Here is an article from NPR.org. This is just the beginning of finding out the effects of chemicals that are brought into the home.
Pets Carry Wide Range of Chemical Pollutants : NPR 4/18/08 10:16 AM
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89726772&ps=bb2 Page 1 of 2
April 18, 2008
DLILLC
Cats and dogs harbor higher rates of
certain chemicals than their people do.
Corbis
Research News
Pets Carry Wide Range of Chemical Pollutants
by Jon Hamilton
All Things Considered, April 17, 2008 · Your cat probably has more mercury in
its system than you do, and your dog has twice as much of the chemicals found
in stain-resistant carpets and couches. That's the conclusion of an
environmental group that tested pets for a wide range of industrial chemicals.
If you walk on a stain-resistant carpet, you may kick up and inhale a tiny dose
of perfluorochemicals, or PFCs. But what if you stretched out on it for a while
and then licked your fur? That's what Richard Wiles and his colleagues at the
Environmental Working Group wanted to know.
"It occurred to us that no one had actually tested pets, [which] live in the same
environment as we do, for the toxic contaminants that we know are in people,"
Wiles says.
The group — a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, D.C. —
took samples from several dozen healthy dogs and cats at a clinic in
Mechanicsville, Va. Though it was a small sample size, Wiles says lab tests
revealed a number of chemicals, including Teflon compounds for stain
resistance, flame retardants found on furniture and mercury, which might come from cat food.
Levels of some chemicals, such as phthalates (found in plastics) and lead, were lower in pets than in people. But
dogs had more than twice the levels of stain-fighting PFCs as people. In cats, mercury levels were five times those
usually found in people. And levels of flame-retardant polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, were 23 times
higher.
Implications for Humans?
Wiles says the findings suggest that pets could serve as a warning system for people.
"It's the canary in the coal mine, if you will," he says. "They're picking up the same chemicals that we're exposed to,
they have shorter life spans and they develop diseases more quickly, and so they may be providing some insight into
human health problems from these same contaminants in our homes."
Friday, April 18, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Sleeping Pillows
What do you know about the pillow that you sleep on every night? Is that little puff ball that you stick your face on so old that you cannot even remember where it came from? And what is that pillow made from? Because you put your face in that pillow about 6 - 9 hours every day you might want to think about how it affects your health. Here is a good article from the Green Guide, a National Geographic Publication. And by the way we have a complete line of organic sleeping pillows including organic cotton, organic wool, shredded natural rubber, buckwheat, and molded rubber. Stop by and take a test nap.
http://www.thegreenguide.com/products/Bedding/Pillows
Pillows
What to Look For
We spend as much as a third of our lives sleeping, but the National Sleep Foundation has found that almost 75 percent of American adults have problems getting a good night's sleep. Whether that's due to noise, light pollution or any number of other factors, you may help rectify uneasy sleep with a better pillow, especially on that won't contribute to health problems like allergies and sinusitis.
Below is a breakdown of the natural and organic alternatives to problematic conventional materials, and when you're shopping, choose pillows with organic cotton shells, when available. One company, White Lotus, sells more affordable versions of its pillows in "green" (conventionally grown but chemically untreated) cotton.
Buckwheat
Asian cultures have used buckwheat pillows for centuries. The body-conforming hulls allow your head to lie naturally, which relieves tension, and they provide room for air to circulate, keeping you cool.
The environmental impact of buckwheat, from which the hulls are taken, is very low. Even when grown conventionally, it's a pesticide-free crop and requires very little fertilizer. It's even a natural weed killer because nothing can grow underneath it, and it's inherently pest-resistant, making it an ideal choice for sufferers of dust-mite allergies. As a final bonus, buckwheat grows very abundantly in the U.S. and Canada, supporting local farmers and local economies.
Wool
Naturally fire retardant, untreated wool wicks moisture away from your body while you sleep, and it dries quickly, making it unappealing to dust mites, which thrive in warm, moist surroundings. It is also resistant to mold spores and mildew.
