OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Washington state House has passed a measure to ban a potentially carcinogenic flame retardant widely used in children’s products.
House Bill 2821 passed Friday by a 60-34 margin.
It would ban a pair of what are known as Tris chemicals: chlorinated Tris and TCEP.
The former is a flame retardant that was used in children’s pajamas in the 1970s but was voluntarily taken off the market by manufacturers over health concerns. It has since returned to use, primarily as a fire retardant in polyurethane foam, a highly flammable but cost-effective component of many children’s products.
According to Citizens for Fire Safety, an entity promoting the chemical industry’s interests, TCEP hasn’t been used in the U.S. for years.
The ban would go into effect in mid-2014. The bill goes next to the Senate.
