The Washington State House of Representatives passed a ban on toxic flame retardants in home furniture and children’s products late last night by a vote of 53-44. The Toxic-Free Kids and Families Act (HB 1294), sponsored by Rep. Kevin Van De Wege (D-Sequim), would ban the use of the harmful flame retardants TCEP and TDCPP in children’s products and home furniture beginning July 1, 2014. The legislation would also help ensure that manufacturers use safer chemicals as replacements.
The bill now moves to the Senate where a similar bill, SB 5181, failed to get a vote in the Senate Environment Committee. If the bill passes the Senate, Washington would become the first state with such a ban.
Scientists, fire safety experts and government agencies have increasingly voiced concerns over the effectiveness and safety of toxic flame retardants, including TDCPP, known as chlorinated Tris. The Washington State Department of Ecology has recently agreed to add TDCPP to the state’s list of Chemicals of Concern to Children. Both California and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission have declared TDCPP a carcinogen. Children are exposed to flame retardants from nap mats when the chemicals leach out into the air, and when chemicals settle in dust that children touch and ingest.
A coalition of over 30 organizations are urging the Senate to pass HB 1294.
“We thank the House for its leadership in protecting children’s health from these harmful and unnecessary chemicals,” said Laurie Valeriano, executive director of the Washington Toxics Coalition. “It’s time for us to get off the toxic treadmill of replacing one harmful chemical with another. We urge the Senate to pass a strong bill too.”
“These chemicals do not belong in our homes and around our children. We join the many voices calling on the Senate to protect children’s health and get these chemicals out of Washington state,” said Karen Bowman, R.N. and environmental health specialist with the Washington State Nurses Association.
Other states considering bills to regulate the use of flame retardants in 2013 include Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Vermont. Also earlier this month, California proposed a new fire safety standard (called TB117-2013) that would provide improved fire safety without the use of harmful flame retardant chemicals.
