In a serious case of unintended consequences, flame retardant chemicals were added to children’s pajamas in the ‘70s to try to reduce deaths from house fires. They were later banned in pajamas by the federal government after they were found to cause cancer.
Yet these chemicals have since become ubiquitous in products in our homes from couches and mattresses to nursing pillows and baby changing pads. For decades, the chemical industry marketed them to manufacturers as lifesaving, and even supported legal requirements that they be added to consumer products. Fortunately, these laws and regulations have almost all been repealed. Unfortunately, in addition to being toxic, these chemicals are not effective at reducing harm from fire and can make fires more dangerous. They are putting our firefighters and families at risk...
Maryland has been a national leader on this issue, protecting its citizens from some of the worst toxic chemicals.
Unfortunately, while Maryland has been banning some of the worst flame retardants, new toxic chemicals continue to take their place, leaving the state in a relentless game of whack-a-mole.