Healthy Green Campus Project: Removing flame retardants from furniture

Principal Investigators: Dr. Robin Dodson, Associate Director of Research Operations and Research Scientist Silent Spring Institute and Jose G. Cedeno, Assistant Professor Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute at Rutgers University School of Public Health.

Green Science Policy Institute https://greensciencepolicy.org/our-work/furniture/

Project objective: The aim of this project was to bring together health and sustainability in higher education. We teamed up with sustainability leaders and student groups at Harvard University to raise awareness about the impact of chemical exposures on our health. Our mission was to make health a vital part of sustainability practices on college campuses and recognized the importance of not only considering our carbon footprint but also our chemical footprint, as it was essential to safeguard both the planet and our well-being. Learn more at: https://hgc.silentspring.org/ Healthy Green Campus

Project’s alignment with the Hoffman Program on Chemicals and Health mission: Colleges and universities have a history of leading social and political change. In the past decade, many institutions have implemented sustainability initiatives on their campuses. The Healthy Green Campus Project aimed to build on these efforts by shedding light on the presence of toxic chemicals in everyday life. From flame retardants in furniture to hormone-disrupting chemicals in personal care products, we aimed to raise awareness among students and empower them to make informed choices regarding their exposure to toxins.

Some key takeaways from the research*:

  • We measured numerous flame retardants in dust samples from college campuses and found carcinogens, hormone disruptors, and chemicals affecting brain function, with some of the highest levels ever reported.
  • Manufacturers used to add flame retardants to furniture, but these chemicals easily migrate into the air and dust, posing health risks such as cancer, thyroid disease, fertility issues, and lower IQ.
  • We detected 47 different flame-retardant chemicals, with some exceeding health risk screening levels set by the EPA. We emphasized the importance of standards in regulating chemical exposures, as campuses following more severe flammability standards had significantly higher levels of flame retardants in dust. However, recent changes in flammability standards provide options for institutions to choose healthier standards without compromising fire safety.

Our study revealed that college students living in dormitories are exposed to high levels of toxic flame retardants in dust. These results provided valuable insights that informed institutional purchasing decisions and offered a glimpse into chemical exposures in higher education. Our work included guiding Harvard’s purchasing for dorm renovations and collaborating to revise their Green Building Standards and Sustainability Strategic Plan to include criteria related to material selection. This project served as a working model, supporting education and outreach to other campuses through a dedicated website and higher education networks.

Additional research part of this project this highlights the need for further investigation into the presence and impacts of persistent organic chemicals in indoor environments, particularly on college campuses, and emphasizes the importance of making informed decisions regarding building materials to promote healthier environments.**

Products resulting from Hoffman Program on Chemicals and Health support:

Dodson RE, Rodgers KM, Carey G, Cedeno Laurent JG, Covaci A, Poma G, Malarvannan G, Spengler JD, Rudel RA, Allen JG. Flame Retardant Chemicals in College Dormitories: Flammability Standards Influence Dust Concentrations. Environ Sci Technol. 2017 May 2;51(9):4860-4869. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.7b00429. Epub 2017 Apr 13. PMID: 28406624.

** Schildroth S, Rodgers KM, Strynar M, McCord J, Poma G, Covaci A, Dodson RE. Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and persistent chemical mixtures in dust from U.S. colleges. Environ Res. 2022 Apr 15;206:112530. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112530. Epub 2021 Dec 11. PMID: 34902383.