Maine enviromentalists are issuing a warning after a study indicating that 85 percent of couches tested contain toxic flame retardants.
The Environmental Health Strategy Center, based in Portland, says some of the chemicals are linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and neurological and reproductive toxicity.
Among them is Chlorinated Tris, a cancer-causing flame retardant removed from children’s pajamas in the 1970’s, and Firemaster 550, which the group says can affect prenatal development.
Two of the 102 couches tested were in Maine homes. Both of the couches were contaminated, the group says. The study was conducted by researchers at Duke University and UC Berkeley and published in Environmental Science and Technology.
