FR-containing furniture faces New Hampshire ban

Concord, New Hampshire – New Hampshire has become the latest state to ban the sale of furniture containing PFAS flame retardants. The bill was signed into law by governor Chris Sununu at the beginning of September.

New upholstered furniture containing more than 0.1% of the flame retardant chemical in its foam or fabric will be banned from sale in the state from 1 January 2021. Furniture destined for public buildings where local fire codes cannot be met without flame retardants will be exempt. Mattresses are also exempt.

New Hampshire joins a growing number of states and cities in the US that have banned the use of flame retardants in domestic furniture, as concerns rise about their potential to damage health.