Support SB 772 and Protect Children from Unnecessary Chemical Exposure

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Support SB 772 and Protect Children from Unnecessary Chemical Exposure

Guest Blogger

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

JESSICA WEBB: Sponsored by Friends of the Earth and led by Senator Mark Leno, a current bill in the California State Legislature, SB 772, aims to prevent the use of highly toxic brominated and chlorinated fire retardant chemicals in widely used baby products such as cribs, high chairs, strollers, nursing pillows and infant carriers. The bill recently passed California Assembly’s Business and Professions Committee by 7 to 2, due to the outspoken passion of its many parent advocates. This was a remarkable and laudable show of power by the citizen lobby and parents like yourself.

In response to California fire code regulation Technical Bulletin 117 (TB 117), the use of halogenated flame retardants has increased drastically since the 1980’s. The statewide regulation requires that baby products (made for ages 6 and under) resist flammability for at least 12 seconds when exposed to an open flame. Halogenated flame retardants are among the cheapest of their kind that satisfy this regulation and until recently, their presence in baby products has not only been encouraged by the state, but required in order to meet TB 117 standards.

However, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Bureau of Home Furnishings, little to no evidence suggests that these baby products actually present a serious fire threat. In addition, the National Fire Protection Association maintains that there is no credible evidence suggesting that flame retardants actually reduce the number of fire deaths in California. For instance, even though the rate of fire deaths decreased by 38% in California, the decrease was greater still in states that have no regulations such as those enforced by TB 117.

Serious public health concerns persist regarding the consequences of chemicals in flame retardants. Such chemicals are in the same family as those found to be present in children’s sleepwear in the 1970’s, and subsequently these chemicals were banned when they were found to extremely dangerous. Exposure to the chemicals has been linked to endocrine disruption, cancer, birth defects, neurological and developmental disorders, ADHD, learning disabilities, reproductive problems, thyroid disorder and many more health issues.

The primary chemicals used in the flame retardants can pass through the placenta and gather in human body fat and breast milk. As a result, exposure occurs preterm, during development, and through oral and physical contact with baby products. Consequently, toddlers have three times the amount of flame retardant chemicals in their bodies than do mothers. These chemicals leach from products and into dust, pets, and the home environment; an average home will acquire up to several pounds of these chemicals.

Despite the growing concern, the bromine industry and like-minded groups are pushing to actually increase the use of these chemicals in a vast range of manufactured goods. For example, to oppose SB 277, the industry has collaborated with neutral-sounding lobbying groups such as "Californians for Fire Safety" to argue that flame-retardants are saving lives.

In a stunningly shameful attempt to override the bill, bromine industries marched Asian burn victims and African American children from Inglewood Unified School District through the Capitol and urged them to beg the Assembly members to save children from fire death.

Supported by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and by the Consumer Federation of California, SB 772 strives to modify Technical Bulletin 117 such that it will no longer enforce regulations that lead to baby products containing highly toxic chemicals. In addition, the bill also authorizes the Bureau of Home Furnishings provide modifications if it determines that any baby products pose a serious fire hazard.

Healthy Child Healthy World actively supports the passage of SB 772 and urges our constituents speak out on behalf of this important bill. For the future health of our children, it is our hope that California law makers hold strong in the fight to do away with toxic chemicals that continue to infest our households and families.

Here's what you can do:

Sacramento needs to hear from you about why SB 772 must be signed into law.

Right now, we need personalized letters to really sway opinion. Please spend a moment to draft a few lines about what this bill means to children's health, and fax it to California's leaders. Feel free to use the language above.

Write your personal message to the Governor and send it to these important representatives TODAY!

Send to: The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814

1. Attention: Bismarck Obando, External Affairs Secretary #: 916-324-6358
2. Cabinet #: 916-323-0918
3. Chief of Staff #: 916-323-9991
4. Communications #: 916-324-6357
5. Constituent Affairs #: 916-445-4633
6. Attention: Linda Adams, Secretary CalEPA #: 916-324-0908
7. Attention: Maziar Movassaghl, Department of Toxic Substances Control #: 916-324-3158

Don't have a fax machine at home? Try a free online fax service that can fax from your computer.

Please don't let this important opportunity to protect America's children from harmful chemical exposure pass us by!

The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of Healthy Child Healthy World.

Posted by Fire science on 09/14/2009 at 02:57 AM

The report concludes that the state fails to take into account the effect of multiple chemicals on children’s health, but recommends waiting for more research before steps are taken to protect children. Two pediatricians on the MESB panel took issue with the report. Their minority report recommends that an additional safety factor be added to the risk assessment process to better protect children.

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