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Leo3
   
Joined: May 3, 2008
Points: 827
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Re: Foam Fire Retardant question... Budgy question or someone who knows
Reply #2 Feb 21, 2010 6:42 pm |
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I have read they do put fire retardants in SOME foams. I can't tell which ones since I do so much googling. I find this is a subject consumers do not seem to care much about, I do. I don't want formaldehyde or boric acid or who knows what in the chair, couch, mattresses, etc. The manufacturers don't care to enlighten the consumers on what exactly they do either. Really a pet peeve of mine.  Ignorance is not bliss.
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budgy
   
Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 830
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Re: Foam Fire Retardant question... Budgy question or someone who knows
Reply #3 Feb 21, 2010 11:03 pm |
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standard polyurethane foams do usually contain some flame retardants yes, however its not enough to make them pass testing. Formaldehyde really is the chemical of choice for most because it is cheap. Boric acid although it sounds really nasty is only mildly toxic, I agree I would prefer not to even have this in my mattress, but its not nearly as dangerous as formaldehyde. It actually occurs naturally in almost all fruits, taken from wiki: "Based on mammalian median lethal dose (LD 50) rating of 2,660 mg/kg body mass, boric acid is poisonous if taken internally or inhaled in large quantities. However, it is generally considered to be not much more toxic than table salt" Boric acid is only typically used in cotton batting, which is really no longer being used in mass production of upholstered goods. What you really don't want is formaldehyde or antimony fire barriers as these are highly toxic chemicals that can actually cross the blood/brain barrier. Most polyurethane foams and virtually all polyester coverings or polyester battings used in upholstery have some formaldehyde content.
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zzzombie

Joined: Mar 2, 2010
Points: 27
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Re: Foam Fire Retardant question... Budgy question or someone who knows
Reply #4 Mar 20, 2010 12:32 pm |
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Have to agree with budgy on Boric acid as a "flame retardant". Its about as toxic as table salt to humans. I would not object to it being in my mattress, because its much safer than many other flame retardant products on the market. The plus side to boric acid is a higher LD 50 toxicity to insects (bedbugs). Did some digging on Marquesa Lana Olefin. It fall into a class known as "Olefin fibers" Blended polyethylene and polypropylene fibers. http://www.fibersource.com/f-tutor/olefin.htm It is difficult to know for sure what additives they are using. I'm not a guru on FTC regulations, or if they require the mfg to disclose "flame retardant" additives used in melt spinning the fibers. Several related patents on olefin fibers suggest that "flame retardant" chemicals are used to treat these fibers. Noninflammable olefin fiber and method of producing same United States Patent 4193911 Nonflammable textile fibers and the process of producing such fibers, which fibers are composed of a polymer, such as an olefinic polymer, containing in combination a nonflammable amount of a trihydrate of aluminum oxide, preferably a silane-coated oxide, and a halogenated organic polyphosphonate compound or a halogenated organic compound or a combination of such halogenated compounds. Halogenated organic compound is a "broad term" which may include the nasty PDBE's. Another reference suggests that they are using "flame retardants" (This would especially be the case due to federal regulations for flamibility of mattresses.) Olefin fiber Fiber properties can be modified in a wide range with additives (e.g. UV-, thermal resistance, antibacterial, flame retardant).[5]
This message was modified Mar 20, 2010 by zzzombie
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