Most car seats contain toxic flame retardants and PFAS, which are harmful to children's health. This was revealed by a study conducted by the Healthy Stuff program of the Ecology Center, a non-profit organization for environmental defense
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousMost car seats contain toxic flame retardants and PFAS, which are harmful to children's health. This was revealed by a study conducted by the Healthy Stuff program of the Ecology Center, a non-profit organization for environmental defense.
Ecology Center has been monitoring changes in toxic chemical additives of seat brands since 2006 and partnered with researchers from the University of Indiana and Notre Dame to conduct the latest analysis, published by the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters. Of the 18 car seats examined, 15 contained hazardous flame retardant chemical additives and PFAS.
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The results of the study
18 car seats were examined, including infant models and convertible models. 80% (15) of them contained hazardous flame retardant chemical additives. New this year, the tests included screening for fluorinated chemicals and, to a bitter surprise, were found in 50% (9 out of 18) of the car seats tested. The chemicals identified are i PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances) which are added by manufacturers for their stain-resistant properties.
All tested car seats were purchased in 2018 and produced in 2017 or later. The components were analyzed using different methods: chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry at Indiana University, testing for total fluoride content at Notre Dame University, and X-ray fluorescence and infrared spectroscopy at Ecology Center to search for components individually.
Tests made it possible to find that only three companies offer a car seat that does not contain chemicals toxic flame retardants:
- Clek Fllo – Mammoth (convertible)
- Nuna Pipa Lite – Fog (baby)
- UPPAbaby MESA - Models Jordan and Henry (newborn)
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“The whole class of PFAS chemicals is very persistent in the environment. Studies have shown that these are dangerous chemicals that should not be used in baby products, ”says Graham Peaslee, researcher and professor of experimental nuclear physics at the University of Notre Dame. "There are safer alternatives available."
Effects on health
Flame retardants can damage children's hormonal, developmental, reproductive, neurological and immune systems. But not only that: they constitute the greatest risk for children while their organs are still developing (prenatal and postnatal). In fact, exposures to toxic flame retardants have been associated with a number of adverse health effects, including lowered IQ, developmental delays, autism, hormonal problems, reproductive damage, obesity and cancer.
Exposure to PFAS is associated with an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes, liver disorders, high cholesterol and cancer.
What to do?
Although the study was conducted on products marketed in the US, many of them are sold all over the world. It is therefore a problem that affects everyone. For this, the Ecology Center has launched a petition to ask to update the standards and have car seats free of toxic substances.
To sign the petition click here
READ also:
- Anti-abandonment car seats: yes from the Senate. Mandatory from 1 July
- Seats against the direction of travel even beyond 2 years: the new guidelines of American pediatricians
- Car seats: here are the dangerous ones rejected by Altroconsumo
Francesca Mancuso
