Does your mattress release toxins while you are sleeping?

Huynh NguyenJuly 13, 2022

Does your mattress release toxins while you are sleeping?

If your mattress is synthetic (e.g., memory foam), it emits VOCs while you sleep, but not in any quantity that will affect you. Emissions are most pronounced in the first three months of ownership when the mattress is off gassing.

Synthetic mattresses use lots of chemicals during manufacturing, and chemicals left over from the manufacturing process are released over time in a process called off-gassing – the airborne release of chemicals as a vapour.

These volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released in minute amounts as a vapour but not in large enough amounts to be toxic.

https://cocktailsinteacups.com/polyester) are made with chemical processes, and because they are made from chemicals, they are bound to off-gas and release VOCs.

How do I avoid VOCs in mattresses?

The best way to avoid a large chunk of VOCs in mattresses is to buy a natural mattress filled with natural materials like cotton, bamboo, and latex foam (these do not require chemicals to manufacture).

However, by law, mattresses need a fire-retardant layer, and some manufacturers opt for a chemical treatment, even in natural mattresses.

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Foams are required to be fire retardant, and the easiest way to achieve fire retardancy is with a chemical treatment. The alternative is a graphite fill, which meets safety standards for all foam types without the need for chemicals.

Are chemicals in mattresses dangerous?

The chemicals in mattresses are dangerous in isolation. However, exposure to chemicals in mattresses is through off-gassing, which is not dangerous to health because the quantity of off-gassing is considered low.

The answer to your question of whether mattresses are dangerous because of chemicals is no; they are not. However, synthetic materials emit more VOCs and carbon emissions during manufacturing, so they contribute to climate change, which is dangerous to the planet.

Are there any regulations for chemicals?

There are regulations for using certain chemicals in mattresses and a few voluntary schemes manufacturers can join. The main scheme is the EU Ecolabel, which limits chemicals and metals for manufacturing foams.

Kid’s mattresses must follow EN 16890, which restricts various chemicals to amounts deemed safe for human exposure.

Flammability requirements also require fire retardant treatments or naturally fire retardant materials. In the case of chemical treatments, 2001 saw the ban of CBDs, and the EU banned PBDEs in 2004 due to environmental concerns.

What chemicals are in mattresses?

A mattress’s chemical makeup depends on its composition. For example, natural mattresses contain only natural materials and no chemicals, although some have a fire retardant chemical treatment for latex foam.

Chemicals in synthetic foams

The main chemicals responsible for off-gassing in synthetic foams are propylene oxide and toluene diisocyanate, which make the foam.

The CDC recommends that people limit their exposure to both chemicals after finding a link with increased tumour risks in mice.

However, exposure to these chemicals in mattresses is low, and there is no link between tumour risks and humans.

Chemicals in synthetic fibres/plastics

Synthetic fibres are made from petroleum which has off-gassing, although natural alternatives exist, with the most widely used being PET polyester.

Polyester is common in mattresses, made from purified terephthalic acid, dimethyl terephthalate and monoethylene glycol.

Polyester has low VOCs and does not contribute to the new mattress smell – it’s the same stuff that clothes and bedding are made from.

Toxic chemicals and health effects

The chemicals used to manufacture mattresses are toxic, but the level of VOC emissions following manufacturing is not toxic.

You can expect your mattress to emit VOCs while you sleep, but these emissions won’t affect your health. VOC emissions reduce in time, and you can expect 50% fewer emissions after only two weeks (you’ll notice the new mattress smell going away).

Simply put, don’t sweat it!

If you enjoyed this article, read about the recyclability of mattresses.

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