Before curling up for a cozy winter’s nap, consider this: for the next 30 minutes, your breath will be laced with a neurotoxin chemically bound to the foam in your couch.

Chlorinated Tris (TDCPP) is a flame retardant, added to soft and rigid polyurethane foams, plastics, resins, and fabric backings, regularly used in common household furniture and children’s products. Also known as Froyl FR2 or Antiblaze 195, this organophosphate is considered a threat to human health by the Consumer Protection & Safety Commission, the World Health Organization, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Research Commission.

Because of furniture flammability standard requirements laid out by the California Technical Bulletin 117, Chlorinated Tris remains unlabeled in commonplace products nationwide. TDCPP escapes into household dust and air, easily ingested and inhaled by the whole family.

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England is proud to be working with the Alliance for a Clean & Healthy Vermont in banning Chlorinated Tris from the manufacture, distribution, sale, and use of certain consumer products containing octaBDE, pentaBDE, decaBDE, and forms of the flame retardant known as Tris, which are harmful to human health.

Children, frequently playing on the ground and putting toys in their mouths, are especially vulnerable to the this dangerous chemical. TDCPP has even been found in the placenta, entering a child’s system before they are born. It’s been linked to an increase in cancerous tumor growth; infertility in men, affecting hormone levels and semen quality; and has been found to be equally, if not more, toxic than some insecticides.

With the introduction of Senate Bill (S.0081) and House (H.0241) bill, Vermont is one of 26 states pushing for policy changes and legislation to ban toxic flame retardants and force companies to identify and disclose harmful chemicals in their products. While big industries remain resilient and Congress remains passive on a national level, state governments are taking proactive measures to maintain healthy home environments in 2013.

To learn how you can get more involved in this issue, please contact:
grassrootsvt@ppnne.org