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Memory Foam products, commonly known as Polyurethane foam, are quite flammable. To counter this problem the Polyurethane foam manufactures have for the past 30 years used "flame retardants" or "combustion modifyers". These include Poly Brominated Diphenyl Ethers "PDBE", Melamine, other halogenated (chlorine or bromine containing) compounds in conjunction with organic phosphorus compounds such as phosphate esters. http://www.pfa.org/EFC9_Handout.html PDBE Health and environmental concerns Published studies express concern because exposure to PBDEs impairs development of the nervous system. PBDEs have also been shown to have hormone disrupting effects, particularly on estrogen and thyroid hormones. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) noted that PBDEs are particularly toxic to the developing brains of animals. Peer-reviewed studies have shown that even a single dose administered to mice during development of the brain can cause permanent changes in behavior, including hyperactivity http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polybrominated_diphenyl_ethers
Related: EPA Study Reveals Possible Connection Between Common Household Pollutant and Feline Hyperthyroidism http://www.aspca.org/pressroom/press-releases/082207-1.html BPA Plastics and PBDEs Increase Concerns for Infertility http://www.naturalnews.com/028219_BPA_infertility.html Levels of Common Fire Retardants in Humans are Rising Rapidly http://articles.latimes.com/2003/apr/20/local/me-chemicals20 This message was modified Mar 20, 2010 by zzzombie
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Thanks a lot guys, for those responses re memory foam and for the OP for posting this info re mem.foam toxins. I had just assumed it was dust mites, but now I am suspecting the memory foam pillow. I have been having EXTREMELY watery eyes in my bedroom for several months, but since I am allergic to dust mites and we do not have allergy covers around our mattresses for various reasons, I figured dust mites were the culprits. They may still be, but first I'm going to try switching to another pillow. Even though I do have a dust-mite proof pillow cover, I bet those fumes could get through it. Also my wife is using a layer of Ostock fake Venus memory foam in her bed right next to mine, so that could be it, too, but I'm more inclined to suspect my pillow. The weird thing is, this happened a few months ago and I thought I had an eye infection or eye allergy so I have tried about 5 different kinds of eye drops with no success. I cleaned the room very thorougly a couple months ago and that did not help either. Well, I'll let you know if changing my pillow helps. What kind of pillow is less likely to affect my allergies? Just a regular dacron type? |
| technically speaking polyester (dacron) is made of hydrocarbons and does off-gas. its odourless...but it off gases. Not saying it will be as bad as memory foam but the very best is anything all natural. wool, silk, cotton, latex, down, down/feather, buckwheat hulls, kapok. if you are concerned about dustmites and allergies then a wool filled pillow or a silk pillow is something you actually might want to carefully consider, or latex. |
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confusedbedbuyer wrote: I notice that TempurPedic skirts the question of what exactly is offgassing in their mattresses when consumers complain about the smell. Do you know what that is that is offgassing?
To answer the question more fully, offgassing could include: volitile blowing agents which are used whip the plastic into a foam, left over catalyst, surfactants, and small amounts of unreacted monomers. So....Why are we hearing complaints of people with watery eyes and/or stuffy nose ??? The Small amounts of unreacted toluene diisocyanate (monomer), which share some properties with known lachrymators (tear gas). But this would also be much less volitle than common lachrymators. This message was modified Mar 21, 2010 by zzzombie
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Great post my friend.....I am learning more and more now about why these problems are occurring for people now. I noticed based on other posts that you are probably not in the mattress industry...are you a chemist or something? |
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budgy wrote: Great post my friend.....I am learning more and more now about why these problems are occurring for people now. I noticed based on other posts that you are probably not in the mattress industry...are you a chemist or something? |
| well I for one really appreciate you taking the time to actually explain what some of these chemicals are....saves me tons of time on the research end of things. Now I have a legitimate answer for people who might have concerns about that particular issue. |
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So, budgy and zzzombie: is the practical application of the knowledge presented in this thread that the best/only way to avoid significant offgassing in a mattress is to get an all natural latex mattress?
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| Believe it or not...its actually probably the most cost effective way to do so. The alternative is to get something like a Vi-Spring or a Hastens which will be a lot more money. Or you could do somelike like an all natural futon....still not going to be truly cheap, probably as much or more than a regular pillowtop mattress, and arguably not the most comfortable for most people. |
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confusedbedbuyer wrote: So, budgy and zzzombie: is the practical application of the knowledge presented in this thread that the best/only way to avoid significant offgassing in a mattress is to get an all natural latex mattress? all Natural Latex does not have that issue. |