Here's the thing:

Chlorinated tris is carcinogenic
Chlorinated tris does not prevent fires
Chlorinated tris is not required to meet NY or federal flammability standards.
Chlorinated tris was found in 50% of polyurethane foam samples from baby products tested in a Duke University study (that won the best published article of the year award from Environmental Science and Technology).
Banning this single chemical from children's products would reduce children's cancer risk. Is it the ultimate answer? Of course not. Is it an important step in the right direction that is embattled by the chemical industry? Of course.

One thing folks can do is seek products that contain polyester fiberfill, which achieves flammability standards without additive chemicals. The discussion should not be around which flame retardant chemicals are safer or more toxic, but how to achieve flammability standards without them. They're used in so many products that don't require them, such as nursing pillows. We're not talking about aircraft engines, the liner between a car engine and the cab, oven doors, or other points of ignition. We're all exposed, every day, without our knowledge or consent. The person who calls Ms. Rossol a 'chemophobe' is missing the point. We did not sign up for our babies to be the endpoint for dangerous, unnecessary chemicals.

Thank you so much for covering this important topic. I remain concerned about Ms. Rossol's insistence that foam children's products ought to contain flame retardants. It reveals some dangerous gaps in her understanding of the flammability/flame retardant issue.

Everyone concerned about flame retardant chemicals should check out the Chicago Tribune series - which summarizes the science, interviews experts, and unveils the nasty Tobacco-playbook tactics the chemical makers are using to defend their toxic products. The whole multi-part series, complete with infographics and videos, is available here: www.chicagotribune.com/flames

The fact is, we don't need to add flame retardant chemicals in our couches and children's products. By the time the fabric has burned and the fire is through to the foam, it's going to burn, with our without chemical additives. "The fire just laughs at it," said a fire safety expert interviewed by the Tribune.

The best defense is flame-resistant outer coverings. 90% of upholstery fabric already resists smouldering. 23 million dollars have been poured into California ALONE to keep them from adjusting their regulations to meet the real world situations.

Passing S. 6080 here in Albany would get a known carcinogen out of baby car seats and changing pads. Dismissing this small but significant Senate action leaves my children, and the rest of the East Coast's children, in harm's way.

I urge your listeners to contact Senate Majority Leader Skelos at (516) 766-8383 and demand that S. 6080 get a vote in the full Senate before they go home on Thursday.

CK, didn't you hear Ms. Rossol say the gov't. didn't regulate *enough*, so the chemical co's. were free to introduce chemicals w/out adequate testing? They should have intervened *more*, as California did w/its Prop 65, which *added* regulation to limit what kinds of fire retardants could be used.

To the last caller: Please don't just refer to "chemicals"--each individual chemical, incl. polyurethane, is different & has different effects, for good or ill (& often both). Ms. Rossol mentioned many times that certain types of flame-retardant chemicals are safer than others.

I ♥ Monona Rossol!!!

Do hoses such as garden hoses and the hose to your sink sprayer (or now the new faucets that have the sprayer built in that you can pull down to use) contain any of these dangerous chemicals? These are items that we use directly for watering our home garden or many use for cooking water. Thank you!

my husband and i are headed out on a two month road trip in our new van, which we also plan to sleep in. any suggestions on how we can lessen our exposure while on the road? or should we rethink the trip?
many thanks...

Re: fire retardants affecting cat's thyroids --

Do they also affect human's thyroids? Are cats the canaries in the coal minem as they've been found have higher incidences of hyperthyroidism since fire retardants were added to carpeting and other household items which burn.

Re: mattresses -- Is it only foam mattresses which have fire retardant added?

It just strikes me that this has been caused by government intervening to "save us" (and so creating fire retardant stuff) which now makes us sick. Maybe less government interference. Bloomberg should be all over this: he's busy saving us from soda.

Is it possible to get a safe mattress?

I'm shocked that this environmental expert is being asked to comment on autism. She's an activist, not a physician. And surely they could have found someone with a deeper level of information beyond mere chemophobia. I feel like I'm trapped in a poorly managed chat room.

Would shopping at farmers market and buying used clothing, etc also help?
Yes, please share what activist groups we can join to demand testing of these products.

Yes, we need to pass comprehensive chemical laws in the United States. Until we get past that familiar problem of political will that Rossoi mentioned earlier in order to make that happen, we need to at least get the known bad actor chemicals out -- which seems to be politically easier to do.

I'm a former forest fire fighter (I used to rappel out fo helicopter), and was regularly exposed to fire retardants. Should I get tested for something in particular? Thanks (I think).

The other use of flame retardants that I remember was in airplanes--the seat covers, I think. It turned out that many people who might otherwise have survived low-altitude crashes died when the planes caught fire & the seat material was highly flammable, until retardants were added.

Re: Fire retardants -- They've been found to have relationship (causal, iirc) with cats developing hyperthyroid conditions (an expensive ailment to treat, and a miserable illness for the cats).

Is there any way other than plain uncarpeted floors to save our cats? It's hearbreaking to go through.

The retardants are in our carpets, right, and our furniture. Mattresses?

Can you talk about the pending legislation in NY to ban chlorinated tris from children's products? It passed the Assembly unanimously but is stuck in the Senate. What's the hold-up? Folks need to let their Senators know we can easily protect kids from this toxic chemical.

Do you recommend we remove meat from the packaging and re-package before freezing?

Is anything being done about BENZOATE OF SODA?

Is anything being done about the preservative BENZOATE OF SODA?

Dr. Rossol is among the greatest guests, ever!

What activist group(s) does she suggest we might join?

Many, many thanks.