Wednesday, 26 February 2020

Added Hazard For Couch Potatoes

In addition to the lack of exercise and likely weight gain, occupants of UK and US sofas are reportedly exposed to banned flame retardants, such as deca bromodiphenyl ether (deca BDE), which is very mutagenic i.e. cancer-causing (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/26/toxic-sofa-eu-red-tape-flame-retardants). Although deca BDE was banned in Europe in 2019, the breast-milk of women in these 2 countries contains record levels of this dangerous chemical. Rather than finding other means of reducing the flammability of upholstered furniture and mattress's, it seems likely that, in this country, in spite of the Environmental Audit Committee's concerns, deca BDE will simply be replaced by other potentially dangerous flame retardants.

No comments:

Too Greedy To Change Course?

George Monbiot suggests an 'all-seeing eye' (a god?), looking at the Earth, might be intrigued to spot 'A species that knows it...