Opt for wool products that are chemically untreated and harvested from organically raised sheep or those that bear the "Pure Grow Wool" label, which represents wool from humanely raised sheep raised on pesticide-free land.
Kapok
Kapok-filled pillows provide a non-allergenic, humane alternative to down. The pillows are stuffed with fibers from seed pods of the tropical kapok, or Ceiba, tree that grows in South American rain forests, Africa, Indonesia and other parts of Asia. Seed pods fall to the ground, where they are gathered by local residents. The collection of fibers is done with little harm to the environment, and it provides work and economic support for the communities surrounding the rain forests.
Organic Cotton
Organic cotton doesn't necessarily resist dust mites, but the pillows provide a natural material alternative to people with allergies to wool, buckwheat and latex.
Natural Latex
Natural latex is tapped from rubber trees and is a replenishable rainforest resource. While not as widely available as the other natural alternatives, it offers the same support benefits as polyurethane pillows. Some natural latex pillows are thick pieces of foam and others contain shredded latex, which provides more spring.
Shopping Tips
When purchasing buckwheat pillows, ask the retailer about their buckwheat-hull supplier's cleaning methods. Buckwheat dust lingering on improperly cleaned hulls has been known to trigger asthma attacks. High-quality pillows contain hulls that are cleaned very thoroughly, either by air blowing, vaccumming and sifting the hulls to remove dust or by roasting them, which burns off the dust. Look for retailers that are supplied by U.S. or Canadian suppliers, rather than international suppliers, that can offer assurances of proper cleaning methods.
Avoid pillows made with a mixture of natural and synthetic latex. The latter is treated with chemicals during the manufacturing process.
Also, look out for "Hypodown," billed as less allergenic than traditional down. While the pillows contain 20 percent syriaca clusters, or milkweed, they still contain 80 percent goose down, which doesn't alleviate any of the problems associated with animal cruelty (see The Backstory).
Because natural-material pillows are on the expensive side, you can cut costs buy purchasing fills separately and stuffing them into a zippered pillow encasement you already own. Many retailers, such as White Lotus and Eco Bedroom, will supply stuffing material in bulk for a reasonable price.
To preserve the life of your pillow, invest in a washable, removable organic cotton or Pure Grow Wool pillow encasement. These also help to block dust mite allergens from your current pillow.
Product Comparisons
The following companies sell pillows in standard, queen and king sizes. Buckwheat pillows tend to run smaller than standard size, which is 20" x 26," although many companies sell them in both small and standard sizes.
Wondering what these table headings mean? They're the criteria we used to choose and evaluate the products in the chart below. Learn more about their importance in What To Look For.
Buckwheat Kapok Wool Organic Cotton Natural Latex Organic Cotton Allergen Barriers
Personal Health
Beds provide an optimal breeding ground for household dust mites, which are potent allergens and a factor in 50 to 80 percent of asthmatics. Dust mites also contribute to eczema and hay fever. Found more commonly in mattresses than pillows, pillows are still hosts because dust mites feed on human dander and skin flakes; 10 percent of the weight of a two-year-old pillow can be composed of dead mites and their droppings.
A study published in the January 2006 journal Allergy also found that that the average pillow--whether synthetic or down--contained between four and 16 different types of fungi, with synthetic pillows at the higher end of that range. The most common fungus found in the study, aspergillus fumigatus, is allergenic and contributes to asthma attacks and sinusitis. People with compromised immune systems are particularly affected by it.
Finally, pillows bear the same problems as other fabrics, in that they can be treated with perfluorochemical (PFC) finishes to make them water and stain resistant. Before it was phased out in 2000, the 3M company documented that perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was used on decorative pillows. Now, some "stain-resistant" bed pillows are being advertised as having "Teflon-treated fabric" shells. Teflon is made using the PFC perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which was recently labeled a likely human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Fabric treatments can also contain formaldehyde, another EPA-designated likely human carcinogen.
Environmental
Because pillows are commonly filled with synthetic materials, they can be a terrible drain on non-renewable resources. Polyester, which is a common fill and casing material, is derived from petroleum, as is polyurethane foam.
