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As more negative health effects of chemicals in the environment and household products are discovered, many people are searching for natural alternatives to products containing these harmful chemicals. One of the areas where demand is growing for a “chemical free” alternative is mattresses. After the government passed a law in July 2007 mandating that mattresses be fire resistant to an open flame source, mattress companies began adding more fire retardant chemicals in order to meet the fire resistance standard.

Do Fire Retardant Chemicals Pose More Danger Than Fire?

Some of the chemicals being added to mattresses, like boric acid. ie roach killer, antimony, and zirconium pose a real threat to health, especially for infants and young children. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the average 5 year old sleeping on a fire proof mattress will absorb .5 mg of antimony every night, which is 63 times the amount the EPA says is safe. Antimony is very chemically similar to arsenic, and long term exposure has been shown to contribute to heart, liver and lung problems, miscarriages, and cancer.

In addition, the chemicals being used as flame retardants can combine with a common fungus (that frequently lives in mattresses) to produce toxic “nerve gases” which can have devastating effects on infants. In some cases, the gas produced is toxic enough to shut down an infant’s breathing within minutes, leading to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Is There A Fire Resistant, Chemical Free Mattress?

The happy answer is yes, there is a completely safe, chemical free mattress material which is also fire resistant AND provides excellent comfort and a good night’s rest. This miracle material is not the product of a technological breakthrough or high pedigree think tank. It is actually a material that has been in use for thousands of years: wool. Wool mattresses meet and exceed the government standards for fire resistance without the use of any chemicals or treatment products. Wool mattresses and bedding products have the added benefit of being naturally resistant to bacteria, dust mites, mildew and mold growth. Wool mattresses and mattress toppers can also have the added benefit of providing pain relief for people with medical issues. People with pain issues should look into having a custom wool mattress or mattress topper made to deal with their specific issues.

If Standard Mattresses Are So Dangerous, Why Aren’t More People Sick?

The chemical toxins in mattresses are the type that accumulate in the body over a number of years and cause greater risk, the more one is exposed to them. There is a prolific use in modern society of a number of chemicals in household products which have been shown to be harmful. Part of the reason this danger does not receive more exposure is that these products are manufactured by multi-billion dollar companies who provide most of the advertising revenue for the media outlets we depend on for information. For more information on the health risks posed by chemicals in mattresses, check out the book Toxic Bedrooms: Your Guide to A Safe Night’s Sleep by Walter Bader.

For Chemical-Free Organic Mattress Products, Organic Wool Comforters, Organic Pet Beds, Organic Wool Pillows, Organic Crib Mattresses Call the Wool Bed Company at 1-888-966-5233 or visit Surround Ewe Sleep Systems.

B. Weiss
iNET Web
Copy Writer, Videographer

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/are-the-chemicals-in-your-mattress-a-health-risk-1364563.html