Your Child's Mattress Stinks

How many well meaning parents do you know that upon learning of their expectant child have prepared the best nursery possible? New paint, new carpet, new furniture, new clothes, etc... Has the parent-to-be made their own paint, purchased low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, installed natural fiber carpet with natural latex or jute backing, made or purchased furniture without pressed wood, made or purchased natural fiber clothing? If not, then they have unsuspectingly created a ultra-toxic environment for the newest addition to their family.

Children are especially sensitive to chemical exposures. Evidence is emerging that because of a child's dynamic growth and development, they have an increased risk to certain diseases in part from exposures to environmental chemicals during childhood.



The Crib Mattress
Crib-size mattresses are usually waterproof which means that the covering is made out of some kind of plastic (oil). Typically, plastic coverings are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) covered with cotton or polyester layers, which as you probably guessed emit toxic fumes that are suspected carcinogens and can cause acute toxicity to the respiratory tract.

A popular material used to fill mattresses is polyurethane which of course is made from petroleum and highly flammable. Additionally, polyurethane is found to not break down in landfills therefore contributing to long term waste problems. Polyurethane poses a high fire hazard, thus enters the use fire retardants.

According to this blog, in 1972, California passed legislation requiring flammability standards for upholstered furniture and baby products like high chairs, strollers and nursing pillows. Manufacturers met these new standards by using inexpensive, toxic and untested flame retardant chemicals. In each animal species studied, these brominated and chlorinated flame retardants were shown to cause cancer, birth defects and neurological, reproductive and endocrine disruption. As mentioned in my pillow blog, the most pervasive fire retardant contaminant is polybrominate dipheylethers (PBDEs) which can increasingly be detected in mother's breast milk. Californians, in fact, have earned the dubious honor of having the highest amount of toxic flame retardant chemicals in their bodies of any people on the planet.

USA Today: Fire Retardant found in toddlers' blood


Solutions 
Choices are limited when it comes to finding a mattress that has not been treated with fire retardants. Because wool naturally absorbs and releases water and is resistant to fire, dust mites and mold, it is an excellent choice for a mattress. Make sure you get organic or 'PureGrow' wool. Another option is organic pure latex (rubber). Be sure the latex is not a blend and has not been treated with drying chemicals. Like wool, natural latex is antimicrobial, resistant to dust mites, mildew and fire and breathes which wicks moisture away from the body. Organic cotton mattresses are also an improvement but due to federal regulations they are treated with a fire retardant.

If purchasing a new mattress is not in the budget you can seal in some of the synthetic fumes from mattresses and pillows by using a barrier cloth encasement. Barrier cloth is made of cotton that is so tightly woven (often 300 threads per inch) that it blocks fumes from passing through its weave. Make sure it's organic and not made of plastic which will outgas chemicals, totally defeating the purpose!

Helpful Resources

• http://mommyfootprint.com/is-your-childs-bed-or-crib-toxic/

• http://www.myessentia.com/research/fire-retardants

• http://www.chem-tox.com/guest/guestbook.html

• http://www.care2.com/greenliving/some-crib-mattresses-toxic.html

• http://www.amazon.com/Home-Enlightenment-Practical-Earth-Friendly-Toxin-Free/dp/1579548113/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266013145&sr=8-2

 I do not have children and a wool mattress is an expensive endeavor so, unfortunately, it still sits on my wish list. My newest mission is to search out an organic barrier cloth. We have a mattress pad now but I'm sure if I looked I would see that at least part of it, if not all, is made out of polyester. More toxic outgassing in addition to Eric's farting. Ha! I can't wait to get an organic wool mattress for healing, rejuvenating sleep!


Next Time: Children's Sleepwear and Fire Retardants.