Every day, more and more organizations are switching to flame retardant-free furniture. Universities and colleges have enormous purchasing power and can help fuel this growing demand for flame retardant-free furniture. Thanks to new flammability standards, a number of leading furniture companies have stopped including these toxic chemicals in upholstered furniture. In fact, many manufacturers welcome the changes in demand since adding flame retardant chemicals to furniture can limit product design, reduce the furniture's longevity, and add substantial cost to production.

What you can do:

Chances are much of the older furniture on your campus contains flame retardants. So when it's time to replace furniture, ask for flame retardant-free products. Learn about the terms of your school's furniture contracts, the different vendors and manufacturers listed, and which of these companies offers school furnishings free of flame retardants. Silent Spring Institute has been working with college campuses to move toward flame retardant-free furniture. If you need additional support beyond this webpage, please contact us. To learn more about flame retardant-free furniture, visit the Center for Environmental Health, which keeps track of furniture companies that are making the switch.