A new study has found children’s mattresses may contain toxic chemicals.
Published on Tuesday, April 15 in the Environmental Science & Technology journal, the study examined the levels of “chemicals of concern” present in young children’s bedrooms. In a follow-up study to determine the origin of chemicals, researchers found new mattresses to be a significant source.
Senior study author Miriam Diamond, a professor in the Earth Sciences Department at the University of Toronto, said her team examined the sleeping environments of 25 children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years old. In doing so, researchers “found worrisome levels of more than two dozen phthalates, flame retardants and UV filters,” Diamond said — all chemicals that are proven to be harmful to brain development.
The harmful chemicals were most concentrated around the bed area, the study found. The companion study, which sought to determine why, found that children’s new mattresses in particular exhibit high concentrations of such chemicals, which is exacerbated when the child’s body warmth and weight is present.
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The study was conducted in Toronto and Ontario, and researchers told CNN the mattress brands — though unlisted in the study — were common, lower-cost options at major retail stores.
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Reducing exposure includes little fixes, like frequently washing bedding and toys — both of which serve as a barrier of sorts between direct contact with the mattress. However, because items like pillows or toys are often vessels in which the chemicals are absorbed, the study also recommended limiting the amount of items on the bed.
Yet, the larger solution to the issue is lobbying for regulation reform, the study concluded. Parents can mitigate the issue, but if on a legal level regulations are lax or unenforced, exposure to some degree remains inevitable.
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