What's PBDE to you?

Besides drilling PBDE into one of the pumpkins this year, I thought it festive to address the Frightening Fire Retardants lurking in our homes. Below are shots from the pumpkin making process. Read on for more about PBDE and how it affects your family.

What is PBDE? 

PBDE or p-bromodiphenyl ether, aka brominated fire retardant, is used in a variety of household products, from textiles to electronics, to reduce the risk of fire. Its first commercial production began in the 1970s and continues today. There are three commercial PBDE products that are widely addressed (penta, octa, and decabromodiphenyl ethers). DecoBDE is used in electronics and represents about 80% of the PBDE manufactured globally; octaBDE is used in plastics and pentaBDE used in foams (CDC, 2004). 

PBDE enters the air, water and soil during its manufacture and use in consumer products. In air, PBDE is mostly found in dust where it is inhaled and ingested, and if outdoors, eventually returns to land or water as dust settles. PBDE will settle at the bottom of bodies of water and remain there for years; pentaBDE, in particular, builds up in fish. Because PBDE also binds strongly to soil, the breakdown is slowed and remains in soil for several years as well. So don't eat dirt!

The spread of PBDE through the air, soil, animals and food are translated into increasing concentrations in our bodies. In 2004, levels of PBDE in individuals living in the US were far greater than levels reported in other areas of the world (CDC). 

Mothers-to-be

In 2003, EWG or Environmental Working Group conducted the first nationwide test for the presence of toxic fire retardants in people. For the study, 20 first-time American moms from 17 cities in 14 states donated samples of breast milk that were analyzed by an accredited laboratory. What they found was unexpectedly high levels in every woman tested; in fact, several of these woman were found to have 75 times the average level of brominated fire retardants than Swedish women (EWG, 2003).

"Finding these chemicals in breast milk shows the shocking extent to which industrial toxins are invading our bodies" - EWG Analyst Sonya Lunder

"These findings were one more link in a long chain of evidence that the current system of regulating toxic chemicals is not protecting Americans" - EWG President Ken Cook

The report emphasizes that mothers should continue breastfeeding, as the benefits are innumerable, but that women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, should reduce their exposure to fire retardants by:

1. Avoiding contact with foam padding (NO FOAM MATTRESSES)
2. Purchasing products with natural fibers that are naturally fire-resistant 

Children vs Adults

Babies can be exposed to PBDE before birth and from breast milk, but children are exposed in generally the same way as adults. However, because of their smaller weight, their intake of PBDE per pound is greater than that of adults (CDC, 2004). In a recent study by the National Institute of Health, children ingest up to 5 times more household dust per day than adults (NIH, 2009). The NIH chart below shows children ingesting brominated fire retardants via household dust at 100 mg/day versus adults at 20 mg/day:

Frightening Facts

• Nearly everyone has been exposed to pentaBDE commercial mixtures because they are found throughout the environment (CDC, 2004)
• US levels of PBDE are 10 to 100 times higher than levels of individuals living in Europe (CDC, 2004)
• Adverse health affects of PBDE come at a cost. In attempts to quantify the impact of increased special education and reduced lifetime earnings, a one-point loss in IQ over an entire population of newborn children in the US has been calculated to cost 55 to 65 billion per year (EWG, 2003).
• The EPA, OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and FDA are the federal agencies that develop regulations for toxic substances (CDC, 2004). Due to the federal government shutdown, all websites and social media channels will not be updated until the federal government reopens. 

Wool versus PBDE

Lastly, there are natural alternatives to some of the household products harboring toxic fire retardants in your home. My favorite being wool. In the Savvy Rest mattress, organic wool batting is used in the casing as a natural fire retardant, and has the added benefit of keeping you cooler in warmer temperatures and warmer in cooler temperatures. The natural lanolin coating of wool also repels dust mites, making the Savvy Rest an all around better bed for the allergy-prone and health-conscious consumer. Sleep easy with Savvy Rest mattresses and save the spooky for Halloween!