Health Record levels of toxic flame retardants found in college dorms

tom_mai78101

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Very high levels of toxic flame retardants have been found in dust samples collected from college dormitories, raising concerns that they could impact the health of many young people.

A study published in April in the journal Environmental Science & Technology found large quantities of chemicals meant to suppress fire—which have been linked to cancer and hormone disruption—in dust bunnies.

Two of the flame retardants were detected in record-breaking quantities. The main chemical within DecaBDE, a flame retardant that was largely phased out in 2013, was found at levels nine times higher than ever previously recorded in any environment. The Environmental Protection Agency considers this substance a “possible carcinogen” due to its ability to cause cancer in lab animals. A related compound, PentaBDE, was found in college dorms in concentrations four times higher than discovered anywhere else. The EPA officially banned the manufacture of this chemical in 2005; it has been shown to be an endocrine disruptor, meaning it interferes with the function of hormones. It has also been known to negatively affect the development of fetuses, and has neurotoxic effects, says study first author Robin Dodson, a research scientist at the Silent Spring Institute.


Sampled 2 colleges in the Northeast (most likely in MA). Never been in an US college dorm before though...
 
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