Built Environment Plus's Materials and Wellness Working Group encourages you to add your signature to a BE+ letter in support of An Act to Protect Children, Families, and Firefighters from Toxic Flame Retardants. The bill that we solicited support for in 2019 is finally making its way back to Governor Baker. He vetoed it in the last session because he felt it would hurt MA businesses and people who wouldn’t be able to afford the products without flame retardants. As a letter that Meredith and Barbra will send to him attests, his logic is off. The working group feels it is important for us to act in this situation, to lend our voice to the chorus of other groups who have been working on this issue for the last decade to address human health concerns.
 
The bill covers mattresses, window coverings, carpet and carpet pads that are sometimes part of our interior scope, but also addresses flame retardants that are added to baby and children’s toys and products. The Bill does not ban all flame retardants, just a select few, so it will not be the most aggressive state regulation in the country. Fourteen other states, including ME, NH, RI and VT have already passed legislation that cover items from children’s car seats to furniture to electronics. Please add your firm, business, or organization to the list of signatories here.