This report evaluates toxicological, epidemiological, and exposure data on the 16 specified flame-retardant (FR) chemicals, and characterizes risks to human health from exposure to furniture upholstery treated with such chemicals. It is hoped that the findings of the report will be useful to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and Congress in making decisions regarding the safe use of FR chemicals in upholstered furniture fabric.

Contents

• THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
• SUBCOMMITTEE ON FLAME-RETARDANT CHEMICALS
• COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY
• BOARD ON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND TOXICOLOGY
• COMMISSION ON LIFE SCIENCES
• OTHER REPORTS OF THE BOARD ON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND TOXICOLOGY
• OTHER REPORTS OF THE COMMITTEE ON TOXICOLOGY
• Preface
• Executive Summary
• 1. Introduction
  • THE CHARGE TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE
  • THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S APPROACH TO ITS CHARGE
  • FLAME RETARDANT PROCESSES
  • CALIFORNIA, UNITED KINGDOM, AND EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE
  • ORGANIZATION OF THIS REPORT
  • REFERENCES
• 2. Assessment of Health Risks from the Use of Flame Retardants
  • THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S RISK ASSESSMENT PROCESS
  • REFERENCES
• 3. Exposure Assessment Methodology
  • DERMAL EXPOSURE SCENARIO
  • INHALATION EXPOSURE SCENARIO
  • ORAL EXPOSURE SCENARIO
  • REFERENCES
• 4. Hexabromocyclododecane
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 5. Decabromodiphenyl Oxide
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 6. Alumina Trihydrate
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 7. Magnesium Hydroxide
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 8. Zinc Borate
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 9. Calcium and Zinc Molybdates
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 10. Antimony Trioxide
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 11. Antimony Pentoxide and Sodium Antimonate
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 12. Ammonium Polyphosphates
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 13. Phosphonic Acid, (3-{[Hydroxymethyl]amino}-3-Oxopropyl)-Dimethyl Ester
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 14. Organic Phosphonates
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 15. Tris Monochloropropyl Phosphates
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 16. Tris (1,3-dichloropropyl-2) Phosphate
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 17. Aromatic Phosphate Plasticizers
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 18. Tetrakis(hydroxymethyl) Phosphonium Salts
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• 19. Chlorinated Paraffins
  • PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
  • OCCURRENCE AND USE
  • TOXICOKINETICS
  • HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
  • QUANTITATIVE TOXICITY ASSESSMENT
  • EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
  • DATA GAPS AND RESEARCH NEEDS
  • REFERENCES
• Appendix A Biographical Sketches
• Appendix B Flame-Retardant Composition in Fabrics: Their Durability and Permanence

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This project between the National Academy of Sciences and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) was supported by Contract No. CPSC-C-99–1152. This report was prepared by the National Research Council as a result of a direction in the fiscal year 1999 appropriations for the United States CPSC. The views expressed in the report do not necessarily represent the views of CPSC.