EEEK! I tawt I taw a fwame wetardant!

Parents across America are being terrorized today by a new study reporting to have found a variety of flame retardants in baby products.

While mere detection of chemicals and even mere exposure to chemicals is no big deal, the researchers conclude:

Based on exposure estimates conducted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), we predict that infants may receive greater exposure to tris (1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TDCPP) from these products compared to the average child or adult from upholstered furniture, all of which are higher than acceptable daily intake levels of TDCPP set by the CPSC. Future studies are therefore warranted to specifically measure infants exposure to these flame retardants from intimate contact with these products, and to determine if there are any associated health concerns.

Of course, if the researchers had been honest (rather than alarmist) about the CPSC report, they would have mentioned that the CPSC exposure estimates are derived from mathematical modeling not actual measurements.

Moreover, the CPSC pretty much discounted this modeling by concluding that,

Empirical data on vapor phase emissions or indoor concentrations are needed to assess whether [TDCPP and other flame retardants] may present a hazard to consumers.

These researchers collected no such data and so have absolutely no idea what they’re talking about. For the record, the researchers are:

• Heather M. Stapleton, Duke University
• Susan Klosterhaus, San Francisco Estuary Institute
• Alex Keller, Duke University
• Lee Ferguson, Duke University
• Saskia van Bergen, East Bay Municipal Utility District (Oakland, CA)
• Thomas Webster, Boston University School of Public Health
• Arlene Blum, University of California-Berkeley and Green Science Policy Institute

Remember this crew, especially Arlene Blum of the Green Science Policy Institute. I have a feeling that we can expect more junk from them in the future.