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Learn about the negative effects the flame retardants can have on your health and how businesses to can reduce their use for safer work environments.
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Environmental and Public Health ImpactsAnd
Opportunities for Businesses to Reduce Their Use
Speakers: Roger McFadden, Staples, Inc ,
Judy Levin, Center for Environmental Health
Kathryn Rodgers, Silent Spring Institute
.
FLAME RETARDANTS
Center for Environmental Health (CEH)
Advisory Group Members
Jean Hansen: HDR Architects, Senior Professional Associate,
Sustainable Interiors Manager
Roger McFadden: Staples, Senior Scientist, Vice President
Howard Williams: Construction Specialties, Vice President-
General Manager
Brian Smith: Multnomah County Oregon, Purchasing Manager
Chris McGough: Fairfax County (Virginia), Green Purchasing
Program
Susan Chemerynski Wason: Harvard University, Research
Fellow: Department of Environmental Health at Harvard School of
Public Health
Webinar Overview
1. Flame Retardant Chemical Concerns
Human and Environmental Health Hazards
Lack of Fire Safety Benefit2. Changing Regulations-Opportunity
for Change3. Leveraging Your Purchasing Power4. Questions and Answers
What are flame retardants? Human and environmental health
hazards of flame retardants
Lack of fire safety benefit
What are the Concerns?
Flame Retardants
What are flame retardants?Inhibit ignition or spread of flames
Where are flame retardants used?ElectronicsBuilding InsulationFoam FurnitureWires and Cabling
Flame Retardant Chemicals
Many flame retardants are:
Persistent
Bioaccumulative
Toxic
Carcinogens
Mutagens
Reproductive
Toxicants
7
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (1976)
Most Chemicals in the U.S. are Not Regulated
62,000 chemicals in commerce “grandfathered”• EPA has regulated only five chemicals
2,000 new chemicals enter market each year• No environmental or health data required • 85% lack data on chemical health effects
Burden of proof on EPA to prove chemical is harmful
Flame Retardants Are Ubiquitous
Slide courtesy of Green Science Policy Institute
How are We Exposed?
Inhalation or ingestion of contaminated dust particles
Ingestion from food, especially meat and dairy
Occupational ExposureUnique to Children Absorption across the placenta Breast milk Frequent hand-to-mouth activity
Flame Retardants: At Home and Work
WORK HOME
Indoor Air Quality
Most Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors.
Indoor air can have higher levels of pollutants than outside levels.
Impacts health, comfort, well being, and productivity
Brominated Flame Retardants in Offices in MI (2010)
“BFRs are now ubiquitous contaminants with large reservoirs and high concentrations in buildings.”
“The widespread distribution of BFRs found in offices in both new and old buildings suggests the significance of workplace exposures, the need for controls to minimize human exposure, intra-building migration, and environmental releases of these chemicals…”
Environ Int. 2010 Aug;36(6):548-56. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2010.04.008. Epub 2010 May 18.
Batterman S, Godwin C, Chernyak S, Jia C, Charles S.
Flame Retardants in MA Offices (2013)
Chlorinated Tris was present in 99% of dust samples taken from participants’ homes, vehicles and offices. Widespread presence of this flame retardant in the indoor environment.
Environment International, Volume 55,May 2013, Pages 56-61
Health Effects of Flame Retardants
Neurodevelopmental EffectsDecreased memory and learning
Reduced IQ
Hyperactivity Diabetes
Cancer
Endocrine System DisruptionObesity
Chemicals that mimic estrogen
Alters thyroid hormone
Reproductive ToxicantDecreased fertility
Decreased birth weight
Decreased sperm quality
Occupational Exposures
Fire Fighters/First Responders
FRC Manufacturing Workers
Foam Workers (manufacturers, installers and recyclers)
Gymnasts
Lack of Fire Safety Benefit
No significant difference in fire growth between foam with flame retardants formulated to pass TB 117 and untreated foam. Source: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards.
Chairs with flame retardant foam offered no practically significant difference than those without FR-treated foam. Source: CPSC, 2012.
Additional Considerations
Presence of automatic fire
sprinklers in buildings
People not allowed to smoke
No fire data supports need
for flame retardant
chemicals in office furniture
Flame Retardants May Make Fires Less Survivable
Data Source: Chandra Jayakody, et al. J. Fire Sciences, Vol. 18, pp 430-455, 2000
16
19
413
833
(m2/kg) (kg/kg) (kg/kg)
0.02
0.13
0.01
0.88
FIRES IN DORMITORIES, FRATERNITIES, SORORITIES AND BARRACKS
Approximately 3,810 fires in dorms, fraternities, sororities/barracks
Leading causes of these fires: Cooking equipment (84%) Smoking materials Heating equipment Playing with a heat source Electrical distribution and lighting equipment2 deaths and 30 injuries nationally (causes
not reported)
Source: NFPA Study 2013
Fires in Health Care Facilities
2006-2010
Roughly 1,430/year in hospitals/hospices
Leading causes include:• Cooking equipment (largest %)• Dryers• Arson• Smoking materials• Heating equipment• Electrical distribution/lighting equipment• Playing with heat sources
** NO reported fire deaths or injuries from furniture. **Source: National Fire Protection Agency 2012
Furniture Flammability Regulations
Technical Bulletin 117• Small open flame test for
filling inside upholstered furniture
Technical Bulletin 133• Severe, large open flame
test for seating in “public occupancies”
• Voluntary if building is fully sprinklered
New California Furniture Standard: TB 117-2013
Addresses leading cause of fires
Reflects real life fire scenarios
Can meet with smolder proof fabrics and barrier if needed
Governor Brown Announces New Standards to Reduce Toxic Chemicals in Furniture
November 21, 2013
Beginning January 1, 2014, manufacturers may begin
manufacturing to the new standards. They will have a year to complete the
transition and must come into full
mandatory compliance on January 1, 2015”
ComparisonTB 117 vs. 117-2013
TB 117 TB 117-2013Small Open Flame Standard
Smolder Standard (largest cause of fires and deaths)
Does Not Reflect Real Life Fire Scenarios
Reflects Real Life Fire Scenarios
Typically met with flame retardant chemicals
Can be met without use of flame retardant chemicals
Exempts 3 baby products
Exempts 15 baby products
Technical Bulletin 133
Seating Furniture for Public Buildings or Assembly Areas CA includes:Hospitals, health care facilities, nursing homes, board and care homes, convalescent homes Jails, prisons, penal institutionsStadiums, auditoriums, Public assembly areas of hotels/motels.
