Meghan Havko

BEWARE: Flame Retardants Are Lurking in Your Home

Meghan Havko, Education Coordinator, 509.496.1766

Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at 10:32 a.m.

BEWARE: Flame Retardants Are Lurking in Your Home

As spooky season creeps in, there may be something more frightening than ghosts hiding in your home – PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers). These flame-retardant chemicals were once added to furniture, electronics, and carpet padding. Even though they helped slow fires, they can now haunt your health, linked to scary problems like hormone disruptions, developmental issues, and even cancer – especially in kids.

PBDEs are flame-retardant chemicals that manufacturers used to add to several consumer products and could be in your home. Adding these chemicals to certain items slows the spread of a fire and allowed the manufacturer to meet flammability standards. However, we now know that PBDEs are harmful to people and the environment.

PBDEs are persistent, which means they’re tough to break down. They also bioaccumulate, meaning they become concentrated in living things. Exposure to these chemicals can cause negative hormone and reproductive effects, developmental disorders, and even cancer. They’re especially impactful for babies and kids. Even though PBDEs have been phased out of manufacturing in the U.S., they may still be present in your carpet padding, old foam cushions, and recycled plastics. They may also be present in some of the foods that you eat, particularly animal fats.

Even though they’ve been phased out, PBDEs could still be lurking in old cushions, carpet padding, and certain foods (especially fatty ones!). But don’t fear – there are ways to protect yourself from these chemical ghouls.

City of Spokane and the Riverside Park Water Reclamation Facility are the Ghostbusters in this haunted tale. Because of its Next Level – Tertiary Membrane Treatment, 99% of PBDEs are removed from wastewater before it enters the Spokane River! Take this virtual tour to see how millions of tiny straws capture the ghouls!

How to Keep PBDEs From Haunting Your Home:

  • Dust the Cobwebs: PBDE chemicals love hiding in dust, so vacuum with a HEPA filter, air out your home when cleaning and wash your hands.
  • Dispose of Haunted Items Safely: Old electronics and furniture might be carrying PBDEs. Recycle them properly using Spokane’s Waste Directory.
  • Beware of Fatty Foods: Stick to lean cuts and watch for fish consumption advisories on the Spokane River. Eating lean cuts of meat and low-fat dairy products also may help reduce your exposure to the low levels of PBDEs that can be found in animal fats.
  • Pick Flame-Retardant-Free Products: Check labels and opt for safer alternatives. Purchase products that do not contain added chemical flame retardants.
  • Learn How Spokane Protects You: The Riverside Park Water Reclamation Facility utilizes state-of-the-art tertiary membranes to treat scary pollutants and treats over 99% of PBDEs. These goblins don’t make it into the Spokane River.

Changes in regulations and flammability standards have made it possible for manufacturers to discontinue use of flame retardants in some products. Also, alternative materials are being used to meet the standards, and new products are being made without PBDEs.

Stay safe from the unseen terrors! Visit the Department of Health and the Department of Ecology, or check out City of Spokane’s PBDE FAQ.

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