:) Wendy "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world - indeed it is the only thing that ever has!" ~~~ Margaret Meade ~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~ http://www.renewame rica.us/columns/ rogoff/070826 ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~ I love my two very special Burmese cats, aged 12 and 14. That made it especially difficult to read about a new epidemic that is killing cats in their twilight years, caused by chemical flame retardants found in polyurethane foam used in sofa cushions and pillows. The HealthFinder. gov website explains that dust from polybromated diphenyl ethers (PBDE's) in foam-filled furniture, mattresses, carpets and electronic products causes hyperthyroidism in our feline companions, a deadly disease that includes increased appetite and weight loss. Because cats clean their fur frequently, they ingest these chemicals on a regular basis. I find myself in agreement. However, while it is admirable to live in a pet-centric world we forget that people live in same world and deserve the same protections as our feline friends. While our nation's legislators have been catnapping, a California law involving mattress fire retardants went into effect nationwide on July 1, 2007. Every mattress now has to meet the new California standards (codified as 16 CFR 1633) and pass what's known as the open- flame or blow-torch test, in order to be sold in the United States. Under the new law, every mattress sold must withstand a blowtorch flame two feet wide for 70 seconds and not ignite for 30 minutes. To achieve compliance, some bedding manufacturers have chosen to use fiber barriers in their mattress layers along with boric acid (roach killer). Others opt for spraying and inundating the mattresses with more potent and dangerous toxic chemicals. Mark Strobel is a small mattress manufacturer and the founder of People For Clean Beds. For years he has tried, unsuccessfully, to stop this legislation. Doctors and health practitioners have spoken out against the new law; even the lawyer who brought the case forward now has expressed misgivings about it. Rather than being commended for his efforts to educate the public about the dangers inherent in the chemicals used, Strobel has been criticized as a biased authority because he markets and sells his own line of chemical-free mattresses. Ironically, mattress workers are coming forward and admitting they are getting sick simply handling the new chemically- laden materials, but the "S" bedding giants such as Sealy, Serta and Simmons remain tight-lipped about the chemicals contained in their beds. Antimony Trioxide is a chemical with similar properties to arsenic and lead and is linked to heart damage, cancer and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Decabromodiphenyl Oxide (Deca) is in the family of PBDE's, the same chemicals making cats sick. Both Antimony and Deca are known carcinogens that accumulate in body tissues; both are now among the many chemicals for allowed use in mattresses. Others are Silicon, Ammonium Polyphosphate, Melamine, and Formaldehyde. The new law does not require disclosure of what chemicals are contained in the mattresses so consumers are unaware whether their new beds will contain these toxins. People with chronic respiratory ailments and heart disease are most susceptible to the toxic effects. Since chemicals are absorbed slowly through the skin, we will sleep in a brew capable of causing allergic reactions such as headaches, rashes and nasal congestion today, but with long term exposure may lead to autoimmune disorders and cancer. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has declared these chemicals safe, but the Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry has reported numerous health problems with exposure to antimony, indicated in this report. An independent group, www.tera.org, conducted a review which found "significant problems, errors, and omissions with the CPSC report. The CPSC excluded children under age five from the risk assessment." The assumption is that children will be protected by vinyl mattress covers. The CPSC also knew about the dangers of formaldehyde but omitted their original findings in a later 2006 report. The most important government findings reported by the People For Clean Beds organization are the following: When pressed by an independent reviewer about the cancer risk from Antimony Trioxide the CPSC admits: "The cancer effects are cumulative. Every exposure contributes to the overall lifetime risk of cancer." These chemicals are absorbed by our bodies from mattresses in significant amounts. We will absorb a daily dose of poisons of .802 mg Antimony, .081 mg Boric Acid, and .073 mg. DBDO. The CPSC says on page 40 of their report: "As with any risk assessment, there are assumptions, limitations, and sources of uncertainty. ...it should be noted that percutaneous [skin] absorption data were not available for antimony." Dr. Selene Chou of the CDC and the EPA has proven CPSC safety assumptions wrong. Dr. Chou has also proven CPSC exposure and absorption calculations of poison absorbed from flame proof mattresses will exceed toxic levels by 27.5 times. Why the ISPA (International Sleep Products Association) asked the CPSC for this new law is speculative, but the apparent result is increased profitability for the major mattress companies via each innerspring unit sold. The law decreases competition by putting specialty and small bed manufacturers at a disadvantage, since it is easier to flameproof inner-spring mattresses than those made of solid foam construction. For specialty companies like Tempurpedic and their offshoots, a protective barrier will have to be added to comply with the standard and comfort can be compromised, impacting sales. Wood foundations constructed by Amish suppliers are more difficult to fire- proof than steel spring foundations and can potentially put them out of business. The federally-mandated CPSC law has taken freedom of choice away from the consumer. All mattresses that do not meet comply with the new standards will require a doctor's prescription, including Mark Strobel's. No one is arguing that fire safety is critical and every death due to a mattress igniting is a terrible tragedy. But what the CPSC has done is overkill, at the behest of the giant mattress industry. There are an estimated 346 annual deaths due to mattress fires, which accounts for one fatality per million. There are 6,463 cases of boric acid poisoning in the U.S. each year. As People For Clean Beds denotes in their report: "If only 15% of our mattresses prove toxic — 45 million people will die." To put millions of lives at risk to save a few is unconscionable. Links to all documents, government reports, medical doctors' comments and associated media coverage can be found at the following websites: www.peopleforcleanb eds.org www.prescriptionbed s.com www.strobel. com __._,_.___ Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic Messages | Files | Photos | Links | Database | Calendar The opinions expressed are the author's own and should not be taken as a substitute for professional veterinary advice. Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Recent Activity 7New Members 2New Photos Visit Your Group Give Back Yahoo! for Good Get inspired by a good cause. Y! 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