Toxic Chemicals in Crib Mattresses
Babies typically spend more than half of their days asleep, making their sleep environments critical to their health and wellbeing. Additionally, babies inhale more air relative to body mass[1] when compared to adults, which makes their developing systems even more vulnerable to gaseous chemicals found in their bedding and environment. In light of infants’ high susceptibility to harmful chemicals, it is important that their mattress is not a source of toxic exposures.
Ingredients of Concern
Some ingredients of concern that commonly show up in crib mattresses are:
Flame Retardants – Many crib mattresses utilize polyurethane foam and/or vinyl. Since the 1970s flame retardant chemicals have often been added to these materials to compensate for their high flammability.[2] The two major classes of flame retardants are halogenated flame retardants and organophosphorus flame retardants. Halogenated flame retardants chemicals are those containing chlorine, bromine, iodine, or fluorine; this class includes flame retardants sometimes referred to as brominated or chlorinated flame retardants.[3][4][5] Organophosphorus flame retardants are those containing phosphorous bonded to carbon.[3] The specific harmful impacts may depend based upon the variety used, but in general, chemical flame retardants have been associated with many ill effects. Animal studies have found connections between flame retardants and endocrine disruption,[5][6][7] altered neurodevelopment,[7][8][9] altered sexual development,[7][5] and thyroid dysfunction.[5] Because of the genetic and biological similarities between humans and animals, these studies can be important signals for the possible effects on humans. Human studies have linked flame retardants to negative effects such as endocrine disruption,[10] lower IQ,[11][12] hyperactivity,[13] fertility issues,[14][15] and cancer.[16] When it comes to crib mattresses, the impact on children is particularly of concern, as exposure to toxic substances, such as flame retardants, during critical windows of development can have long-lasting impacts on their health.[17] Furthermore, many flame retardant chemicals are persistent in the environment[18][3][19]20] and some are known to be toxic to aquatic life.[21] Lastly, the effectiveness of flame retardants has been met with skepticism, as they are often indiscriminately added to products where they are not truly necessary and moreover, they do not reduce fires by a substantial enough amount to outweigh the risks of their widespread use.[22]
Toxic Adhesives – Adhesives are used in lieu of traditional stitching to bind mattress materials together during manufacturing. N-propyl bromide or nPB (also known as 1-bromopropane or 1-BP), a popular adhesive, has been linked to neurotoxicity[23][24] and has been categorized as reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) due to sufficient evidence of cancer in animal studies.[25] In 2020, the EPA granted petitions to add nPB to the list of hazardous air pollutantsregulated under the Clean Air Act given its evidence of adverse health and environmental impacts, meaning its future use in the U.S. will be highly regulated and restricted.[26] Manufacturers have also been known to use other adhesive chemicals like hot melt adhesives, water-based adhesives, acetone adhesives, acrylate resins, and even formaldehyde. Due to the fact that adhesive formulations are often considered proprietary information (under trade secret laws), there is sadly little known about what exactly comprises most mattress glues, though the information that is available does not appear favorable from a toxicity standpoint.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – PFAS are a group of thousands of substances utilized for their ability to repel liquid, and may therefore also be used in the waterproofing of crib mattresses. Unfortunately, because PFAS chemicals are commonly used to treat the materials used to make the mattresses, you will not always find their use disclosed by the manufacturer or listed as an “ingredient” on the tag. This group of chemicals has been associated with numerous detrimental effects including endocrine disruption,[27][28][29][30][31] bioaccumulation,[32][33][34] and cancer.[35][36][37] In 2023, the International Agency for research on Cancer (IARC) finalized a significant re-evaluation of two major PFAS compounds, upgrading PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) to Group 1 (“Carcinogenic to humans”) and PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) to Group 2B (“Possibly carcinogenic to humans”).[38][39] While it is encouraging to see increased recognition of the harms caused by these chemicals, manufacturers have regrettably replaced PFOA and PFOS with other PFAS possessing similar properties, meaning they likely have comparable negative effects.[40]
Additionally, PFAS are water soluble and are highly persistent in the environment, making their presence in the world both ubiquitous and nearly irreversible.[40] They have been found to bioaccumulate in the environment—both terrestrially and aquatically—where they cause ecosystem harm indefinitely due to their lack of biodegradability.[41][42][43][44]
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) – Polyvinyl chloride, also known as vinyl or PVC, is sometimes used in crib mattresses to make them waterproof. From start to finish, it is one of the most toxic plastics for health and the environment. Vinyl chloride, the monomer used to produce PVC, has been linked to negative health effects like cancer[45][46][47][48] and reproductive and developmental harm.[48][49] The final PVC product may still contain residual vinyl chloride monomer from the manufacturing process. PVC is also associated with endocrine disruption as it is made using phthalates, which are known endocrine disruptors.[50] Finally, PVC is not biodegradable and highly resistant to decomposition under typical environmental conditions, contributing to pollution problems and environmental harm.[51]
Tips for Choosing a Crib Mattress
- Shop MADE SAFE or MADE WISE crib mattresses to ensure the product has been fully vetted for substances known or suspected to cause human and ecosystem harm.
- Beware of greenwashing. Many crib mattresses are advertised using phrases such as “natural” or “safe.” While not all products marketed in this way are harmful, you should always rely more heavily on what the product is made of rather than taking marketing claims at face-value.
- Bypass mattresses made with polyurethane foam or memory foam and instead, shop for bedding options that forgo the unnecessary chemical flame retardant treatments. Many natural materials like latex, wool, and cotton can meet national flammability standards without the use of chemical flame retardants.
- Select mattresses that either use traditional stitching methods to manufacture their mattresses, or find a mattress certified by a trusted third-party source like MADE SAFE or MADE WISE to ensure that any adhesives utilized are safe. Our certifications require the full disclosure of all material inputs, meaning there are no secret, unreviewed substances permitted in a product.
- Avoid mattresses that may have been treated with PFAS or other chemicals by steering clear of claims like “waterproof” or “stain resistant.” If a product is claiming that it is waterproof without disclosing how it is waterproof, that is most likely a red flag. You can always contact the company to ensure that the product has not been treated with PFAS.
- Do not purchase mattresses containing PVC/vinyl.
References
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[2] National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (2023). Flame Retardants. Accessed March 30, 2023. Retrieved from https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/flame_retardants/index.cfm
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