Scientists urge mattress manufacturers to act

Babies and young children can breathe and absorb plasticers called phthalates, flame retarders and other harmful chemicals from their mattresses while they sleep, according to a few studies published by the University of Toronto in Environmental science and technology And Environmental science and technology letters. These chemicals are linked to neurological and reproductive problems, asthma, hormone disruption and cancer.

“Sleep is of vital importance for the development of the brain, in particular for infants and toddlers. Our research suggests that many mattresses contain chemicals that can harm the brains of children,” says senior author Miriam Diamond, professor at the University of Toronto.

“This is a wake-up call for manufacturers and policy makers to ensure that the beds of our children are safe and support a healthy brain development.”

In the First studyResearchers measured chemical concentrations in 25 bedrooms of children from 6 months to 4 years. They detected about levels of more than two dozen phthalates, flame retarders and UV filters in bedroom air, with the highest levels lurking around the beds.

In one supervising studyResearchers tested 16 newly purchased children’s mattresses and confirmed that they are probably the most important source of these chemicals in children’s sleep environments. When the researchers simulated the body temperature and the weight of a child on the mattresses, the chemical emissions increased considerably, as many as several times.

The mattresses were purchased in Canada, but most contain materials from other countries, including the US and Mexico. Due to integrated mattress markets and supply chains, the results are probably applicable to mattresses purchased in North America.

The phthalates and organophosphate tester flame retarders measured in this study are hormone disruptors and are linked to neurological damage, including learning disabilities, reduced IQ scores, behavioral problems and reduced memory. Some are also linked to asthma and cancer in children. Different UV filters are hormone disruptors.

Children are uniquely vulnerable to exposure, since they are still developing, have hand-to-mouth behavior and have breathing figures that are ten times higher than adults. They also have more permeable skin and three times the skin surface in relation to their body weight than adults.

The high levels of flame retardants in most tested mattresses were enigmatic, since these chemicals are not necessary to meet Canadian or American mattress flammability standards. Flame retardants are linked to neurological, reproductive and hormonal damage and cancer, and also have no proven fire safety advantage as used in mattresses.

“Parents must be able to put their children down to sleep knowing that they are safe and cozy,” said co-author Arlene Blum, executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute.

“Flame retardants have a long history of harming the cognitive function of our children and the ability to learn. It is worrying that these chemicals are still found in children’s mattresses, although we know that they do not have a proven fire safety benefit and are not necessary to meet the standards of melambability.”

The researchers ask manufacturers to be more vigilant about the chemicals in children’s mattresses by testing. Furthermore, stronger regulations for the use of flame retarders and phthalate in the context of children’s mattresses are required.

In Canada, the authors recommend expanding restrictions on certain plasticizers of toys and objects that must be to include mattresses and other bedding items and to adopt long proposed restrictions on two flame retardants.

Various mattresses had chemicals that are forbidden or limited in Canada, which suggests that manufacturers should test children’s mattresses on these chemicals and other unnecessary chemicals before they are marketed.

In the meantime, there are actions that parents can take to reduce their children’s exposure. The authors recommend lifting your child’s sleeping area by reducing the number of pillows, blankets and toys.

They also recommend that you regularly wash and renew your child’s bedding and bedding, because they act as a protective barrier to reduce exposure. Finally, they say that non-rendered or neutral colored substances are probably safer, because retaining strong colors requires the addition of UV filters and other additives that can be harmful.

Provided by Green Science Policy Institute