Environmental and Public Health ImpactsAnd

Opportunities for Businesses to Reduce Their Use

Speakers: Roger McFadden, Staples, Inc ,

Judy Levin, Center for Environmental Health

Kathryn Rodgers, Silent Spring Institute

.

FLAME RETARDANTS

Center for Environmental Health (CEH)

Advisory Group Members

Jean Hansen: HDR Architects, Senior Professional Associate,

Sustainable Interiors Manager

Roger McFadden: Staples, Senior Scientist, Vice President

Howard Williams: Construction Specialties, Vice President-

General Manager

Brian Smith: Multnomah County Oregon, Purchasing Manager

Chris McGough: Fairfax County (Virginia), Green Purchasing

Program

Susan Chemerynski Wason: Harvard University, Research

Fellow: Department of Environmental Health at Harvard School of

Public Health

Webinar Overview

1. Flame Retardant Chemical Concerns

Human and Environmental Health Hazards

Lack of Fire Safety Benefit2. Changing Regulations-Opportunity

for Change3. Leveraging Your Purchasing Power4. Questions and Answers

What are flame retardants? Human and environmental health

hazards of flame retardants

Lack of fire safety benefit

What are the Concerns?

Flame Retardants

What are flame retardants?Inhibit ignition or spread of flames

Where are flame retardants used?ElectronicsBuilding InsulationFoam FurnitureWires and Cabling

Flame Retardant Chemicals

Many flame retardants are:

Persistent

Bioaccumulative

Toxic

Carcinogens

Mutagens

Reproductive

Toxicants

7

Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (1976)

Most Chemicals in the U.S. are Not Regulated

62,000 chemicals in commerce “grandfathered”• EPA has regulated only five chemicals

2,000 new chemicals enter market each year• No environmental or health data required • 85% lack data on chemical health effects

Burden of proof on EPA to prove chemical is harmful

Flame Retardants Are Ubiquitous

Slide courtesy of Green Science Policy Institute

How are We Exposed?

Inhalation or ingestion of contaminated dust particles

Ingestion from food, especially meat and dairy

Occupational ExposureUnique to Children Absorption across the placenta Breast milk Frequent hand-to-mouth activity

Flame Retardants: At Home and Work

WORK HOME

Indoor Air Quality

Most Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors.

Indoor air can have higher levels of pollutants than outside levels.

Impacts health, comfort, well being, and productivity

Brominated Flame Retardants in Offices in MI (2010)

“BFRs are now ubiquitous contaminants with large reservoirs and high concentrations in buildings.”

“The widespread distribution of BFRs found in offices in both new and old buildings suggests the significance of workplace exposures, the need for controls to minimize human exposure, intra-building migration, and environmental releases of these chemicals…”

Environ Int. 2010 Aug;36(6):548-56. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2010.04.008. Epub 2010 May 18.

Batterman S, Godwin C, Chernyak S, Jia C, Charles S.

Flame Retardants in MA Offices (2013)

Chlorinated Tris was present in 99% of dust samples taken from participants’ homes, vehicles and offices. Widespread presence of this flame retardant in the indoor environment.

Environment International, Volume 55,May 2013, Pages 56-61

Health Effects of Flame Retardants

Neurodevelopmental EffectsDecreased memory and learning

Reduced IQ

Hyperactivity Diabetes

Cancer

Endocrine System DisruptionObesity

Chemicals that mimic estrogen

Alters thyroid hormone

Reproductive ToxicantDecreased fertility

Decreased birth weight

Decreased sperm quality

Occupational Exposures

Fire Fighters/First Responders

FRC Manufacturing Workers

Foam Workers (manufacturers, installers and recyclers)

Gymnasts

Lack of Fire Safety Benefit

No significant difference in fire growth between foam with flame retardants formulated to pass TB 117 and untreated foam. Source: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards.

Chairs with flame retardant foam offered no practically significant difference than those without FR-treated foam. Source: CPSC, 2012.

Additional Considerations

Presence of automatic fire

sprinklers in buildings

People not allowed to smoke

No fire data supports need

for flame retardant

chemicals in office furniture

Flame Retardants May Make Fires Less Survivable

Data Source: Chandra Jayakody, et al. J. Fire Sciences, Vol. 18, pp 430-455, 2000

16

19

413

833

(m2/kg) (kg/kg) (kg/kg)

0.02

0.13

0.01

0.88

FIRES IN DORMITORIES, FRATERNITIES, SORORITIES AND BARRACKS

Approximately 3,810 fires in dorms, fraternities, sororities/barracks

Leading causes of these fires: Cooking equipment (84%) Smoking materials Heating equipment Playing with a heat source Electrical distribution and lighting equipment2 deaths and 30 injuries nationally (causes

not reported)

Source: NFPA Study 2013

Fires in Health Care Facilities

2006-2010

Roughly 1,430/year in hospitals/hospices

Leading causes include:• Cooking equipment (largest %)• Dryers• Arson• Smoking materials• Heating equipment• Electrical distribution/lighting equipment• Playing with heat sources

** NO reported fire deaths or injuries from furniture. **Source: National Fire Protection Agency 2012

Furniture Flammability Regulations

Technical Bulletin 117• Small open flame test for

filling inside upholstered furniture

Technical Bulletin 133• Severe, large open flame

test for seating in “public occupancies”

• Voluntary if building is fully sprinklered

New California Furniture Standard: TB 117-2013

Addresses leading cause of fires

Reflects real life fire scenarios

Can meet with smolder proof fabrics and barrier if needed

Governor Brown Announces New Standards to Reduce Toxic Chemicals in Furniture

November 21, 2013

Beginning January 1, 2014, manufacturers may begin

manufacturing to the new standards. They will have a year to complete the

transition and must come into full

mandatory compliance on January 1, 2015”

ComparisonTB 117 vs. 117-2013

TB 117 TB 117-2013Small Open Flame Standard

Smolder Standard (largest cause of fires and deaths)

Does Not Reflect Real Life Fire Scenarios

Reflects Real Life Fire Scenarios

Typically met with flame retardant chemicals

Can be met without use of flame retardant chemicals

Exempts 3 baby products

Exempts 15 baby products

Technical Bulletin 133

Seating Furniture for Public Buildings or Assembly Areas CA includes:Hospitals, health care facilities, nursing homes, board and care homes, convalescent homes Jails, prisons, penal institutionsStadiums, auditoriums, Public assembly areas of hotels/motels.

