10 toxic hotspots in the home

Children’s Bedroom: Toxic Furniture

Parents often think that inexpensive particle-board furniture is good enough for the kids’ bedrooms, where beds, dressers and storage units get the brunt of high-energy playtime activities. The issue, says Cordaro, is that plywood and particle board – often called pressed wood – are typically made with formaldehyde or isocyanate glues. “Both these glues are toxic, and the chemicals are out gassed and then inhaled,” she says. “And brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, which are often found in upholstered furniture made with polyurethane foam, have been linked to cancer, neurological impairment and hormone disruption.”

Cordaro says that even second-hand solid wood furniture is a healthier option. “If you refinish wood pieces, use water-based, lead-free and non-VOC paints or finishes.”

10 toxic hotspots in the home