High Levels of Flame Retardant Chemicals in California Children (Premium)

Due in part to lax laws in Calfornia limiting use of flame retardant chemicals in furniture, there has been growing concern about the effect on children. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), which are used as flame retardants, have been found to be higher in residents of California than of other parts of the U.S.

A new study compared levels in Latino children born and raised in California with those in raised in Mexico. On average, PBDE serum concentrations in the California Mexican-American children were three times higher than their mothers’ levels during pregnancy and seven times higher than concentrations in the children living in Mexico.