Graco Commits to Banning Toxic Flame Retardants from Children’s Products

Reader Contribution by Press Release

Today Healthy Child Healthy World and the Ecology Center applaud Graco
Children’s Products, Inc. for committing to ban the use of four of the most
toxic chemical flame retardants from all of their products. Graco is one of the nation’s largest children’s productmanufacturers,
selling nearly 1 out of every 3 baby gear products purchased in the U.S.

Over the last few months, nearly 4,000 parents signed a petition started by Sara Snow, green lifestyle expert, author of
“Sara Snow’s Fresh Living” and Healthy Child Healthy World Parent
Ambassador, asking Graco to eliminate its use of hazardous flame retardants in
their children’s products.

“I started the petition because as a mom, it blew my mind to
learn that toxic flame retardant chemicals were still in the foam of so
many of the products where babies spend the bulk of their time: strollers,
car seats, nursing pillows, and more,” said Snow. “I’m grateful
that Graco has responded to our concerns and can offer moms a little peace of
mind.”

Child health advocates have been urging Graco to eliminate
the use of toxic chemicals since 2008, when the Ecology Center
first started testing products for their consumer database, HealthyStuff.org.

“Our 2011 car seat report showed that Graco manufactured one
of the most toxic car seats and one of the least toxic,” said Jeff
Gearhart, the Ecology
Center’s Research
Director and founder of HealthyStuff.org, which has tested hundreds of popular
car seats for toxic chemicals. “We thank all of the parents who expressed
concern about this inconsistency, and Graco for taking the initiative to make
all of their products safer.”

Graco told advocates it has committed to ban and monitor four Tris
and related chemicals, specifically:

  • “Tris,”
    chemicals including TDCPP (Tris (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate) and TCEP
    (Tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate).
  • TCPP (Tris
    (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate) is structurally similar to the “Tris”
    compounds.
  • All three
    Tris chemicals are either carcinogens or suspected carcinogens.
  • Firemaster
    550, a chemical mixture containing ingredients that have been targeted for
    review by EPA due to widespread exposure and potential health risk, is also on
    Graco’s ban list.

While recognizing that eliminating these toxic
flame retardant chemicals puts Graco ahead of most other children’s product
makers, advocates urged the company to take additional steps to ensure their
products no longer contain any hazardous chemicals. Graco is also being asked
to disclose chemicals contained in their products and develop an alternatives
assessment system to ensure chemicals are inherently safer and lower hazard.

Previously promoted as
necessary lifesavers, according to federal researchers and independent
scientists, flame retardants added to foam and cushions actually provide no
meaningful protection from fires. The ChicagoTribune’s blockbuster investigative series revealing the deception behind
flame retardant chemical standards has generated new momentum to phase them out
and better regulate their use. California Governor Jerry Brown has directed a
state agency to revise that state’s flammability standards, which could
eliminate the need for flame retardant chemicals in furniture nationwide. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin’s (D-IL) Financial Services and
General Government Subcommittee is holding a hearing Tuesday on the
effectiveness of federal government flame retardant standards.

Still, due in part to increasing pressure from
consumers, manufacturers are taking action in advance of regulation and Graco
is just the latest example. Orbit Baby was the first to market children’s car
seats free of hazardous flame retardants and Britax followed suit with a
commitment to eliminating all hazardous flame retardants that contain bromine
or chlorine by the end of 2012.

“Clearly car seats have been a welcome development in
protecting our babies from the injuries associated with car accidents,”
said Gigi Lee Chang, CEO of Healthy Child Healthy World, a national non-profit
empowering parents to protect children from toxic chemicals. “But
protecting our children from one risk shouldn’t involve introducing them to
another. As we wait for Congress to enact more meaningful chemical reform, we
applaud companies like Graco for stepping up and protecting our children’s
health.”

This press release is presented without editing for your information. Natural Home & Garden does not recommend, approve or endorse the products and/or services offered. You should use your own judgment and evaluate products and services carefully
before deciding to purchase.

  • Published on Jul 18, 2012
Tagged with: Reader Contributions
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