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Have you heard the latest news?
Effective July 1, 2007, ALL consumer mattresses sold in America must meet strict flame proof requirements.
These requirements are pretty strict, and require mattresses to be modified substantially to meet the guidelines.
The news laws that ALL mattresses must be able to be exposed to an open flame blowtorch for a minimum of 70 seconds, and not ignite afterward for a period of 30 minutes.
As a result, mattress manufacturers have been adding flame retardant chemicals to their mattresses, for the last 1- 2 years.
Many people have already been sickened by these chemicals, and many millions more will be affected as old mattresses are replaced with new, flame proof mattresses.
These are some of the people who have already been sickened by these chemicals
ALL mattress manufacturers add some variation of FRC (flame retardant chemicals) to their mattresses; they have to, or they will be shut down by the government!
The CPSC did their own risk assessment in which they admit that these chemicals will be absorbed! Click here to read their risk assessment.
These are the most common chemicals that are being used today:
Boric Acid:
(one of the most common flame retardant chemicals)
Health Risks:
Boric Acid, also used as Roach Killer, is a known reproductive and developmental toxin, and a known respiratory irritant.
Exposure also demonstrated injury to the gonads and to the developing fetus. There is a high prenatal mortality with overexposure.
Neonatal children are unusually susceptible. There are already 6,463 U.S. cases of Boric Acid poisoning each year. One human exposure study showed reduced sperm counts and reduced sexual activity in humans.
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Antimony:
(one of the most common flame retardant chemicals)
Health Risks:
This is a direct quote from a College Chemistry Textbook:
“Antimony resembles Arsenic very closely; the difference in its behavior being almost entirely accounted for by the fact that antimony is slightly more metallic.”
This helps explain why it is so poisonous. Quotes from ATSDR (a division of the CDC) on Antimony: “An increase in the number of spontaneous abortions, disturbances in menstruation, failure to conceive, May cause heart to beat irregularly or stop. …
Chronic Exposure: Prolonged or repeated exposure may damage the liver and the heart muscle." “In long-term studies, animals that breathed very low levels of antimony had eye irritation, hair loss, lung damage, and heart problems. Problems with fertility were also noted.”
"Two studies reported lung tumors in rats exposed to relatively low levels of antimony trioxide."
Antimony tends to accumulate in the liver and gastrointestinal tract.”
The CDC cannot determine a safe level of Antimony exposure because:
“At the lowest exposure levels tested, the adversity of the effects was considered to be serious.”
On cancer risks of Antimony even the CPSC admits: “The cancer effects are cumulative.
Every exposure contributes to the overall lifetime risk of developing cancer.
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Formaldehyde:
(Melamine Resin Barriers are made from the reaction of Melamine and Formaldehyde, and contain free Formaldehyde)
Health Risks:
"POISON! DANGER! SUSPECT CANCER HAZARD. MAY CAUSE CANCER. Risk of cancer depends on level and duration of exposure. VAPOR HARMFUL. HARMFUL IF INHALED OR ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN. CAUSES IRRITATION TO SKIN, EYES AND RESPIRATORY TRACT. STRONG SENSITIZER. MAY BE FATAL OR CAUSE BLINDNESS IF SWALLOWED. CANNOT BE MADE NONPOISONOUS."
Reference:
http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/F5522.htm
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Silicon:
(used in many so-called organic mattresses, as a wool covering)
Health Risks:
“Silicon may cause chronic respiratory effects. … Inhalation will cause irritation to the lungs and mucus membrane. Several epidemiological studies have reported statistically significant numbers of excess deaths or cases of immunologic disorders and autoimmune diseases in silica-exposed workers.
These diseases and disorders include scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and sarcoidosis. Recent epidemiological studies have reported statistically significant associations of occupational exposure to crystalline silica with renal diseases and subclinical renal changes.
Crystalline silica may affect the immune system, leading to mycobacterial infections (tuberculous and nontuberculous) or fungal, especially in workers with silicosis.
Occupational exposure to breathable crystalline silica is associated with bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema. … Lung cancer is associated with occupational exposures to crystalline silica.
Reference:
http://www.lenntech.com/Periodic-chart-elements/Si-en.htm#Health%20effects%20of%20silicon
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Ammonium Polyphosphate
This is another chemical used to flame proof mattresses. This is a fertilizer. Not as much is know of how toxic this chemical is to sleep in, but it is doubtful sleeping in and absorbing this fertilizer could be good for us. The CPSC has shown large amounts of this chemical leaches from mattresses.
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DBDPO
(a fertilizer, also known as DECA))
DBDPO is in the family of PBDE’s and is commonly found in women’s breast milk. It is known to bio accumulate, and is linked to cancer, and many environmental groups are trying to get it banned.
The only way to avoid having these chemicals placed in a new mattress is to obtain a doctors prescription. To purchase a 100% chemical and toxin free mattress, with no added chemicals, please click here.
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