New York bans flame retardant on childcare articles

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In 1997, the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) banned the use of the flame retardant chemical TRIS (2,3,-dibromopropyl phosphate) in children's clothing. Scientific studies have shown that this chemical causes cancer in test animals, and that it can be rather easily absorbed into a child’s system by skin contact or through the mouth.   CPSC took pro-active steps years ago to keep this potentially harmful chemical out of children’s garments.

This week, New York Governer Andrew Cuomo is extending this ban into the world of children’s toys and childcare articles.  The TRIS-Free Children and Babies Act, makes it illegal to sell any TRIS-treated childcare articles intended for children under three years of age.  The ban becomes effective on December 1, 2013. This would apply to a wide variety of children’s products like strollers, nursing pillows, crib sheets and mattress covers, fabric toys, and car seats, to name a few. 

Photo: Baby Trend

Current federal flammability standards require children's sleepwear, sizes 0-14, to be flame-resistant. Toys and other childcare articles also have to meet a flammability standard.  To accomplish this goal, the fabrics used on the products are sometimes treated with a flame retardant prior to assembly.

Many fabrics are intrinsically flame-resistant and require no additional help to pass the standard. Other fabrics do require the addition of chemicals to meet this standard. In the past, TRIS was a common flame-retardant added to fabrics such as acetate and acetate blends; triacetate and triacetate blends, as well as 100% polyester. Cottons and nylon fibers also need some help to meet the requirements, but TRIS is rarely used on these two. It is almost impossible to tell whether your fabric is enhanced with a flame retartdant, and if it is – which one?

Pre-washing all fabrics that may come in contact with young children is always a good practice. To be sure any flame-retardant chemical is removed, wash the fabric portion of the product at least three times before using. 

Photo: Wild Poppies

On May 18, 2011, an article by Andrew Martin recounts the research conducted by biophysical chemist, Arlene Blume.  Blume was instrumental in the 1970 ban on flame-retardants on children's sleeping garments. In the recent survey study published in the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, toxic or untested halogenated flame retardants were found in the polyurethane foam on 80% of the 101 children's products selected for study.  More than one-third of those still contained chlorinated TRIS that has been banned in fabrics for the past 40 years.


It seems like a catch-22 situation.  Strenuous state and federal guidelines are in place to help reduce fire hazards of the foam and padded, upholstered furniture. The flammability standard is in intended to make sure the product doesn’t burst into flame, or act as an accelerant to a fire already in progress. But in order to achieve compliance, the chemical additive introduces yet another health hazard. Washing the fabric  (when possible) removes the product’s ability to meet the standard, but assures that the infants and toddlers won’t be exposed to a harmful chemical in the fabric.  The chemicals added to the foam, however, remain a concern.

Keeping children safe has never been a more dubious task.  So often these days it seems like a trade off as to which hazard is the most likely to occur. Requiring manufactuers to label products with any flame-retardant used would be a good place to start. In this way, well-informed parents and caretakers can make the best choices for their children.