The fact that brominated flame retardants have not been outlawed does not prove they are safe for use. And there is increasing evidence that they do pose a health risk; if not to people, at least to cats. I lost a beloved cat to heart disease brought on by feline hyperthyroidism, an affliction in cats that has increased steadily since the introduction of flame retardant materials in the home. Since cats by their nature spend large amounts of time sleeping on sofas, carpets, beds, they may have a higher rate of exposure, and are more likely to have their health impacted. While the chemicals in electronic equipment (iPhone) probably don’t represent a risk to cats, there is increasing concern that these flame retardants are hazardous to humans as well. Any search on "flame retardant thyroid cats" will produce links to numerous reports on the health impacts on cats. As far as I'm concerned, brominated flame retardants killed my cat, and have equal potential to harm humans. There are many things that pose risk to humans that are 'legal' primarily due to the influence of industry lobbyists, and I suspect Greenpeace is correct on this one. I now have a new young cat, and am concerned about the possibility that she could be similarly affected. For one, the new home I am building will not be carpeted. We are attempting to build a ‘green’ home, and I now have a new challenge: how to minimize the impact of flame retardant treated beds and overstuffed furniture and of course, ‘electronic equipment’. Sorry BSEF, your arguments appear self-serving and make me feel more than ever that there is an ugly truth being covered up that needs to be exposed.

Click to read the article this is in response to.