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California Mother Speaks Out Against Environmental Working Group Study

Mother Rejects Anti-Fire Retardant Groups and Embraces Fire Safety

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Elizabeth Perrott, mother and member of the medical community, spoke out against the Environmental Working Group's new study that discourages the use of fire retardants, because of the undetermined negative effects it may have on children. "As a mother, my children and their safety are my number one priority, which is why I am very concerned about the recent outcry toward fire retardants," said Perrott.

Perrott raised concerns that this kind of study would incite fear in mothers about the safety of fire retardants without due cause. "The fact is that fire retardants save lives," said Perrott. The Environmental Working Group's (EWG) study looks at the concentration of fire retardants in mothers and children, noting that concentrations were higher in children than in their mothers. However, the study fails to mention the countless other chemicals that are found in varying concentrations in both children and adults. The study names DECA as a chemical of high concern because it is a "heavily used flame retardant." The study does not mention that DECA is the most widely used flame retardant because it is the most widely studied and understood flame retardant on the market. State legislatures across the nation continue to affirm the safety and effectiveness of DECA, despite numerous attempts by environmental agencies to ban its use.

What proponents of these kinds of bans fail to realize is that the fire retardants are crucial to public health and safety. Without adequate fire protection, many of the household items we use on a daily basis become dangerously vulnerable to ignition. "I should not have to worry about having my home go up in flames because of a simple candle or match because my furniture hasn't been properly fire retarded," explained Perrott.

Last week the California Senate struck down AB 706, a recent attempt by the Friends of the Earth to ban fire retardants in furniture. Proponents of the bill had mischaracterized the benefits and risks of these fire safety tools and focused on a campaign based on flawed science and raising unjustified fears about the safety of these products.

All children should be able to live in a world without burn scars, and we should do everything possible to ensure that the likelihood of this kind of emotional and physical scarring is as uncommon as possible.

"Before we start advocating the removal of something that saves lives on the basis of unfounded science, let's take a closer look at some of those who would suffer the most. As a mother, I stand behind fire retardants and the lives they save," said Perrot.

Fire advocacy group, Citizens for Fire Safety, recently conducted a test that exemplifies the effectiveness of fire retardants in furniture. Two couches were burned -- one treated with fire retardants and one without -- the couch that was properly fire protected barely smoldered and the other ignited in seconds. Video of the couch burn, and copies of the study, can found at http://www.cffsi.org/.

For more information on this issue, please visit http://www.cffsi.org/.