Conventional cotton used in covers and cotton batting requires extremely high amounts of hazardous synthetic chemicals required for production. Seven of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton are classified as at least possible human carcinogens, and billions of pounds of nitrogen-based synthetic fertilizers are also used, resulting in runoff that can create aquatic "dead zones" in waterways. Dead zones are oxygen-depleted areas lacking sea life, and a third of the world's 146 oceanic dead zones are off of U.S. shores, according to the UN. In the Gulf of Mexico, one covers 7,000 square miles, fed by millions of tons of nitrogen from synthetic fertilizers and animal feces draining into the Mississippi, sparking "red tide" algae blooms that can poison unsuspecting shellfish consumers. This same dead zone was blamed for the tripling of shark attacks off the Texas coastline in 2004.
As for conventional wool production, it also involves the use of pesticides on pastures and chemicals in the feed.
Animal Welfare
Down and feathers are very popular fill choices for pillows, but one which unfortunately is associated with numerous animal rights issues. The material is collected from ducks and geese in one of two ways. Feathers are either plucked while the animals are still alive, or they're gathered after the animals have been killed for meat, says Karen Davis, president and a director of the advocacy group United Poultry Concern. Ducks and geese that are killed for their meat are typically raised in large factory farms where animals are live in filthy conditions and are deprived of access to water and the outdoors.
Because of the animal rights issues associated with down, Pier 1 Imports recently decided to cease using it in all of their pillows. They had been purchasing the down from a subsidiary of Maple Leaf Farms, one of the country's largest poultry producers and one which is known for unsavory living conditions for animals.
Some companies advertise that their down comes from "free-range" animals and gathered during the animals' natural molting phase. However, "free-range" is not a certified label and does not provide any assurance that the feathers were plucked humanely.
http://www.thegreenguide.com/products/Bedding/Pillows
Pillows
What to Look For
We spend as much as a third of our lives sleeping, but the National Sleep Foundation has found that almost 75 percent of American adults have problems getting a good night's sleep. Whether that's due to noise, light pollution or any number of other factors, you may help rectify uneasy sleep with a better pillow, especially on that won't contribute to health problems like allergies and sinusitis.
Below is a breakdown of the natural and organic alternatives to problematic conventional materials, and when you're shopping, choose pillows with organic cotton shells, when available. One company, White Lotus, sells more affordable versions of its pillows in "green" (conventionally grown but chemically untreated) cotton.
Buckwheat
Asian cultures have used buckwheat pillows for centuries. The body-conforming hulls allow your head to lie naturally, which relieves tension, and they provide room for air to circulate, keeping you cool.
The environmental impact of buckwheat, from which the hulls are taken, is very low. Even when grown conventionally, it's a pesticide-free crop and requires very little fertilizer. It's even a natural weed killer because nothing can grow underneath it, and it's inherently pest-resistant, making it an ideal choice for sufferers of dust-mite allergies. As a final bonus, buckwheat grows very abundantly in the U.S. and Canada, supporting local farmers and local economies.
Wool
Naturally fire retardant, untreated wool wicks moisture away from your body while you sleep, and it dries quickly, making it unappealing to dust mites, which thrive in warm, moist surroundings. It is also resistant to mold spores and mildew.
Opt for wool products that are chemically untreated and harvested from organically raised sheep or those that bear the "Pure Grow Wool" label, which represents wool from humanely raised sheep raised on pesticide-free land.
Kapok
Kapok-filled pillows provide a non-allergenic, humane alternative to down. The pillows are stuffed with fibers from seed pods of the tropical kapok, or Ceiba, tree that grows in South American rain forests, Africa, Indonesia and other parts of Asia. Seed pods fall to the ground, where they are gathered by local residents. The collection of fibers is done with little harm to the environment, and it provides work and economic support for the communities surrounding the rain forests.
Organic Cotton
Organic cotton doesn't necessarily resist dust mites, but the pillows provide a natural material alternative to people with allergies to wool, buckwheat and latex.