Key Comparisons TB 133 vs. TB 117-2013

TECHNICAL BULLETIN 133

TECHNICAL BULLETIN 117-2013

Addresses public buildings or public assembly areas

Non- public occupancy or assembly buildings OR those public occupancy buildings that are fully sprinklered

Large Open Flame Test Smolder TestTypically met with FRs in fabric, foam and/or barrier materials

Can be met without FRs

More expensive to meet than TB 117-2013

Less expensive to meet than TB 133

Entities Known to Reference CA RegulationsOhio- Public Buildings must comply with TB 133 (no exceptions for sprinklers)

Illinois-Public Buildings must comply with TB 133 unless fully sprinklered, then may comply with TB117 and TB 116

Massachusetts Rules (527 CMR 29)

In fully sprinkled building, spaces may meet TB-117 OR TB-133

In building not fully sprinkled, spaces must meet TB-133

Regulated Spaces:Assembly (A), Educational (E), Institutional (I), and Residential (R):R1 – public/enclosed spaces in space of transient nature, e.g. hotelR2 – public spaces in apartment houses, dormitories (more than 2 units) R5 – enclosed spaces in group residence (12 people max) for impaired people

(all defined in 780 CMR 3)

Boston Rules (BFD IX-10)

All regulated spaces must meet TB-133, regardless of sprinklers

Regulated Spaces:Assembly (A), Educational (E), Institutional (I), and Residential (R):R1 – public/enclosed spaces of transient nature, e.g. hotelR2 – public spaces in apartment houses, dormitories (more than 2 units) R5 – enclosed spaces in group residence (12 people max) for impaired people

(all defined in 780 CMR 3)

Boston Rules - Update

As of 4/1/14 seating in “Business” and “Mercantile” spaces no longer regulated

*EXCEPT:

B and M spaces with no sprinklers, and R above

B and M spaces with A occupancy load > 49 people

Temporary structure with open flame (candles, cooking)

Staples Leadership & Engagement

Staples seeks to offer organizations of all sizes products that are inherently safer for human and environmental health and that address environmental impacts throughout their lifecycle.

Chemicals of Concern

Hexavalent Chromium

Formaldehyde

Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs)

PVC (vinyl)

Heavy Metals

Nonyl phenol ethoxylates

Phthalates

Bisphenol A

Triclosan

Today’s focus is Flame Retardants due to

regulation change

Other chemicals of concern in the market

Market is Moving

Consumer awareness is growing – Chicago Tribune

“Playing with Fire”, social media and crowd sourcing.

Business customers are beginning to ask for flame

retardant free furniture in their RFPs.

Architectural / Design Firms are requesting HPDs

Living Building Challenge raises the bar

BIFMA and BIFMA members are supportive

Flame Retardant free foam furniture already exists

Suppliers Are Important In Helping Meet Our GoalsWe challenge and ask our suppliers to:

• Consider chemicals of high concern like flame retardants to be pollutants or contaminants;

• Consider direct and indirect chemical exposure to vulnerable sub-populations including children, women of child-bearing age and workers;

• Consider life cycle impacts of chemicals including harmful degradation and combustion by-products;

• Consider full life-cycle costing including externalities when making a product;

• Apply green chemistry/green engineering principles into their product design or product re-design whenever possible.

Health Product Declaration (HPD)Promoting Transparency

Changing Supplier BehaviorLessons Learned

• Be clear with suppliers about what you want. Suppliers are looking for ways to differentiate themselves and bring you value. The best in class will cooperate and collaborate.

• Be fair with suppliers and provide them reasonable time to meet your expectations, but don’t allow them to use this to stall or delay taking action.

• Don’t be deterred or obstructed by “status quo”. Be willing to look at new options.

Safer Chemicals, Materials and Products Benefits For Everyone

• Workers that make and/or use them;

• Firefighters that are exposed to them;

• Suppliers that sell them;

• Logistics that transport them;

• Consumers that buy and use them;

• Our children that inherit them.

PURCHASER STRATEGY ADVISORY GROUP TOOLS

FR Free Products Purchaser Preference

Letter to Suppliers Talking Points for

Supplier Meetings RFI / RFP / Contract

Language

Fact sheet

NEXT STEPS Engage others! Build awareness re: value of transitioning

to less toxic products (CEH can help) Screen current product inventory for

chemicals of concern Send letter or meet with suppliers:

Express preference & ask for their help in meeting your toxic reduction objectives

Explore / develop environmentally preferable purchasing policies

Find out your org’s. furniture contract timeframe

Sign the pledge

CELEBRATE !!!

QUESTIONS?

Judy Levin Roger McFaddenCEH Staples, Inc.Pollution Prevention Co-Director Senior Scientist, VP (510) 655-3900 ext. 316 (303) 862-0421

judy@ceh.org roger.mcfadden@staples.com

Kathryn Rodgers

Silent Spring Institute

Research Asst.

(617) 332-4288 ext. 225

rodgers@silentspring.org