniture is accessible for families and individuals to purchase.
History of Toxic Furniture
Enacted in 1975, California law TB117 required furniture manufacturers to treat their products with flame-retardant chemicals, mainly to protect against fires started by forgotten cigarettes. This affected furniture production across the nation since manufacturers changed their process so that all couches contained flame retardants, therefore following California law. The market for furniture in California is large, so their laws have influenced furniture production and as a result, furniture toxicity, throughout the U.S. for decades. There are far-reaching health impacts to this day as old furniture remains in circulation in homes and thrift stores. California has begun to update its laws so it is now less likely for couches and other furniture to contain flame retardants.
This 1975 law has far-reaching consequences that affect the health of many Americans today. It is now known that chemicals such as furniture flame retardants can migrate off of products such as couches and into peoples’ bodies. The chemicals have been proven to cause endocrine disruption and neurotoxic effects, especially for pregnant people and children. These chemical-coated dust particles end up on your floor or other surfaces. Babies and kids can breathe in the particles or ingest them by putting fingers or toys coated with the particles in their mouths. California updated the law in 2013 and 2014 so it’s much less likely for these chemicals to be added to the fillings of sofas and other household items today. However, old couches often contain these chemicals. Stain and water-repelling treatments such as fluorinated compounds, never break down in the environment and have been linked to liver and kidney cancer, and reproductive and developmental problems.
If you have an old couch in your home, no need to panic! First of all, many chemicals have off-gassed over time, especially when the couch was new. Additionally, there are test strips you can purchase that allow you to test your furniture for harmful substances that may have been added during the manufacturing process.
Toxic couches are part of a larger situation of material toxicity that plagues American life still today due to both negligence and targeted political decisions. There are toxins in our air, drinking water, homes, offices, and more. This affects some communities more than others. The average American is exposed to hundreds of chemical compounds on a daily basis. The European Union has estimated the healthcare costs of these chemicals to be in the hundreds of billions.
Local Solutions
Stores such as Endicott Home Furnishings in Scarborough, Maine offer eco-friendly furniture that is free of flame retardants and other harmful toxins. It makes economic sense for furniture stores, and it makes sense for your family's health to offer these products. The Maine ban on flame retardants in furniture took effect on Jan 1, 2019, but there are already many eco-friendly furniture options available, both locally and online.
References:
Levin, Judy. "The Last of the Killer Couches." Ceh.org, Center for Environmental Health, 22 November 2013,https://www.ceh.org/news-events/blog/the-last-of-the-killer-couches/
Wright, Virginia M., Mainehomes.com, Down East, 13 November 2017, http://mainehomes.com/get-off-the-hot-seat/
Heid, Markham. “You Asked: Can My Couch Give Me Cancer?” Time, 24 Aug. 2016, http://time.com/4462892/couch-cancer-flame-retardants/
Kopec, Dak. Health and Well-Being For Interior Architecture. Routledge, 2017.
Persad, Michelle. “The Average Woman Puts 515 Synthetic Chemicals On Her Body Every Day.” TheHuffingtonPost.com, The Huffington Post, 7 Mar. 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/synthetic-chemicals-skincare_us_56d8ad09e4b0000de403d995
Sarah. “Organic Furniture: Going Nontoxic on a Budget.” The Healthy Home Economist, The Healthy Home Economist, 25 Jan. 2018, www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/organic-furniture-sustainable-nontoxic/