|
A few questions for Budgy and/or anyone else who might know. Are fire retardants required in Canada? Can you sell mattresses from Canada to the US? Do "green" mattresses without fire retardants all require a doctor's prescription (except wool, naturally fire retardant)? If you "had" to buy a mattress with a fire retardant, which type is the least toxic? Thank you! |
|
Fire retardants of some kind are required in Canada. We do have the cigarette burn test here, but not the open flame test that is required in some US states. That being said most mattresses made in Canada are still built to meet Californian standards. Anyway even in Canada the only legal way to make a natural mattress that can pass the test is by using sheeps wool or camel hair in the outer layers of the mattress. If you are buying within Canada I don't believe you can have a bed made without wool or without chemical fire retardants, doctor's do not hand out prescriptions for this here. You could however sign a waiver saying that you will not hold the manufacturer responsible in the event of a mattress fire, but even then it would be hard to find a manufacturer willing to put themselves at risk. I have been told that boric acid is the least bothersome fire retardant. However it can't be used in polyfoam to my knowledge and if a bed has polyfoam in it, there are CM (combustion modifiers) in the foam. As far as my understanding goes, formaldehyde is usually the chemical being used as it is cheap, however foam manufacturers do not have to disclose this information. |
Thank you, Budgy! I'm not so sure boric acid is safe. Isn't it a pesticide? Anyway, what choice do we have? Not much. Interesting about the formaldehyde - sleep like the dead, huh?  I wonder how many people suffer health effects from the fire retardants, and how many people used to die in mattress fires. I'd be interested in some unbiased studies, but I bet you can't find any. Well, looks like I'm back to the wool concept. Only wish those companies had a return/exchange policy. They're not inexpensive, either, but less than quite a few of the brands discussed on this forum. Diehard Green Willy |
|
Sorry to barge into this thread, but I also have a fire retardants question... Do the mattress covers used with DIY latex layers usually include fire retardants? I am assuming that they do unless the seller labels them "organic" -- is that correct? I just bought the "special" from sleepez, and it includes the 4-way stretch cover (cotton and rayon) instead of the cotton and wool cover. Can anyone fill me in on what I'm actually buying here? I am considering spending extra for an organic cover and tossing this one, just because it seems like wasted effort to buy a nontoxic mattress and then put a toxic cover on it. |
|
AllisonBR wrote: Sorry to barge into this thread, but I also have a fire retardants question...
Do the mattress covers used with DIY latex layers usually include fire retardants? I am assuming that they do unless the seller labels them "organic" -- is that correct? I just bought the "special" from sleepez, and it includes the 4-way stretch cover (cotton and rayon) instead of the cotton and wool cover. Can anyone fill me in on what I'm actually buying here? I am considering spending extra for an organic cover and tossing this one, just because it seems like wasted effort to buy a nontoxic mattress and then put a toxic cover on it. |
|
From when I was mattress shopping in the US, I understand all mattresses must pass CFR 1633 if it made natural or not. If it does not pass the test, the company or individual making the mattress is in violation of the law. The sales person from both companies I purchased from made a big deal that their products can pass 1633. I am not sure of the law in Canada but I undersatnd that the companies in the US are worried about it. I can share that from my conversations with the mattress companies, most use either flame resistant material that are treated with chemicals. My topper cover I understand is inherently flame resistant. I am not sure what makes it inherent, however they did explain that all fabrics for mattresses have chemicals in them. If fabric goes through a finishing process it will have chemicals of some sort. One of the companies I spoke with even told me that the Bamboo idea is not very true at all. Something about it being a nylon??? Not true Bamboo. I think most of the research I did, I read between the lines and realized that most of the stuff about the fabrics is marketing tactics. All I know is the idea about something inherently flame resistant, I like because its in the yarn already according to information online. That sounds safer to me then something that already has chemicals on it and then gets more chemicals added to it. Maybe I am wrong but the idea of something being treated reminds me of having an exterminator come to my house to kill bugs. I know I would rather have something that at least sounds more safer. |
|
Budgy (or anyone else), do you know anything about the "silica" based fire retardants? What are they really (sand?) and are they possibly safer? Thanks! |