California revises flammability standards

Published On: December 1, 2014

In an effort to limit unnecessary exposure to flame retardants, California Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law a bill that requires manufacturers of upholstered furniture to indicate if the product contains added flame-retardant chemicals. The new standard will become law on Jan. 1—the same time full compliance is required for a new flammability standard that allows producers to make furniture and baby products without flame-retardant chemicals. The new requirements are a revision of Technical Bulletin 117, which mandated the use of flame retardants in upholstered furniture and baby product foam. Research shows fires don’t start in the filling material, making the use of flame retardants, which have the potential to pose significant health hazards, ineffective for fire prevention.