A new study  by the Ecology Center was released today about the state of flame retardants in our children’s car seats.

What's NEW

In this new study, the Ecology Center tested 15 car seats (both infant and toddler).  This time, they included  two from the United Kingdom (I would imagine because laws in Europe are quite different to the laws in the US), by the following manufacturers: BabyTrend, Britax, Chicco, Clek, Cosco, Diono, Evenflo, Graco, Joie, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Orbit, Recaro, and Safety 1st; and a 2017-model car seat from UPPAbaby.  

The Good:

• The first ever flame retardant chemical free car seat will be available starting Feb 2017 (This date has been pushed back to June by UppaBaby Follow us on Instagram for updates on when it will be available @nontoxicmunchkin.com )!Uppa Baby’s ‘Henry’ Mesa car seat uses a wool blend (wool in naturally fire retardant) and expanded polypropylene (EPP) foam as the impact-absorbing foam(because EPP does not require additional FRs), instead of FR chemicals.Hurray! We will provide a link here to this car seat as soon as it hits the market!Please note ONLY the HENRY will be free of flame retardant chemicals. The other Mesa car seats will still use flame retardant chemicals.

• For the first time sincetesting started in 2006, no lead was detected in any seats.

The Bad

• Other than the one Uppa Baby model, every single car seat tested had FR chemicals. Both in the foam/padding and in the fabric

• Some car seats have stopped using the ‘worse’ kind of flame retardants (chlorinated tris and brominated flame retardants) this is a step in the right direction, however they have replaced it with chemicals that are ‘thought’ to be safer but have not really thoroughly been tested for safety/toxicity (especially for daily exposure in such a young population).

The Ugly

• Most car seats (13 out of 15 tested) still contain brominated flame retardants (BFRs)- which is especially worrisome since these chemicals ( also called halogenated) are considered quite toxic and extremely persistence in the environment

RESULTS

(for a detailed history on why there are chemicals in car seats, and why these chemicals are bad, scroll down after the results)

Highly Recommended

***

UPPAbaby MESA Infant Car Seat, Henry

Flame Retardant used:  no chemicals, only wool

Britax USA Marathon ClickTight Convertible Car Seat, Vibe

Design :  Vibe

Type:  Convertible

Model Year: 2016

Flame Retardant used:  the considered ‘safer’ non halogen FR on the foam.  Nothing found con the fabric.

Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 Convertible Car Seat, Blue Base

Design:  Blue base

Type:  Infant

Model Year 2016

Flame Retardant used:  the considered ‘safer’ non halogen FR on the fabric.  No chemicals found on the foam.

Moderately Recommended

**

Clek Foonf 2016 Convertible Car Seat, Capri

Design:  Capri

Type:  Convertible

Model Year: 2016

Why is it Moderately recommended?: The warning label was found to contain Brominated FR.  (the Pu foam uses the considered ‘safer’ phosphate based FR )

Orbit Baby - G3 Toddler Convertible Car Seat

Design:  Black

Type:  Toddler

Model Year: Oct 2015

Why is it Moderately recommended?: While the foam and fabric use the (considered safer) phosphate based FR, the velcro on the seat was found to contain brominated FR.  

Highest FR levels/not recommended

Baby Trend- Secure Snap Gear 32 Infant Car Seat   

( brominated FR found on fabric)

Chicco- KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat

( brominated FR found on foam)

Cosco- Scenera NEXT Convertible Car Seat

( brominated FR found on fabric)

Diono- Rainier Convertible + Booster Car Seat

( brominated FR found on fabric)

Evenflo- Nuture Infant Car Seat

( brominated FR found on foam)

Graco- Milestone Group 0-1-2-3 Car Seat (UK)

( brominated FR found on fabric and foam)

Graco - MyRide 65 Convertible Car Seat

( brominated FR found on fabric and foam)

Joie- Stages Group 0+,1,2 Car Seat (UK)

( brominated FR found on fabric)

Nuna- Pipa infant Car Seat

( brominated FR found on fabric, foam, canopy and frame plastic)

Recaro- ProRide Convertible cAr Seat

( brominated FR found on fabric and foam)

Safety 1st - Grow and Go 3 in 1 Convertible Car Seat

( brominated FR found on fabric)

Considering all (except the new UPPA Baby Henry Mesa car seat) car seats on the market contain some type of chemical flame retardant it is important to:

• Limit the time your children spend in their car seats. Only use the car seat during travel, not as a place for your child to nap or sit outside of the car (especially common for infants)

• Limit direct sunlight on the car seat and high temperatures in your car. Window coverings in a car also substantially lower the interior temperature on a warm day.

