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Rest Easy on a Safe Bed
Aisha Ikramuddin and Pamela Lundquist
Friday, August 03, 2007
There's nothing like a good night's sleep to keep you feeling healthy. But what do you do when your mattress or sheets (or both) are "sick?"
Mattresses
A typical mattress is stuffed with polyurethane foam and other materials that may have been treated with flame retardants and covered with material treated with water-, stain- and wrinkle-resistant chemicals. These, along with chemicals emitted from polyurethane foam, such as toluene, can contribute to indoor air pollution (not to mention how many you’re inhaling as you sleep on it every night).
Flame Retardants
Almost 35 years ago, due to deaths from fires resulting from people smoking in bed, U.S. lawmakers passed regulations requiring that all mattresses and mattress pads be resistant to cigarette ignition. This means that mattress manufacturers must only prevent a cigarette from setting the mattress aflame. Manufacturers can achieve this by adding a layer of polyurethane foam over the springs and stuffing and underneath the fabric cover of the mattress, as well as by using inherently fire-resistant textile fibers. Polyurethane foam is extremely flammable, but it won’t burst into flames if a cigarette is left on it, according to experts. As a result, the International Sleep Products Association claims that mattresses sold in the U.S. typically do not contain foam treated with flame retardants. (Though, apparently, treated foam does exist and could be used.)
Many sources claim mattresses and other upholstered furniture that contain polyurethane foam are often treated with brominated flame retardants, also known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).
Recent studies have shown that brominated flame retardants persist in human and animal tissue for many years and that they may have similar action, and perhaps health effects, as the now banned PCBs and DDT. There has been evidence that some PBDEs can interfere with thyroid hormone, which is critical to the development of the fetus. Women in the U.S. have the highest levels of PBDEs in their bodies in the world, according to studies. Industry trade groups, however, deny use of PBDEs in mattresses. Newer mattresses most likely do not contain PBDEs as the form that was used in cushions and textiles has been phased out. (See the Sleep Products Safety Council Statement of PBDEs.)
Other components of the mattress, such as stuffing or mattress ticking, may be treated with other chemicals. Since manufacturers are not required to list what’s been sprayed or added to the materials of the mattress, it is up to consumers to do their research before buying.
Federal law may change in the future to require that manufacturers do more to prevent fire ignition. Recent data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows that mattress fires now more often start from open-flame sources, such as candles, matches or lighters. In fact, children playing with these cause nearly two-thirds of all mattress fires today. (This is another good reason to keep candles, matches and lighters away from children.) The State of California has already acted with a law that requires that mattresses made after January 1, 2005 be resistant to open-flame ignition in order to be sold in California.
It is unlikely that mattress makers will use chemical treatments to comply with the law, according to trade groups and other industry experts. “... Most probably the technique will be a fire-blocking system that utilizes inherently fire-resistant fibers to encapsulate filling materials,” says Gordon Damant, a consultant to the bedding industry who formerly worked for the California Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation and currently serves on the Sleep Products Safety Council board of directors.
Water and Stain Repellents
Mattresses and mattress pads increasingly have been treated with water and stain repellents to guard against damage to the mattress. Some retailers also offer to apply such treatments to untreated mattresses at an additional cost to the buyer.
One popular treatment is DuPont’s Teflon®, the same product used as a “non-stick” coating on pans. In the past few years, it has been discovered that Teflon’s chemical building bloc, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), is now widespread in the environment and in humans. Due to concerns about the environmental persistence and health effects of Teflon’s building blocks, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began an investigation, which has resulted in huge fines for DuPont.
A few studies show that PFOA causes “developmental toxicity and other effects” in laboratory animals. There is also concern about possible health effects to workers.
Scotchgard, a treatment made by 3M, was once made of chemical similar to that in Teflon. However, 3M removed the products from the market between 2000-02 and then reintroduced a reformulated version of the Scotchgard line in 2003 using a compound related to PFOA. 3M says it has performed numerous studies and worked with EPA to ensure the safety of the chemical. However, the studies remain confidential and have not been released. The Environmental Working Group has done extensive research and reporting on this issue. Visit their site to learn more.
Organic cotton and wool mattresses for cribs, untreated with water repellants or fire retardants, are available, however. A mattress made with a layer of wool under the covering meets the federal standard for resistance to cigarette ignition because wool does not burst into flames. You can have a mattress made with all cotton or cotton and rubber if you obtain a written statement from a doctor testifying that your child needs a chemical-free mattress because of allergies to wool. Natural, organic mattresses may be expensive. Organic cotton or untreated wool futons are a less expensive alternative.
If you choose an untreated option, make sure you have working smoke detectors near the bedrooms and do not allow candles, matches, lighters and cigarettes in bedrooms. If you live in an apartment building, you have no control over other tenants’ behavior—you may want to opt for the extra security of a fire-retardant mattress.
Over time, some of the chemicals from the mattress will have dissipated. But biological contaminants, such as dust, dander, pollen, mold and mildew, may increase. They cling to mattress stuffing and ticking, and are difficult to remove. Microscopic asthma-inciting dust mites actually thrive on skin cells, dander and moisture in mattresses. Since PBDEs accumulate in household dust, they are likely be a part of the mix, too, and they may be inhaled along with other particles.
The International Sleep Products Association has reported that biological contaminants may still be in some used and renovated mattresses that have not been properly sanitized before being sold. To reduce exposure, you should enclose mattresses in encasements that block dust mite particles.
If you inherit a mattress or buy one used, inspect used mattresses carefully. A mattress should be clean, dry and free from mold, dust and animal dander (ask if the previous owner had pets). Used mattresses should be professionally sanitized before purchase.
Bedding
Bedclothes, such as comforters, bedspreads, sheets and pillows have the same general issues as all fabrics: They can be treated with fabric finishes to repel stains or wrinkles. These chemicals may be released into the air that we breathe or could be irritating to skin.
There is no federal standard requiring flame resistance of bed clothes, such as sheets, comforters, mattress pads and pillows. Additionally, the industry tends to avoid use of flame retardant chemicals on sheets, pillowcases and blankets because they have direct contact with skin, according to Gordon Damant.
The State of California intends to develop a standard for bedclothes (pillows, comforters, bedspreads) for open-flame resistance.
Like mattresses, bedding can also harbor dust mites and other biological contaminants. It's best to avoid fluffy comforters and allergy sufferers and asthmatics should stay away from down and feathers. Pillows and comforters can be encased like mattresses. Even so, all bedding should be washed in hot water at least every two weeks.
Furniture
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