Quick Facts on Flameproof Mattresses

Chiropractors and Physicians can prescribe clean mattresses free of toxic chemicals under new law

New Government Risk Assessment Proves: 

• Toxic and cancer causing chemicals are required to flameproof mattresses (Gov. Table 1)
• These toxic chemicals leach through our sheets and are absorbed by our bodies
• We will absorb a daily dose of poisons of:
  .802 mg Antimony, .081 mg Boric Acid, .073 mg DBDPO (Gov. Table 16)

Children under age five were excluded from the risk assessment because they assumed all these children will be protected by a vinyl sheet over their mattresses, due to bed wetting problems. Crib and youth mattresses are also required to be flameproof. We know research proves that Antimony leaches through vinyl in crib mattresses. This Antimony is also linked to SIDS, though not yet conclusively proven.

There were many problems in the overly short risk assessment found by the independent reviewer. Primarily, the assumptions of safe levels of absorption of these toxins were unrealistic and do not agree with other agencies. Other toxic chemicals used to flameproof mattresses were not studied, including Formaldehyde, Silicon, and Ammonium Polyphosphate. It was proven Ammonium Polyphosphate leaches from mattresses in large quantities. We doubt our children absorbing this fertilizer will grow any better.

The innerspring mattress industry asked for and pushed for this law.

Mattresses are required to withstand a two foot wide blowtorch open flame for 70 seconds. The law passed 2/16/06 and is effective nationwide 7/1/07. The law has been in effect in California since 1/1/05.

Over half and growing of all new mattresses sold nationwide already contain toxic chemicals to meet the new law. All Californians now get toxic mattresses.

There are no labeling requirements of the chemicals in beds. Mattress makers almost always deny using chemicals, even though the government report, Table 1, proves them wrong.

Serta did admit using chemicals including Boric Acid to the Washington Post, but we have since seen them deny using chemicals to their customers.

These chemicals are already known to be acutely toxic; many accumulate in our bodies and also cause cancer. Boric Acid is used as Roach Killer, and is a known reproductive and developmental toxin. Antimony is almost identical to Arsenic, causes heart and lung damage. Plus much more!

The government optimistically hopes to save up to 270 people from fire annually, after all existing mattresses are replaced. With 300 million people in the U.S., this puts over one million people at risk from sleeping in known toxic chemicals, to save one from fire.

The new risk in our modern world is our exposure to toxic substances. The National Safety Council says 17,550 people die each year from “Accidental poisoning by and exposure to noxious substances," this number now exceeds deaths in car accidents.

Toxins from our mattresses are an extreme risk due to our full body and close breathing contact, 8 hours every day, for the rest of our and our children’s lives.

Many Doctors feel an ethical responsibility to protect their patients, and inform them of this risk.