Natural Latex
Natural latex is tapped from rubber trees and is a replenishable rainforest resource. While not as widely available as the other natural alternatives, it offers the same support benefits as polyurethane pillows. Some natural latex pillows are thick pieces of foam and others contain shredded latex, which provides more spring.
Shopping Tips
When purchasing buckwheat pillows, ask the retailer about their buckwheat-hull supplier's cleaning methods. Buckwheat dust lingering on improperly cleaned hulls has been known to trigger asthma attacks. High-quality pillows contain hulls that are cleaned very thoroughly, either by air blowing, vaccumming and sifting the hulls to remove dust or by roasting them, which burns off the dust. Look for retailers that are supplied by U.S. or Canadian suppliers, rather than international suppliers, that can offer assurances of proper cleaning methods.
Avoid pillows made with a mixture of natural and synthetic latex. The latter is treated with chemicals during the manufacturing process.
Also, look out for "Hypodown," billed as less allergenic than traditional down. While the pillows contain 20 percent syriaca clusters, or milkweed, they still contain 80 percent goose down, which doesn't alleviate any of the problems associated with animal cruelty (see The Backstory).
Because natural-material pillows are on the expensive side, you can cut costs buy purchasing fills separately and stuffing them into a zippered pillow encasement you already own. Many retailers, such as White Lotus and Eco Bedroom, will supply stuffing material in bulk for a reasonable price.
To preserve the life of your pillow, invest in a washable, removable organic cotton or Pure Grow Wool pillow encasement. These also help to block dust mite allergens from your current pillow.
Product Comparisons
The following companies sell pillows in standard, queen and king sizes. Buckwheat pillows tend to run smaller than standard size, which is 20" x 26," although many companies sell them in both small and standard sizes.
Wondering what these table headings mean? They're the criteria we used to choose and evaluate the products in the chart below. Learn more about their importance in What To Look For.
Buckwheat Kapok Wool Organic Cotton Natural Latex Organic Cotton Allergen Barriers
Personal Health
Beds provide an optimal breeding ground for household dust mites, which are potent allergens and a factor in 50 to 80 percent of asthmatics. Dust mites also contribute to eczema and hay fever. Found more commonly in mattresses than pillows, pillows are still hosts because dust mites feed on human dander and skin flakes; 10 percent of the weight of a two-year-old pillow can be composed of dead mites and their droppings.
A study published in the January 2006 journal Allergy also found that that the average pillow--whether synthetic or down--contained between four and 16 different types of fungi, with synthetic pillows at the higher end of that range. The most common fungus found in the study, aspergillus fumigatus, is allergenic and contributes to asthma attacks and sinusitis. People with compromised immune systems are particularly affected by it.
Finally, pillows bear the same problems as other fabrics, in that they can be treated with perfluorochemical (PFC) finishes to make them water and stain resistant. Before it was phased out in 2000, the 3M company documented that perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was used on decorative pillows. Now, some "stain-resistant" bed pillows are being advertised as having "Teflon-treated fabric" shells. Teflon is made using the PFC perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which was recently labeled a likely human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Fabric treatments can also contain formaldehyde, another EPA-designated likely human carcinogen.
Environmental
Because pillows are commonly filled with synthetic materials, they can be a terrible drain on non-renewable resources. Polyester, which is a common fill and casing material, is derived from petroleum, as is polyurethane foam.
Conventional cotton used in covers and cotton batting requires extremely high amounts of hazardous synthetic chemicals required for production. Seven of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton are classified as at least possible human carcinogens, and billions of pounds of nitrogen-based synthetic fertilizers are also used, resulting in runoff that can create aquatic "dead zones" in waterways. Dead zones are oxygen-depleted areas lacking sea life, and a third of the world's 146 oceanic dead zones are off of U.S. shores, according to the UN. In the Gulf of Mexico, one covers 7,000 square miles, fed by millions of tons of nitrogen from synthetic fertilizers and animal feces draining into the Mississippi, sparking "red tide" algae blooms that can poison unsuspecting shellfish consumers. This same dead zone was blamed for the tripling of shark attacks off the Texas coastline in 2004.
