Testimonials

Letter To The Editor, The West Marin Citizen
September 2007
From: Eleanor Lyman

Fire

I got all fired up after receiving a flyer in the mail called A DEADLY MISTAKE about fire safety. It is indeed a deadly mistake to use fire retardants in all bedding, including babies' bedding, and furniture!

AB 706 is a bill to protect us from this mistake which, at present, is the law in the name of safety. Because of the PBDE in the product it was banned in Europe in 2001 and in some states in the US it has also been banned. It is, at present, used extensively in this country.

PBDE, which stands for polybrominated diphenyl ether, doesn't break down, and accumulates in the fatty tissue. It is linked to brain development problems, thyroid cancer and problems with the reproductive organs, etc. 
Recently I've been shopping for a new mattress and a chair. I was shocked to discover that, by law, in order to buy a mattress free of chemical fire retardant you have to have Doctors orders.

The good news is there are now places where you can buy bedding and furniture that meets the fire-safety tests without using toxic-chemical fire retardants. I just bought a new latex mattress and chair from Eco-terric at the Green Home Center at 1812 Polk Street in San Francisco.—no toxic-chemicals thank you. They surround their bedding and furniture with a natural flame retardant - wool.  Their materials are also organic - no chemical pesticides. Good stuff.

Call Senator Migden. Tell her to vote YES on AB 706 and protect us from a law that is not in our best health interests! Let her know you support not having toxic chemical fire retardants in our bedding and furniture. For goodness sake - give us a break.

Information about the nature of fire retardants: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/11/earthtalk_fire.php

Eleanor Lyman
Teacher of the Alexander Technique, AmSAT