Key Comparisons TB 133 vs. TB 117-2013
TECHNICAL BULLETIN 133
TECHNICAL BULLETIN 117-2013
Addresses public buildings or public assembly areas
Non- public occupancy or assembly buildings OR those public occupancy buildings that are fully sprinklered
Large Open Flame Test Smolder TestTypically met with FRs in fabric, foam and/or barrier materials
Can be met without FRs
More expensive to meet than TB 117-2013
Less expensive to meet than TB 133
Entities Known to Reference CA RegulationsOhio- Public Buildings must comply with TB 133 (no exceptions for sprinklers)
Illinois-Public Buildings must comply with TB 133 unless fully sprinklered, then may comply with TB117 and TB 116
Massachusetts Rules (527 CMR 29)
In fully sprinkled building, spaces may meet TB-117 OR TB-133
In building not fully sprinkled, spaces must meet TB-133
Regulated Spaces:Assembly (A), Educational (E), Institutional (I), and Residential (R):R1 – public/enclosed spaces in space of transient nature, e.g. hotelR2 – public spaces in apartment houses, dormitories (more than 2 units) R5 – enclosed spaces in group residence (12 people max) for impaired people
(all defined in 780 CMR 3)
Boston Rules (BFD IX-10)
All regulated spaces must meet TB-133, regardless of sprinklers
Regulated Spaces:Assembly (A), Educational (E), Institutional (I), and Residential (R):R1 – public/enclosed spaces of transient nature, e.g. hotelR2 – public spaces in apartment houses, dormitories (more than 2 units) R5 – enclosed spaces in group residence (12 people max) for impaired people
(all defined in 780 CMR 3)
Boston Rules - Update
As of 4/1/14 seating in “Business” and “Mercantile” spaces no longer regulated
*EXCEPT:
B and M spaces with no sprinklers, and R above
B and M spaces with A occupancy load > 49 people
Temporary structure with open flame (candles, cooking)
Staples Leadership & Engagement
Staples seeks to offer organizations of all sizes products that are inherently safer for human and environmental health and that address environmental impacts throughout their lifecycle.
Chemicals of Concern
Hexavalent Chromium
Formaldehyde
Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs)
PVC (vinyl)
Heavy Metals
Nonyl phenol ethoxylates
Phthalates
Bisphenol A
Triclosan
Today’s focus is Flame Retardants due to
regulation change
Other chemicals of concern in the market
Market is Moving
Consumer awareness is growing – Chicago Tribune
“Playing with Fire”, social media and crowd sourcing.
Business customers are beginning to ask for flame
retardant free furniture in their RFPs.
Architectural / Design Firms are requesting HPDs
Living Building Challenge raises the bar
BIFMA and BIFMA members are supportive
Flame Retardant free foam furniture already exists
Suppliers Are Important In Helping Meet Our GoalsWe challenge and ask our suppliers to:
• Consider chemicals of high concern like flame retardants to be pollutants or contaminants;
• Consider direct and indirect chemical exposure to vulnerable sub-populations including children, women of child-bearing age and workers;
• Consider life cycle impacts of chemicals including harmful degradation and combustion by-products;
• Consider full life-cycle costing including externalities when making a product;
• Apply green chemistry/green engineering principles into their product design or product re-design whenever possible.
Health Product Declaration (HPD)Promoting Transparency
Changing Supplier BehaviorLessons Learned
• Be clear with suppliers about what you want. Suppliers are looking for ways to differentiate themselves and bring you value. The best in class will cooperate and collaborate.
• Be fair with suppliers and provide them reasonable time to meet your expectations, but don’t allow them to use this to stall or delay taking action.
• Don’t be deterred or obstructed by “status quo”. Be willing to look at new options.
Safer Chemicals, Materials and Products Benefits For Everyone
• Workers that make and/or use them;
• Firefighters that are exposed to them;
• Suppliers that sell them;
• Logistics that transport them;
• Consumers that buy and use them;
• Our children that inherit them.
PURCHASER STRATEGY ADVISORY GROUP TOOLS
FR Free Products Purchaser Preference
Letter to Suppliers Talking Points for
Supplier Meetings RFI / RFP / Contract
Language
Fact sheet
NEXT STEPS Engage others! Build awareness re: value of transitioning
to less toxic products (CEH can help) Screen current product inventory for
chemicals of concern Send letter or meet with suppliers:
Express preference & ask for their help in meeting your toxic reduction objectives
Explore / develop environmentally preferable purchasing policies
Find out your org’s. furniture contract timeframe
Sign the pledge
CELEBRATE !!!
QUESTIONS?
Judy Levin Roger McFaddenCEH Staples, Inc.Pollution Prevention Co-Director Senior Scientist, VP (510) 655-3900 ext. 316 (303) 862-0421
[email protected] [email protected]
Kathryn Rodgers
Silent Spring Institute
Research Asst.
(617) 332-4288 ext. 225