Michigan: State report supports ban on flame retardants

A new report out from Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality supports a ban on a family of flame retardant chemicals that were designed to protect families from fire. Research has shown that the chemicals leach out of household products like mattresses and electronics and mingle with dust, exposing families to chemicals that have been linked to cancer and other health problems in people and animals.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, have been found in humans and even in women’s breast milk.

The chemicals also pose a health risk to firefighters. Although the chemicals cause furniture and other household items to burn much more slowly, once they do catch on fire they release toxic chemicals into smoke that is inhaled by firefighters.

Michigan’s Ecology Center is working to help pass House Bill 4465 this coming legislative session. The bill would phase out retardants in mattresses and furniture almost immediately and phase the chemicals out of TVS and computers by 2011. The bill is being sponsored by Rep. Kathleen Law, D-Gilbraltar.

A story about the report in the Bay City Times can be found here. To read the DEQ’s full report, click here and select "PBDE Background Paper 5-2008." To listen to an NPR story about the report, click here and click on "listen."