Two new studies found harmful chemicals in children’s mattresses

Two studies published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology found that children’s mattresses contain potentially harmful chemicals, including phthalates and flame retardants. This may represent a serious health risk for young children, who spend many hours per day sleeping in direct contact with such chemicals. In the first study, researchers tested 16 lower-cost children’s mattresses from major retailers for potentially harmful substances like phthalates and flame retardants. They also heated the mattresses to an infant’s normal body temperature and weighed them down to 15 pounds—about the weight of an infant. According to Miriam Diamond of the University of Toronto, who authored both new studies, the mattresses emitted more chemicals when heated and compressed as if a child was sleeping on them than they did on their own. The mattresses were purchased in Canada, but Diamond believes similar findings could be found in products sold in the US.
In the second study, researchers sampled the air in the bedrooms of 25 babies and children in Toronto and Ottawa. In most cases, high concentrations of harmful chemicals were found right next to children’s mattresses. Some of the chemicals were also more likely to be present in rooms with a higher number of bedding items, such as pillows, sheets, mattress protectors, and blankets. For Diamond, the detection of high levels of tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, or TCEP, in a mattress was particularly concerning because this flame retardant is a known carcinogen and has been banned in Canada since 2014. In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency also warned about its risk to consumers when included in bedding products, although it did not ban it from the market.
Many mattresses also contain UV-blocking chemicals to help them resist the damaging effects of sunlight. However, there is evidence that exposure to these substances can increase the risk of several health conditions, especially in children, who are more susceptible to their impact. According to William Wallace, Consumer Reports’ director of safety advocacy, finding a safe mattress is difficult due to the invisible and long-term nature of the hazards involved. Manufacturers of children’s mattresses should remove any chemicals known to be harmful and give people safer options at reasonable prices. In the meantime, Consumer Reports recommends that parents declutter their children’s sleeping area and replace mattress protectors with safer alternatives like cotton towels.