FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 18, 2009

Contact: Michael Cox (503) 986-1904

 

House Passes Ban on Potentially Carcinogenic Chemicals

SB 596 phases out use of Deca-BDE; studies suggest the chemical poses

serious health risks

 

SALEM – The House today passed a phased-in ban of a flame retardant commonly found in mattresses and other household products.  The bill, SB 596, adds Deca-BDE to the list of hazardous substances currently being phased out of the market due to potential public health risks.

 

“Deca is an effective fire retardant, but it poses potentially serious health risks,” said Representative Ben Cannon (D-Portland), who carried the bill on the House floor. “Using it does not make us safer when there are safe and equally effective alternatives to Deca.”

 

Brominated diphenyl ethers (BDEs) migrate from their host products into the environment and eventually into our bodies, where they build up in our fat tissue. Studies show that over time Deca-BDE breaks down into more toxic forms, Penta-BDE and Octa-BDE, both of which have been determined to have serious negative health effects.  Penta-BDE and Octa-BDE were similarly phased out of the market in Oregon through legislation passed in 2005.

 

While Deca-BDE is still widely used as a flame retardant in a number of products, resorcinol bisdiphenyl phosphate (RDP) is a safer, technically feasible alternative to Deca-BDE. The International Association of Fire Fighters joined with the Oregon State Fire Fighters Council in support of legislation that seeks to stop the use of BDE flame retardants and requires the use safer alternative fire retardants.

 

Oregon will become the fourth state to pass a Deca ban, following Washington, Maine and Vermont.

 

SB 596 was championed by Senator Mark Hass in the Senate.  The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.

 

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