As for conventional wool production, it also involves the use of pesticides on pastures and chemicals in the feed.
Animal Welfare
Down and feathers are very popular fill choices for pillows, but one which unfortunately is associated with numerous animal rights issues. The material is collected from ducks and geese in one of two ways. Feathers are either plucked while the animals are still alive, or they're gathered after the animals have been killed for meat, says Karen Davis, president and a director of the advocacy group United Poultry Concern. Ducks and geese that are killed for their meat are typically raised in large factory farms where animals are live in filthy conditions and are deprived of access to water and the outdoors.
Because of the animal rights issues associated with down, Pier 1 Imports recently decided to cease using it in all of their pillows. They had been purchasing the down from a subsidiary of Maple Leaf Farms, one of the country's largest poultry producers and one which is known for unsavory living conditions for animals.
Some companies advertise that their down comes from "free-range" animals and gathered during the animals' natural molting phase. However, "free-range" is not a certified label and does not provide any assurance that the feathers were plucked humanely.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
New Organic Comforters
When I first saw the products made by Sleep and Beyond I was really impressed. Organic wool comforters that are truly organic. Check out this review-then stop by and see ultimate in organic comfort. http://successthroughplay.blogspot.com
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Organic Bedding
Organic bedding is a great start to create your organic bedroom. Currently we stock organic sheets, pillow covers and duvet covers from High Desert Naturals. HDN is a northwest company and produces all of its products in the USA. Here is a good article from the Green Guide, a publication put out by the National Geographic Society.
What to Look For
You spend a third of your life in bed, so it stands to reason that you want to be sleeping on the purest, most chemical-free bedding you can find. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you begin your search:
Materials
Organic cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or genetically engineered crops.
Sheets made of bamboo fiber are another good alternative. It takes much fewer resources to raise bamboo than cotton--even organic cotton. Bamboo is naturally pest-resistant and, when grown properly, requires few pesticides. However, it does undergo a chemically intensive production process so look for bamboo cloth that has been mechanically, not chemically, processed. Futhermore, sheets made of 100 percent bamboo are still hard to find; most are blends made with conventional cotton.
Both hemp and linen are derived from plants that, like bamboo, grow quickly and need few pesticides or insecticides. Hemp and linen sheets are known for their durability, and they're rare treasures if you can find them at estate sales or antique shops. New sheets made from hemp and linen are usually sold only online and imported from Europe.
Dyes
People who prefer colored sheets to brighten up their décor should look for either heavy-metal-free or vegetable-based dyes. A product that uses "SKAL-certified" dyes means that they are free of heavy metals. Also, check out FoxFiber™ "color-grown" cotton, which is bred (not genetically-modified) to grow in different colors, though usually only browns, beiges and greens. Color-grown cotton is also less likely to fade in the wash than dyed cotton.
Chlorine-Free Bleaching
Conventional cotton, and some organic cotton, is bleached with chlorine after harvesting in a process that releases cancer-causing dioxin into the atmosphere. Opt for unbleached or chlorine-free bleached cotton sheets.
Chemical-Free Finishes
Some finishes, such as those to prevent stains and wrinkles, can release formaldehyde into the air. Choose unfinished sheets or those process with no chemicals.
What to Look For
You spend a third of your life in bed, so it stands to reason that you want to be sleeping on the purest, most chemical-free bedding you can find. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you begin your search:
Materials
Organic cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or genetically engineered crops.
Sheets made of bamboo fiber are another good alternative. It takes much fewer resources to raise bamboo than cotton--even organic cotton. Bamboo is naturally pest-resistant and, when grown properly, requires few pesticides. However, it does undergo a chemically intensive production process so look for bamboo cloth that has been mechanically, not chemically, processed. Futhermore, sheets made of 100 percent bamboo are still hard to find; most are blends made with conventional cotton.
Both hemp and linen are derived from plants that, like bamboo, grow quickly and need few pesticides or insecticides. Hemp and linen sheets are known for their durability, and they're rare treasures if you can find them at estate sales or antique shops. New sheets made from hemp and linen are usually sold only online and imported from Europe.
