In order to reduce the chances of catching light, simple home products such as furnishings often include brominated flame or fire retardants (BFRs). On the face of it, this sounds like a great idea but recent years have seen a real cause for concern regarding the activity – the toxicity of chemicals.
In total, there are over 170 types of flame retardant which can be broken down into different classes including phosphorus-containing, brominated, chlorinated, inorganic, and nitrogen-containing. Currently, around 5 million metric tons of BFRs are produced each year which contributes towards a $2 billion industry. For many years now, products used within the home such as computers, TVs, carpets, furniture, electrical cables, and more have BFRs added to reduce the risk of fires occurring.