• Vacuum the car interior and the nooks and crannies of car seats. Chemicals that migrate out, including flame retardants, can cling to dust particles. Open the car windows when possible.

• Washing car seat covers can remove contaminated dust and other particles (you will not be able to ‘wash off’ the amount of FR chemicals put on the fabric)

Background info

As always, safety comes first and babies and children need to be placed in car seats, regardless of chemical exposure.  Having said that, there are car seats on the market that will expose you children to significantly more toxic chemicals than others - so it is definitely worth doing your research (or reading this post!)

The law

 All car seats in the market right now in the US contain at least one chemical flame retardant in order to meet the federal fire test standard for vehicle accessories.  Federal fire tests can be met by using wool - which is naturally a  fire retardant - instead of chemicals.  This is what Uppa Baby will be using for their Henry 2017 model (more info on that car seat later).

Remind me-why is this important? How exactly can flame retardants chemicals in the car seat affect my child?

The problem with flame retardant chemicals is that they do not stick/ bind very well to the product they are used on.... thus, they are released over time. Mostly into dust particles and air

 then

Heat and UV-ray exposure in cars can accelerate the release of these chemicals from products into the vehicle environment

and then

Infants, toddlers and children can be exposed to these chemicals through inhalation, ingestion and dermal (skin) absorption.

finally,

The longer your child sits in his/ her car seat the more exposed they are to these chemicals

So, how bad are flame retardant? Is there such a thing as a safer fire retardant?

The short answer: flame retardants are pretty bad (they are known to be carcinogens, hormone disruptors and developmental toxicants.  Babies are the most vulnerable population in terms of exposure to these chemical, since their systems are still developing) and we don't really know if there is such a thing a s safe one. Here is a little history on flame retardants (courtesy of the Ecology Center):

In the 1970’s, a chemical known as chlorinated tris, or TDCPP, was used to treat children’s pajamas to make the fabric slower to catch fire. Chlorinated tris was a replacement for a chemical that was found to be carcinogenic. Years later, Chlorinated tris was revealed to be a carcinogen too (and was removed from pajamas.)

Chlorinated tris= proven to be carcinogenic = should never again be used in children's products right?

Well, not exactly.

Fast forward to 2004... In 2004 (after another flame retardant was phased out due to health concerns) Chlorinated tris once again became the go to chemical for a number of products; in furniture, car interiors, tents, and children’s products such as nap mats and crib pads (but not pajamas). Where else? Yes, you guessed it, this proven carcinogenic chemical was also found in two of the 2014 model car seats in this new study. 

This is a good example of how replacement chemicals are sometimes no safer than the banned chemicals they are replacing. Sometimes (as is the case with chlorinated tris) "proven" bad chemicals make a comeback, other times, new chemicals with little to no safety studies are used.  This is why Federal Chemical Safety Laws need to be updated - but that is a whole other issue.

Having said that there are 3 classes of flame retardant

• Brominated, (also called halogenated) are considered quite toxic and extremely persistence in the environment.

• Chlorinated (also called halogenated) are considered quite toxic and extremely persistence in the environment.

• Phosphate-based. These are the replacement chemicals du jour being used to replace the toxic halogenated flame retardants. According to limited research studies, some of these replacements may be safer for human health. Let's cross our fingers, because while laws continue to require flame retardants in car seats these seem to be our safest bet. Some manufacturers, such as Britax and Clek, are opting for these chemicals because so far they seem like the least toxic of the 3.

But, if these chemicals can save my child in a car fire- then isn't that more important?

If the answer were yes, this debate would be quite different. The reality is that car fires move so fast that these fire retardants are no longer considered to be of any help retarding flames in real life scenarios