Dyes
People who prefer colored sheets to brighten up their décor should look for either heavy-metal-free or vegetable-based dyes. A product that uses "SKAL-certified" dyes means that they are free of heavy metals. Also, check out FoxFiber™ "color-grown" cotton, which is bred (not genetically-modified) to grow in different colors, though usually only browns, beiges and greens. Color-grown cotton is also less likely to fade in the wash than dyed cotton.
Chlorine-Free Bleaching
Conventional cotton, and some organic cotton, is bleached with chlorine after harvesting in a process that releases cancer-causing dioxin into the atmosphere. Opt for unbleached or chlorine-free bleached cotton sheets.
Chemical-Free Finishes
Some finishes, such as those to prevent stains and wrinkles, can release formaldehyde into the air. Choose unfinished sheets or those process with no chemicals.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Organic Mattresses
Check out this article in the Washington Post. Guess what - that smell in your memory foam mattress may not be good for you!! And our organic mattresses are the only latex mattresses that are Greenguard Certified and produced in a USDA certified facility
washingtonpost.com > Print Edition > Sunday Source
Eco Wise
Mattress Eco-Matters: Don't Take It Lying Down
Sunday, April 6, 2008; Page N02
Your mattress might be an environmental nightmare.
Most mattresses, as well as memory foam and egg-crate covers, are made with petroleum-based ingredients such as polyurethane foam, which can emit a strong smell because of organic solvents. And most also contain flame retardants, required by fire-safety laws but often harmful to human health. In 2005, toxic fireproofing chemicals called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were phased out of production, but some of their replacements are almost as bad, says Sonya Lunder, a senior analyst at the Environmental Working Group, a D.C.-based nonprofit organization.
Just how hazardous can a mattress -- or pad or pillow -- be? The answer might be enough to make you lose sleep. Regular tossing and turning causes a mattress's foam to break down, and the resulting dust can float into the air you breathe. A 2006 Consumer Product Safety Commission study estimated that the average adult sleeping on a conventional mattress will be exposed to 0.802 milligrams of antimony and 0.081 milligrams of boric acid -- which is commonly used to kill cockroaches -- every night. The report deems these amounts safe for those older than 5, but numerous studies have linked both substances to a host of adverse health effects at various doses, and the cumulative effect of daily exposure is unknown. In addition, a number of recent studies have detected PBDEs in household dust, including in homes in the D.C. area.
Of course, airborne toxins are ubiquitous, and mattresses are only one source. That said, if you're buying a new one, including those for infants, you should consider going chemical-free. On the market are several mattresses made with organic and non-toxic materials such as wool and latex from rubber trees -- both naturally fire-resistant, negating the need for chemical flameproofing. Though they aren't cheap, the cost to the environment of making them is less than the cost of traditional mattresses.
One option comes from green lifestyle impresario Danny Seo, who has developed a line of organic and bamboo home furnishings for JCPenney. His Simmons Natural Care mattresses (from $1,599, available late this month at JCPenney stores) have natural latex cores, soy-based foam and surfaces covered with Tencel, a fabric made from wood pulp. Eco-Green Living (1469 Church St. NW, 202-437-7110) also offers chemical-free, latex-based mattresses, as do such Web retailers as the Organic Mattress Store ( http://www.theorganicmattressstore.com), NaturalBedStore.com and Simply Organic Sleep ( http://www.simplyorganicsleep.com). Even such mainstream retailers as 1-800-Mattress offer natural mattresses from Vivetique and other brands.
It's good to remember, however, that anything bought new has an environmental footprint. Mattresses are large items that require energy to build and transport. And old mattresses are difficult to recycle in the area, although a dedicated mattress recycling facility is under construction in Frederick. "There is something to be said for keeping what you have and not creating more waste," Lunder says.
If you're concerned about toxins but not ready to replace your old mattress, you can take steps to improve indoor air quality:
· "It's difficult to gauge how much of the chemicals seep out, but it also depends on how you're protecting it," says Seo, who recommends a barrier cloth cover (made from tightly woven cotton and typically used for allergy protection) to keep some compounds from escaping.
