So You Thought Sleeping Was Safe?

Did you know that most mattresses and mattress covers are loaded with toxic and polluting chemicals?  These chemicals include flame retardants, cotton pesticides, herbicides, water-, stain- and wrinkle-resistant treatments.  Some of these chemicals have been detected in human tissue and may persist for several years.  Some experts believe they may have health effects similar to PCBs and DDT. 

Then there is the polyurethane foam itself.  A petroleum-based material, polyurethane foam emits volatile organic compounds that can cause skin irritation and respiratory problems.  Memory-foam mattress pads appear to be particularly bad for smell and chemical sensitivities.

Formaldehyde, used to make the adhesives required to hold the mattress together can cause asthma, allergies and various types of cancers, including lung, nose and throat.

One of the big issues has been the fire retardants that mattress companies have been required to use by law.  The troublesome polybrominated diphenyl ether (pbde), known to be toxic to the liver, thyroid and nervous system, was phased out in 2004.  Since then, mattress companies have generally not revealed what fire retardants are being used.

If you have a chemical sensitivity or allergies you may be able to order a mattress that doesn't pass the standard flammability test.  Organic mattress companies use a different solution for fireproofing mattresses.  They wrap the bedding in a layer of wool.

Something you can do immediately is to obtain a cotton barrier cloth encasement to lock the chemicals in your mattress.  Then throw out your polyester wrinkle-resistant sheets and replace them with cotton or organic wool sheets.

Next time the topic of mattress disposal will be discussed.