Chemicals In Mattresses

There are alternatives to chemical flame retardants.

Chemicals in mattresses. Mattresses are known to release minute amounts of gaseous chemicals called volatile organic compounds vocs. And pvc or vinyl. Your mattress could contain a variety of different materials that off gas and some of those vapors carry significant risks to your long term health. Other chemicals frequently found in memory foam and other synthetic mattresses include formaldehyde benzene and napthalene.

These chemicals are released from the mattress material through use by a process called off gassing. For a mattress to qualify for the usda organic seal it needs at least 95 percent certified organic materials and to be processed without potentially harmful chemicals says charlotte. This process occurs when the chemicals used to manufacture the mattress breakdown and are released as gases. Flame retardant chemicals linked to cancer hormone disruption and adverse effects on the immune system.

For instance wool is able to act as a natural flame retardant but this is more expensive and time consuming to produce and thus not commonly used. This includes polyurethane foam that can emit volatile organic compounds or vocs harmful chemicals that can cause respiratory irritation or other health problems. This process has been known to cause eye and throat irritation nausea headaches and difficulty breathing. Mattress companies add these chemical flame retardants because it is an inexpensive way to meet federal flammability standards.