Should I Throw Out my Two-Year-Old's New Mattress?

Gina Solomon responds:

The good news is that PBDEs were banned in Europe and in many states and are no longer produced for mattresses. But mattresses and other foam furniture must still meet stringent flame resistant standards in the United States. When you purchase a new mattress it isn't likely that it contains PBDEs, but it might have other chemicals such as chlorinated-TRIS, a cancer-causing flame-retardant chemical that was banned in children's sleepwear decades ago but is now making a comeback. Manufacturers won't tell you which chemicals they use as flame retardants (FRs) because they consider it a trade secret. 
 
Mattresses made from petroleum-based chemicals, such as polyurethane foam, are highly flammable and require the addition of flame-retardant chemicals to make them flame resistant. Mattresses made from natural materials, such as cotton or wool, must still meet flame-resistant standards, but because these materials are more inherently flame resistant, they require the addition of fewer chemicals. A mattress made from certified organic cotton won't have pesticide residues from the crop's cultivation and Pure Grow wool comes from sheep raised without insecticidal applications, but FR chemicals may be added later so it can be hard to determine if an "organic" mattress is really chemical-free.  
 
Avoid mattresses made of polyurethane foam and plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic covers. Phthalates, which interfere with testosterone and can cause abnormalities in male reproductive development, are often used in PVC. In February, 2009, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use of some phthalates in products intended for children under the age of three, which should result in better infant mattresses. Still, if it's within your budget, you might want to replace the mattress with an organic or natural mattress.  
 
As for your bed, if you purchased your mattress before 2007, when the new more stringent flame-resistant standards went into effect, it probably has fewer chemicals than a new conventional mattress. It is possible to buy a mattress that has not been treated with FR chemicals, but you must first get a prescription from a doctor.

]