Sleeping mats used by childcare centres have been found to contain toxic flame-retardant chemicals, according to an Indiana University study. Researchers found that replacing older mats with new, greener brands could reduce chemicals in dust by as much as 90%. The study, published online on Monday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, is one of several studies showing how changing a child’s environment can help them grow up healthier. The study was a small pilot, sampling only seven child-care centers in neighborhoods from the University District and Wallingford, to South Seattle and the Central District. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission last year urged the public to avoid the organohalogens class of fire-retardant chemicals that were found in the centres.
Sleeping mats used by childcare centres have been found to contain toxic flame-retardant chemicals, according to an Indiana University study. Researchers found that replacing older mats with new, greener brands could reduce chemicals in dust by as much as 90%. The study, published online on Monday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, is one of several studies showing how changing a child’s environment can help them grow up healthier. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission last year urged the public to avoid the organohalogens class of fire-retardant chemicals that were found in the centres.