Furniture Flammability Standards

California:
California’s unique flammability standard, Technical Bulletin 117 (TB117), requires household furniture and baby products (such as couches, nursing pillows, high chairs and strollers) to withstand a 12-second exposure to an open flame. Parents need to be educated that foam products with a label saying they meet TB117, usually contain halogenated flame retardants. To protect their families’ health, parents outside California can avoid buying such products.

GSP is working with MomsRising.org and Friends of the Earth to create a grassroots media and educational campaign including websites, a letter-writing campaign, publicity, and articles.

U.S.:
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is moving forward with a staff-draft furniture flammability standard that contains a smolder standard for fabric, which should not require the use of flame retardant chemicals.
Standard for the Flammability of Residential Upholstered Furniture; Proposed Rule

Additional Information:
Huffington Post, Killer Couch Chemicals
NY Times, Chemical Burns