Are Chemical Flame Retardants Unhealthy? The Toxic Tradeoff

They’re in your mattress. Your baby’s car seat. Your couch, your electronics, even the dust on your floor. Flame retardants are marketed as a fire safety essential, quietly added to everyday products to slow the spread of flames. But growing research suggests these chemicals may be doing far more harm than good.

To better understand the risks, we asked pediatrician Dr. Arthur Lavin, M.D., for his perspective. His warning is clear: flame retardants “do the opposite of what was intended,” exposing people– especially children – to serious health risks without reliably improving fire safety. And because these chemicals aren’t tightly bound to the products they’re in, they don’t stay put.

In this post, we’ll explore what flame retardants are, where they’re used, what the science really says about their risks, and how you can reduce your family’s exposure.

Flame retardants are a group of chemicals added to materials like foam, fabric, plastic, and insulation to slow the spread of fire. You’ll find them in everything from sofas and mattresses to car seats, electronics, and building materials. Their purpose is to reduce flammability, but that protection comes at a cost.

These chemicals rose to prominence in the 1970s, when flammability standards were introduced in response to the growing use of polyurethane foam, a material that burns fast and hot, in furniture manufacturing. As Naturepedic Founder Barry Cik, an environmental engineer, puts it, “Companies started adding petroleum to almost everything. Natural fibers aren’t nearly as flammable, but petroleum is much cheaper.”

Instead of implementing safer materials or better product design, many manufacturers turned to chemical flame retardants as a quick fix. The result? Flame retardants became ubiquitous in household products – and in our bodies. It’s not just one chemical, either; it’s an entire category. Common types include:

• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), once widely used, now largely phased out due to health concerns
• Organophosphates, used as replacements for PBDEs, but linked to similar risks
• Antimony compounds, classified as possible carcinogens
• Halogenated flame retardants, which can persist in the environment and accumulate in the body

We asked Dr. Arthur Lavin, M.D., to weigh in. “When we talk about flame retardant chemicals,” he told us, “the first thing that usually comes to mind is the dread of our child’s pajamas catching on fire and the ability of these chemicals to keep flames at bay. But sadly that is not the full story of flame retardants. These hemicals that cause more harm than good.”

And flame retardants aren’t just in specialty fire gear or rare-use items. They’re in the everyday products that surround your family, and most people have no idea.

For chemicals with such a widespread presence (and such serious health concerns), you’d think the fire safety benefits would be undeniable. But the evidence tells a different story.

Flame retardants may delay ignition by a few seconds, but they don’t actually prevent fires from spreading. And in many cases, they may make fires more dangerous. According to Dr. Lavin, “They cannot really stop a fire from spreading across a house or dwelling.”

What’s more, when items treated with these chemicals do burn, they release highly toxic gases like carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide. These are among the leading causes of fire-related deaths. So, what began as a well-meaning attempt to save lives has, in many ways, backfired.

“To put it simply,” Dr. Lavin says, “flame retardant chemicals do the opposite of what was intended.”

Even if a fire never starts, flame retardants can still pose serious threats, because these chemicals don’t stay put. They migrate out of products over time, collecting in household dust, indoor air and even the bodies of the people living in those homes.

“These compounds are not chemically attached to these plastics and textiles,” Dr. Lavin explains, “so they off-gas into the air we breathe all day long.”

Once flame retardants enter your home, they don’t just stay in the couch or mattress – they end up in you. Studies have detected flame retardants in:

• Breast milk
• Umbilical cord blood
• Household dust
• Drinking water
• Fatty foods like meat and dairy

That means exposure can begin even before birth and continue throughout a child’s development.

Young children are especially vulnerable. They breathe more air per pound of body weight, spend more time on the floor where dust accumulates and are more likely to put objects in their mouths. Their developing bodies and brains are more sensitive to hormone disruption and chemical exposure.

“They act like hormones,” says Dr. Lavin, “and disrupt thyroid, estrogen and other hormonal functions.” He adds that exposure during pregnancy and early childhood is “clearly associated with increased risk of developing autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and learning disorders.”

So what happens after prolonged exposure to these chemicals? Research continues to reveal troubling links between flame retardants and a wide range of health issues. Exposure to flame retardants has been linked to:

• Hormone and thyroid disruption
• Impaired fertility and reproductive issues
• Neurological impacts, including ADHD and lower IQ
• Asthma and allergies
• Increased cancer risk

These aren’t minor concerns. They’re chronic, life-altering conditions that can affect families for generations.

Flame retardants don’t just linger in your home, but persist in the environment as well. These chemicals can accumulate in wildlife, contaminate water sources and resist breakdown for years. Some even transform into more toxic substances over time, compounding the problem.

While we wait for stronger regulations and industry reform, there’s a lot you can do to limit your family’s exposure to flame retardants, starting right at home. We asked Dr. Arthur Lavin for practical advice. Here’s what he recommends:

In some ways, yes, but there’s still a long way to go.

Over the past two decades, growing awareness and public pressure have led to important regulatory shifts. Harmful chemicals like PBDEs have been banned or phased out in the U.S., Canada, the EU and under the Stockholm Convention globally. States like California have updated flammability standards, most notably with TB117-2013, to allow furniture to meet safety guidelines without chemical flame retardants.

But even as older flame retardants are phased out, new ones often take their place, sometimes with little or no data on their long-term safety. Many of these “replacement” chemicals are structurally similar and may carry similar risks. As Dr. Lavin puts it, “We still allow these chemicals to be placed in products we touch and use every day – especially our children’s products.”

The best path forward combines smarter regulation with more informed choices. That means:

• Supporting brands that are transparent about their materials
• Choosing naturally fire-resistant fabrics like wool and organic cotton
• Advocating for stronger labeling requirements and safer chemical policies

Because protecting your family’s health shouldn’t require a chemistry degree. And fire safety shouldn’t come with a hidden cost.