I feel as though there is an awful lot of information out there about things that are probably quite bad for us (forever chemicals, phthalates, BPA etc etc) but trying to find 'healthier' alternatives on a budget is a minefield. I recently spent several days wading through lists of mattresses that don't contain chemical flame retardants (mostly costing thousands of pounds) before almost accidentally discovering that Silentnight do them at normal prices. I'm now researching the formaldehyde emissions of laminate flooring to try and find the lowest one, and trying to decide if that is better or worse than carpet for VOCs...
I'm fully aware that I'm a bit obsessive and most people probably don't give a second thought to this stuff, but if anyone else is like me and has wasted hours down these rabbit holes, maybe we could share some tips and save each other some time?
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Share your tips for a 'non-toxic' house
Lullabybutterfly · 17/03/2023 13:36
EffortlessDesmond · 17/03/2023 20:24
I had massive moth problems with 100% wool carpets last year, and now have moth infestation in sweaters. So wool may be natural, but it brings its own issues.
Lullabybutterfly · 17/03/2023 13:36
I feel as though there is an awful lot of information out there about things that are probably quite bad for us (forever chemicals, phthalates, BPA etc etc) but trying to find 'healthier' alternatives on a budget is a minefield. I recently spent several days wading through lists of mattresses that don't contain chemical flame retardants (mostly costing thousands of pounds) before almost accidentally discovering that Silentnight do them at normal prices. I'm now researching the formaldehyde emissions of laminate flooring to try and find the lowest one, and trying to decide if that is better or worse than carpet for VOCs...
I'm fully aware that I'm a bit obsessive and most people probably don't give a second thought to this stuff, but if anyone else is like me and has wasted hours down these rabbit holes, maybe we could share some tips and save each other some time?
FAQs - Your safety questions answered | Silentnight
Frquently asked questions about our product testing process and safety standards. Learn about the checks we do to ensure your product is safe to use.
https://www.silentnight.co.uk/help/faq/safety
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Pocketfullofdogtreats · 17/03/2023 19:27
Just a word about fire retardants - DH looped our front room curtains around the wall lights so they were out of the way while he painted the skirting boards and then switched the lights on! Wondered what the funny smell was! So I am very pleased that my lovely curtains (from the Natural Curtain Company) have fire-retardants.
melinab · 05/07/2023 06:18
When looking at the Silentnight website they say that they DO in fact use chemical fire retardants.
"Are your beds flammability tested?UK law requires manufacturers to ensure that foam used in their products undergoes a fire-retardant treatment in order to comply with life-saving safety regulations. The Silentnight Group introduced our own in-house testing laboratory back in 1980 and to this day, to the best of our knowledge, we remain the only UK Bed Manufacturer to operate our own facilities. Our laboratory carries out detailed tests across all of our products to ensure our customers purchase products which are not only of outstanding quality and great value, but are totally safe in their homes."
https://www.silentnight.co.uk/help/faq/safety
Also, they are wrong. The law does not require that products undergo fire-retardant treatment - they need to undergo fire retardant testing. There is one company that claims to achieve that without added chemicals.
https://www.ecosofa.co.uk/
They are not cheap but they do claim that they have no added chemicals to their soft furniture.
Lullabybutterfly · 17/03/2023 13:36
I feel as though there is an awful lot of information out there about things that are probably quite bad for us (forever chemicals, phthalates, BPA etc etc) but trying to find 'healthier' alternatives on a budget is a minefield. I recently spent several days wading through lists of mattresses that don't contain chemical flame retardants (mostly costing thousands of pounds) before almost accidentally discovering that Silentnight do them at normal prices. I'm now researching the formaldehyde emissions of laminate flooring to try and find the lowest one, and trying to decide if that is better or worse than carpet for VOCs...
I'm fully aware that I'm a bit obsessive and most people probably don't give a second thought to this stuff, but if anyone else is like me and has wasted hours down these rabbit holes, maybe we could share some tips and save each other some time?
Cottonsafe® Natural Mattress
Cottonsafe® mattress fabric is 100% natural, 100% biodegradable and 100% sustainable. Natural mattresses made with natural materials which are biodegradable or recyclable.
https://www.cottonsafenaturalmattress.co.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAjws9ipBhB1EiwAccEi1ICj1Qo6_7TjOjcP8P7R_HY2RMd-3z7ZeDASkvGXatjxnkg6u2qwlRoC67MQAvD_BwE
melinab · 23/10/2023 20:58
Hi all, tomorrow is the deadline for the consultation that the UK government is making on Flame Retardants in Furniture. So far the UK has been unique in that it has required furniture to be tested for fire safety by testing each component alone - i.e. foam should be separately flame retardant, fabric should be separately flame retardant and so on. This strict requirement has resulted in the need for tons of toxic flame retardants in furniture. Other countries require the whole piece of furniture (as a whole) to be fire retardant which can be achieved by barrier methods between the foam and the outside, for example.
Unfortunately, the current proposal (the first document) does not deviate much from the previous regulations as it still requires that foam be tested separately in addition to the whole furniture not catching on fire quickly. Since foam is essentially in every piece of furniture, this doesn't lead to much change and most furniture will require a lot of chemical fire retardants.
Flame retardants are toxic - they increase risk of cancer, neurological issues, especially in kids, . While baby furniture is excluded (but not single beds) - kids are all over couches and other upholstered furniture.
Their use in saving lives from fire are debatable - there is evidence that if a furniture laden with flame retardants burns in a fire it may slow the fire for 15 seconds but it releases so many toxic chemicals that you may die anyways. Fire fighters are at much higher risk of cancer, for example.
Please go to the consultation page and write your opinion - it can be done online. Question 7 is the one that wants your opinion on whether foam should be tested separately. We don't have ANY evidence that such extra strictness saves more lives. But we know for sure that when 65 million people are exposed to those chemicals we definitely hurt people.
Please opine - last link in this post.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/24/massachusetts-flame-retardants-firefighters-safety-cancer#:~:text=The%20Massachusetts%20legislature%20approved%20a,it%20die%20without%20signing%20it.
https://www.breastcanceruk.org.uk/app/uploads/2019/08/Background_Briefing_Flame_retardants_21.9.17_IS_nw.pdf
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/smarter-regulation-fire-safety-of-domestic-upholstered-furniture
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