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Seven Easy Steps to Reduce Exposure to Toxic Flame Retardants

"Time is of the essence. We didn't know before, but now we do and it's not an issue of pointing fingers or accusing anybody. Now that we know the consequences, we need to immediately change. It's time to find ways to prevent such chemicals from entering the environment in the first place, to find alternatives, and to anticipate problems before they occur. We cannot wait to find a cure for dangerous products after they are in the environment and in us." -Jean-Michel Cousteau

Toxic Flame Retardants

During an expedition in 2008, Jean-Michel Cousteau and his Ocean Futures Society team discovered an alarming fact: many populations of killer whales are contaminated with many toxic, synthetic chemicals, including a class of flame retardants known as PBDEs.

These flame retardants are in use because the State of California requires that some products be flame resistant, for example, furniture and many children's products. It is now known that these chemicals leak into the environment through the air, are carried by dust and water and enter the food chain.

Get the Facts

Five Known Facts About Toxic Flame Retardants

  1. California Laws Are Creating A Toxic Environment For The World

    Since the 1980's, a California law has required manufacturers to saturate baby products, home electronics, furniture foams and fabrics with toxic flame retardant chemicals, such as PBDEs. (Technical Bulletin 117)

  2. We Are Breathing In Toxic Dust Sitting On Our Couches

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