Crib mattresses have been found to emit toxic chemicals while children sleep, according to a new study. University of Toronto researchers found “worrisome levels of more than two dozen phthalates, flame retardants and UV filters” in the mattresses they tested. Photo courtesy of Max Pixel
Crib mattresses have been found to emit toxic chemicals while children sleep, according to a new study, and could lead to developmental and hormonal disorders years later.
The study, published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, found the highest levels of plastic chemicals and flame retardants located near children’s beds, according to University of Toronto researchers.
“We measured chemicals in the air of 25 children’s bedrooms between the ages of 6 months and 4 years and found worrisome levels of more than two dozen phthalates, flame retardants and UV filters,” said senior study author Miriam Diamond, a professor in the Earth Sciences Department at the University of Toronto. “Our study found high levels of phthalates that are restricted in toys, but not in mattresses.”
A second phase of the study, which tested 16 new children’s mattresses, also discovered that the warmth and weight of the sleeping child on the mattress increased the off-gassing of toxins.
“They found that even something as simple as a child’s body heat and weight on a mattress can increase the release of toxic chemicals into the air they breathe while sleeping — a factor that current safety standards don’t consider,” said Jane Houlihan, research director for Healthy Babies, Bright Futures.
“We found higher degassing when you heated it up, which makes complete sense. And when you add heat and the body weight, so you’re pressing down, that’s when you got the highest emissions on top of the mattress,” Diamond added.
Phthalates has been associated with reproductive problems, asthma, childhood obesity, ADHD, cardiovascular issues, cancer and premature deaths, according to research.
Researchers say there are a number of things parents can do to reduce outgassing exposure, including airing new baby products and mattresses outside in the sunlight for several weeks before bringing them into contact with a child.
They also recommend minimizing extra items in the crib, such as stuffed animals, and washing sleep clothing and bedding often.
“The sheets and sleeper act as a very effective barrier,” Diamond said. “And the cleaner the sheet or clothing is, the more the chemicals can go from the source right into the sheet, or the sleeper.”
While the study did not mention mattress brands, all of the tested mattresses were purchased in Canada. The mattresses also contained materials from the United States and Mexico, which included plasticizers and flame retardants, with many exceeding regulatory limits.
“The results show that parents can’t shop their way out of the problem,” said Houlihan. “The mattresses tested emitted toxic chemicals regardless of their price, materials or country of origin. And some contained additives above legal limits.”
Some of the retardants and plastics found in the tested mattresses are banned by Health Canada for use in products made for children under the age of three.
“Have you ever had an old vinyl something and it cracks around the edges?” Diamond asked. “The reason why it’s cracking around the edges is because the plasticizer is leaving the polymer and in the case of sleeping, it’s going into the air and it’s going into us.”