· If a mattress or pillow is noticeably odoriferous, letting it air out in a shed for a few days will at least help keep the chemicals out of the bedroom, although they'll still be in the environment. "Avoiding things that stink" -- that new-foam smell -- "is a great rule of thumb for environmental health," Lunder says.
· Finally, stocking up on such houseplants as spider plants and ferns, which absorb airborne pollutants, can help you rest easier.
-- Eviana Hartman
washingtonpost.com > Print Edition > Sunday Source
Eco Wise
Mattress Eco-Matters: Don't Take It Lying Down
Sunday, April 6, 2008; Page N02
Your mattress might be an environmental nightmare.
Most mattresses, as well as memory foam and egg-crate covers, are made with petroleum-based ingredients such as polyurethane foam, which can emit a strong smell because of organic solvents. And most also contain flame retardants, required by fire-safety laws but often harmful to human health. In 2005, toxic fireproofing chemicals called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were phased out of production, but some of their replacements are almost as bad, says Sonya Lunder, a senior analyst at the Environmental Working Group, a D.C.-based nonprofit organization.
Just how hazardous can a mattress -- or pad or pillow -- be? The answer might be enough to make you lose sleep. Regular tossing and turning causes a mattress's foam to break down, and the resulting dust can float into the air you breathe. A 2006 Consumer Product Safety Commission study estimated that the average adult sleeping on a conventional mattress will be exposed to 0.802 milligrams of antimony and 0.081 milligrams of boric acid -- which is commonly used to kill cockroaches -- every night. The report deems these amounts safe for those older than 5, but numerous studies have linked both substances to a host of adverse health effects at various doses, and the cumulative effect of daily exposure is unknown. In addition, a number of recent studies have detected PBDEs in household dust, including in homes in the D.C. area.
Of course, airborne toxins are ubiquitous, and mattresses are only one source. That said, if you're buying a new one, including those for infants, you should consider going chemical-free. On the market are several mattresses made with organic and non-toxic materials such as wool and latex from rubber trees -- both naturally fire-resistant, negating the need for chemical flameproofing. Though they aren't cheap, the cost to the environment of making them is less than the cost of traditional mattresses.
One option comes from green lifestyle impresario Danny Seo, who has developed a line of organic and bamboo home furnishings for JCPenney. His Simmons Natural Care mattresses (from $1,599, available late this month at JCPenney stores) have natural latex cores, soy-based foam and surfaces covered with Tencel, a fabric made from wood pulp. Eco-Green Living (1469 Church St. NW, 202-437-7110) also offers chemical-free, latex-based mattresses, as do such Web retailers as the Organic Mattress Store ( http://www.theorganicmattressstore.com), NaturalBedStore.com and Simply Organic Sleep ( http://www.simplyorganicsleep.com). Even such mainstream retailers as 1-800-Mattress offer natural mattresses from Vivetique and other brands.
It's good to remember, however, that anything bought new has an environmental footprint. Mattresses are large items that require energy to build and transport. And old mattresses are difficult to recycle in the area, although a dedicated mattress recycling facility is under construction in Frederick. "There is something to be said for keeping what you have and not creating more waste," Lunder says.
If you're concerned about toxins but not ready to replace your old mattress, you can take steps to improve indoor air quality:
· "It's difficult to gauge how much of the chemicals seep out, but it also depends on how you're protecting it," says Seo, who recommends a barrier cloth cover (made from tightly woven cotton and typically used for allergy protection) to keep some compounds from escaping.
· If a mattress or pillow is noticeably odoriferous, letting it air out in a shed for a few days will at least help keep the chemicals out of the bedroom, although they'll still be in the environment. "Avoiding things that stink" -- that new-foam smell -- "is a great rule of thumb for environmental health," Lunder says.
· Finally, stocking up on such houseplants as spider plants and ferns, which absorb airborne pollutants, can help you rest easier.
-- Eviana Hartman
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