Chemicals, flame retardants and regulations

Earlier this year two very different publications, mentioning Natura – one in California, the other in New York – ran stories on flame retardants and chemicals in mattresses. One was a well-balanced accounting of the issue, but the other bordered on fear-mongering.

Let’s look at the two US federal laws that oversee flame retardants and chemicals in mattresses. The first, issued in the 1970’s measures the size of the smolder of cigarette-type burns.The second (issued in 2007) measures the burn rate of open-flame fires, as in the case of matches, lighters, candles, etc. Every mattress sold today must pass both tests.

Chemicals applied to mattresses sold in the US are strictly regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and must be safe for consumers, factory employees and the environment.  No mattress currently on the market, latex or otherwise, is sprayed with fire retardants to meet either of those regulations.

Most mattress manufacturers use a fiber barrier that blocks fire to meet federal regulations. Currently, no regulations require manufacturers to disclose the composition of those fibers though. If you’re concerned about off-gassing from synthetic fibers, this is where it gets tricky.

Our organic mattresses pass all federal fire regulations on its own – no changes needed. In our Natural, Ultra-Green, Green and Mixed Green lines boric acid is applied to the cotton batting of the mattress only. Boric acid occurs naturally in soil and water and does not off-gas or pose a physical threat unless ingested in mass quantities. The cotton layer is sandwiched between the latex, wool and an outer ticking – the effect is a naturally protective barrier.

Mattress pads, duvets and pillows pass regulations on their own.

We put health at the top of our priority list – and that includes making sure our mattresses meet and exceed federal regulations.

If you live in Canada, you should know that mattresses sold here are not required to undergo the same testing. For more information about Canadian regulations, please visit Health Canada. We apply and surpass US standards on every mattress we manufacture though.

If you have any concerns about the materials used in our mattresses, please call our customer service representatives or your sales rep. If they don’t know the answer, they will find it for you. Guaranteed.

Looking for a community of eco-friendly, health conscious consumers?  You’ve found a lively one!  Natura’s Facebook and Twitter friends would love to have you join in!