Press
Joint Position
The Alliance for Flame Retardant Free Furniture welcomes the US law mandating nationwide compliance with California’s flammability standard for upholstered furniture and calls for harmonising flammability requirements for furniture in Europe via upcoming Sustainable Products Initiative
A toxic-free approach
“Furniture without flame retardants: a safe fire safety for everyone”
EU investigation could put furniture fire rules up in flames
“Brussels has launched an investigation into whether Ireland’s furniture fire safety regulations — the strictest in Europe — comply with EU free-market rules, following a complaint by manufacturers.”
Industry challenges UK and Irish furniture standards
“The European Furniture Industries Conferedation (Efic) says that the ‘open flame’, or ‘match test’, required by the British fire safety test method (BS 5852) and the Irish (IS 419:1988) means manufacturers must use flame retardants.” (paywall)
Concerns
The Alliance for Flame Retardant Free Furniture raises concerns over the British Government’s response to the British Parliamentary EAC report on ‘Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Life’
Sustainability
19 October – Alliance for Flame Retardant Free Furniture welcomes Chemical Strategy for Sustainability
Report 2019 Brussels
The Alliance for Flame Retardant Free Furniture welcomes report of British Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee on ‘Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Life’
Fire safety chemicals ‘threaten’ public health, alliance warns
“The use of chemical flame retardants in furniture to improve fire safety can also have severe implications for public health, a number of associations have warned.”
ECOS policy paper: The Case for Flame Retardant Free Furniture
“The Case for Flame Retardant Free Furniture” featured on EndsReport. (Paywall)
New member
The Alliance for Flame Retardants Free Furniture welcomes its newest member, the European Federation of Furniture Retailers
15 April 2020
Unwanted toxic flame retardants preventing circularity and increasing fire toxicity
Restriction on flame retardants
ECHA recommends restriction on flame retardants in flexible polyurathane (PUR) foams
Furniture fire safety rules in UK drive ‘unnecessary use of hazardous chemicals’
“The European Furniture Industries Confederation is planning to lodge a formal complaint with the European Commission in the next few weeks, claiming UK furniture regulations lead to the unnecessary use of hazardous chemicals.” (Paywall)
Furniture trade bodies back call to reduce flame retardant use
“European trade bodies, representing the furniture, bedding, building and woodworking industries, have called for action against the use of flame retardant in furniture (….) The UK and Ireland are the only EU countries to have national regulations requiring an open flame test, which effectively necessitates the use of flame retardants.” (Paywall).