Hey guys!
If you remember last week, we talked about how toxic gas in mattresses might be causing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and how a company called BabeSafe had claimed to prevent SIDS by wrapping mattresses tightly to keep toxic gas from escaping.
While we were researching that, we discovered a whole hullabaloo about chlorinated Tris.
Chlorinated Tris is a flame retardant that is used in many products, mostly in common household furniture. It’s used in products that have foam, including baby products such as mattresses and car seats.
Why should you be concerned?
Chlorinated Tris is a toxin. It attaches itself to dust, and can be found on household surfaces. This poses a risk for ingestion by small children who like to put toys in their mouths. It can also be found in the air and inhaled, and it can be absorbed through the skin when a person comes into contact with exposed foam.
Chlorinated Tris has been found to
- Impact fertility, specifically hormone levels and semen quality,
- Cause cancerous tumors in the kidneys and testes in rat studies, and
- To be a neurotoxin to brain cells.
Why do we have it then?
Well, the United States features a lot of flame retardants in its products because California has strict standards for flammability. (Foam has to withstand a direct flame for at least 12 seconds.) Chlorinated Tris was banned from use in children’s pajamas in 1977 but has risen in use since 2006 when other retardants were banned.
What is being done about it?
In December, the Chicago Tribune published an article about chlorinated Tris in crib mattresses that is extremely informative, not just in the health risks and dangers but also in how companies are reacting to the recent public attention. Since then there have been other articles written bringing the dangers of chlorinated Tris to wider attention.
At Franklin Goose we only carry mattresses that are toxin free and made in America. Unfortunately, our car seats do contain chlorinated Tris as far as we can tell. There is only one car seat that does not, the Orbit. We have been looking at carrying that car seat and would love to hear from you what you think. The fact that chlorinated Tris is in car seats it makes yet another reason why your child should not be spending much time in their car seats (the other ones being flat head syndrome risk, and the possible interference with lung development).
Information taken from Toxipedia.org, "Chlorinated Tris (TDCPP)."