MomsRising.org email about car seats...

teekadog

Active member
MomsRising.org just sent me an email asking me to email Graco and ask them to stop using halogenated fire retardents. I've been called *cough* a super greenie in some circles, so I'm not against doing that, but I think there are bigger car seat battles to be won out there. And this, the opening to their email, really caught my eye:

"I think back to all the times when my baby was teething or gnawing on the side of her car seat, and my heart sinks wondering about what her tiny body ingested." --Bobbi (mother of a one year-old)

I've had kids in car seats for more than 5 years. Never have they been able to chew on their car seats when properly buckled in. Does this mom have a contortionist kid, or does she need to realign her priorities?
 
ADS

Shaunam

New member
My DS never was able to chew on his car seat. Once, a few days ago, he pulled one of his HUGS up and was chewing on that, but he's 3 so I just made him quit and that was that. And for babies who don't understand not to do that, you can take the HUGS off anyways, assuming they are rear-facing.

I also can't see how they could chew on it if they are buckled and tightened down. Mabe on an OHS seat.
 

Patriot201

Car-Seat.org Ambassador
My properly-restrained DN can chew/lick my Britax Boulevard without a problem.

Perhaps that mother had a seat with wings like the Boulevard.:twocents:
 

oxeye

New member
LOL exactly what went through my mind when I read that e-mail. I think there's a bigger risk of that child dying in a crash from being restrained improperly if s/he could chew on the carseat than the chemicals in the carseat causing issues (assuming it's not a seat with wings)

Though both are important issues .... one moreso than the other IMO.
 

Lys

Senior Community Member
I got the same email and my first thought was- OMG! yes, let's scare the crapola out of all the mainstream parents out there who are going to rush right out a buy an aftermarket cover that could fail in a crash!
yeah, they thoroughly thought that one out. :rolleyes:
 

Rosey

New member
My question would be, is there a better/greener fire retardant or do they just want to stop using fire retardants. Because as much as I try to avoid chemicals etc, I think it is important in a seat.
 

Neatfreak

New member
My question would be, is there a better/greener fire retardant or do they just want to stop using fire retardants. Because as much as I try to avoid chemicals etc, I think it is important in a seat.

I wonder the same thing myself. It's important, but is there a better substitute? I don't see a car on fire everyday, but fires can certainly accompany a bad crash.
 

jclaire

New member
I saw that email on another forum today and it just frustrates the heck out of me. I mean

A: My kids have never been able to chew on their seats. Not to say it doesn't happen, but I don't think it's a big problem.

B: This is just going to be one more reason people use to not properly restrain their kids. ARGH!
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
I'll ask Hope tomorrow to try to see if she can chew on the side of her seat. if a kid that can take her PANTS off while in a five pt harness can't manage it, no kid can.
 

aisraeltax

New member
i dont like the fire retardant stuff on pj's or anything else so i wish they wouldnt put it on seats either...it would be nice to have an option. does anyone know if Britax uses it to? HA doesnt use it on their "pj's (but they cant market them as pj's) and thats all we use.
 

jclaire

New member
Britax definitely uses it. They have to. It's what causes the strong smell that some people have problems with when they get a new seat.
 

teekadog

Active member
I appreciate pps pointing out that chewing on a car seat would be possible in an OHS or something with wings. I still think it'd be hard to do, and something a parent could try to discourage. Isn't every parent's mantra "Not in the mouth?" I see the problem with car seat chemicals as an off-gassing issue. And there's similar off-gassing going on in every car, so it seems silly to pick on the safety equipment therein...

I would like car seat manufacturers, and auto makers, to investigate fire-retardent materials that are less harmful to the planent and its people, but I'm not ready to take a "he!! no we won't go" response.

This email just rubbed me the wrong way.
 

aisraeltax

New member
Britax definitely uses it. They have to. It's what causes the strong smell that some people have problems with when they get a new seat.

ok, thanks. thats kidn of what i thought (im sure there is some federal requirement). thats another reason i now have for washing the car seat cover...b/c once you wash it, its off. :)
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
I would highly recommend NOT doing that. That fire retardancy may mean the difference between first degree burns and the morgue and car fires are more common than you think.:twocents:
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
I'm getting more and more green as time goes on, just makes sense. But on the fire retardent chemicals I'd have to ask what's the biggest risk? Burning to death or ingesting them? Especially on the pjs, too, if its not actually going to hurt him, I think I'd rather have the chemicals there, as a necessary evil, rather than have him burn up in a car accident or a nighttime fire.
 

Stresch

New member
I think flame resistant pjs are dumb. My kid is no more likely to catch fire at night than during the day. And burning clothes aren't an issue in house fires, gas inhalation is. I think the requirement started when more parents smoked around kids. Plus, pjs only need to be either polyester, treated, or tight fitting. So we buy the cotton tight fitting ones a size up. I refuse to buy treated clothes since they are worn for long periods of time, right against skin, and more likely to be chewed.

We have washed all the carseat covers, so they are probably less fire-resistant than when we got them. But a carseat is a safety device, so I am less concerned about them. Although I would like safer alternatives.
 

wondering1

New member
I think flame retardants get into our body through breathing and therefore out-gassing prior to using new cars/seats/mattresses/etc is important.

We already find these chemicals in our bloodstream.

Many, many products must be treated with flame retardants.

You can get children's pj's that are tight fitting instead of being treated with flame retardants - for instance Hanna Andersson, Gymboree, etc.

You can get a flame-retardant free mattress but usually only with a doctor's note...
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
I think flame resistant pjs are dumb. My kid is no more likely to catch fire at night than during the day. And burning clothes aren't an issue in house fires, gas inhalation is. I think the requirement started when more parents smoked around kids. Plus, pjs only need to be either polyester, treated, or tight fitting. So we buy the cotton tight fitting ones a size up. I refuse to buy treated clothes since they are worn for long periods of time, right against skin, and more likely to be chewed.

We have washed all the carseat covers, so they are probably less fire-resistant than when we got them. But a carseat is a safety device, so I am less concerned about them. Although I would like safer alternatives.

I never quite thought about it that way -but that's true they're not more likely to catch on fire at night. although, they're more likely to not notice at first. I could be mistaken, don't pjs have to be either close fitting or treated? or do they have to be both? Not exactly a problem in this house since he sleeps in his underwear. :rolleyes: Are kids regular clothes treated with anything? sorry - question overload. And I would think the fire retardent stuff stays on even after washings, otherwise would be the point? And I agree, if there was some sort of natural flame retardent seems that would be smart, but I don't know if such a thing exists.
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
And I agree, if there was some sort of natural flame retardant seems that would be smart, but I don't know if such a thing exists.
Wool is naturally flame retardant. And I believe the tighter the knit, the more flame retardant. So, I think a wool interlock would be more flame retardant than a wool knit. In organic mattresses they often are filled with wool for a flame retardant.

Here's a little blurb on flame retardants and links to other articles, the first being on PJ's http://www.thegreenguide.com/flame-retardant/
 

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