The Ridiculous History of Flame Retardant Baby Mattresses

In the UK, all baby mattresses were legally required to be flame retardant under the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.

The British Government decided to make baby mattresses fireproof - yes, cover them with toxic chemicals that made the foam flame retardant.

Why did they do this? All because of a TV programme called That's Life. You couldn't make this up!

The That's Life Effect

That's Life was a very popular show that combined hard-hitting investigations with light entertainment and sometimes very funny events. We all loved it and trusted it - they had some great characters on it.

That's Life did an exposé highlighting the dangers of house fires being caused by smokers falling asleep on sofas!

These fires were devastating. The pictures were indeed shocking - all caused by a smoker falling asleep with a cigarette in their hand.

The That's Life programme really hit the headlines, and as a response, the UK Government introduced the Furniture and Furnishings Act in 1988. This law required all furniture foam and coverings to meet stringent flammability standards.

Obviously, to meet these standards, the foam had to be treated with flame retardant chemicals so it was less likely to ignite. Good so far?

What Do You Think? Happy?

To make foam flame retardant, they used chemicals called PBDEs (Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers).

I won't go into the detailed chemicals used in this flame retardant mixture, but components were made of some very questionable stuff offering potential health risks - especially when this flame retardant foam was used in products that came into contact with vulnerable babies and toddlers.

So you're way ahead of me: we were now putting babies on foam mattresses made with toxic chemicals!

My Fight Against This Insanity

I have to say I saw "red." I fought hard against these changes, supported by my colleagues in the industry, but to no avail.

I said we were putting babies - who are particularly vulnerable to chemical exposure because they spend so much time in their cots - on foam from which flame retardant chemicals would leach.

"I pointed out that by the time the baby's mattress had caught fire, the baby would already be in mortal danger from the smoke or flames elsewhere in the house."

I have to say my sense of humour didn't go down well when I pointed out that babies don't smoke in their cots and furthermore, parents and guardians don't use cribs or cots as an ashtray! So how is the mattress going to catch fire?

The UK - Alone in This Madness

It's worth noting that no other country in Europe adopted our standards - they refused to put their babies on toxic flame retardant foam. We were all part of the EU at that time and supposedly had the same standards. But they weren't joining us in this nonsense!

Finally - Victory After 35 Years!

I'm delighted to say that after over 30 years of battering the Government, they've agreed that baby products will no longer need to be flame retardant with these toxic chemicals.

Our UK Government has now agreed that lying babies on toxic flame retardant chemicals was an error. They also now realise that British babies don't smoke in their cots, and furthermore, mums and dads don't use a cot as an ashtray!

God forbid if the mattress ever caught fire because of a house fire - the baby, if left in the cot, would be long gone because of smoke inhalation before the mattress caught fire.

What About Natural Mattresses?

Natural coir and wool don't come into this category - they're naturally flame retardant.

Fibre still has to be flame retardant.