Researchers were shocked by chemicals found in the body of the average American. They found flame retardant they have never seen before in the bodies of Americans.
The state of California has recently loosened its regulations on flame retardants in products such as furniture, Headlines and Global News reported. They hope this will cut down on the number of retardants found in the human body.
"It disturbs me that Californians have cancer-causing flame retardants in their bodies. Another recent study showed San Francisco firefighters had higher flame retardant levels in their blood than the general population of California. We feel that these chemicals are a very large piece of a toxic, complex chemical puzzle we encounter when fighting a fire," said Tony Stefani, President of the San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation.
The chemical found in the study is called TCEP. It can cause cancer, harm the nervous system and productive system as well.
"We found that several toxic flame retardants are in people's bodies. When you sit on your couch, you want to relax, not get exposed to chemicals that may cause cancer," said lead author, Robin Dodson. "Some flame retardants have been targeted for phase out, but unfortunately there are others that have largely been under the radar."
TCEP biomarkers were found in the urine of 75 California residents. Six different chemical biomarkers were found in many of the study participants as well.
"This study provides more evidence that our homes are a primary source of exposure to toxic flame retardants," said Julia Brody, Executive Director and Senior Scientist at Silent Spring Institute.
Tech Times reported researchers hope the new findings of this study will urge manufacturers to produce items without flame retardant. They documented the dangers of using these chemicals in furniture and other items.
Researchers hope the "stupid use of a chemical" does not harm any more Americans. After all, the chemical does not prevent any household fires.
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