Scientists are calling on mattress manufacturers and governments to take action.
Babies and young children may be exposed to harmful chemicals, such as phthalates, flame retardants, and other plasticizers, through inhalation or skin contact while sleeping on their mattresses. This finding comes from two peer-reviewed studies published by researchers at the University of Toronto.
These chemicals have been associated with a range of health issues, including neurological and reproductive disorders, asthma, hormone disruption, and cancer.
“Sleep is vital for brain development, particularly for infants and toddlers. However, our research suggests that many mattresses contain chemicals that can harm kids’ brains,” says senior author Miriam Diamond, professor at the University of Toronto. “This is a wake-up call for manufacturers and policymakers to ensure our children’s beds are safe and support healthy brain development.”
Chemical Exposure Detected in Children’s Bedrooms
In the first study,[1] researchers measured chemical concentrations in the bedrooms of 25 children aged 6 months to 4 years. They found elevated levels of more than two dozen harmful substances, including phthalates, flame retardants, and UV filters, in the air, with the highest concentrations detected near the beds.
In a companion study,[2] the team tested 16 newly purchased children’s mattresses and identified them as the likely primary source of these chemicals in the sleeping environment. When researchers simulated a child’s body heat and weight on the mattresses, chemical emissions increased significantly, in some cases by several times.
Although the mattresses were purchased in Canada, many contained materials sourced from other countries, including the United States and Mexico. Because of the interconnected nature of mattress manufacturing and supply chains across North America, the findings likely apply to products sold throughout the region.
The phthalates and organophosphate ester flame retardants measured in this study are hormone disruptors and linked to neurological harms, including learning disorders, reduced IQ scores, behavioral problems, and impaired memory. Some are also linked to childhood asthma and cancer. Several UV-filters are hormone disruptors. Children are uniquely vulnerable to exposure, given that they are still developing, have hand-to-mouth behaviors, and have breathing rates ten times higher than adults. They also have more permeable skin and three times the skin surface area relative to their body weight than adults.
The high levels of flame retardants in most of the mattresses tested were puzzling, given these chemicals are not necessary to pass neither Canadian nor U.S. mattress flammability standards. Flame retardants are linked to neurological, reproductive, and hormonal harm as well as cancer, and also have no proven fire-safety benefit as used in mattresses.
“Parents should be able to lay their children down for sleep knowing they are safe and snug,” said co-author Arlene Blum, Executive Director of the Green Science Policy Institute. “Flame retardants have a long history of harming our children’s cognitive function and ability to learn. It’s concerning that these chemicals are still being found in children’s mattresses even though we know they have no proven fire-safety benefit, and aren’t needed to comply with flammability standards.”
Flame Retardants Present Despite Lack of Need
The researchers call for manufacturers to be more vigilant about the chemicals in children’s mattresses through testing. Further, stronger regulations on the use of flame retardants and phthalate plasticizers in children’s mattresses are needed.
In Canada, the authors recommend extending restrictions on certain plasticizers from toys and objects to be mouthed to include mattresses and other bedding items and passing long-proposed restrictions on two flame retardants. Several mattresses had chemicals that are banned or restricted in Canada, suggesting that manufacturers need to test children’s mattresses for these chemicals and other unnecessary chemicals before putting them on the market.
In the meantime, there are actions parents can take to reduce their children’s exposure. The authors recommend decluttering your child’s sleeping area by reducing the number of pillows, blankets, and toys. They also recommend washing and refreshing your child’s bedding and bed clothing frequently since these act as a protective barrier to reduce exposure. Finally, they say that undyed or neutral color fabrics are likely safer since keeping strong colors requires the addition of UV-filters and other additives that may be harmful.
References:
- “Young Children’s Exposure to Chemicals of Concern in Their Sleeping Environment: An In-Home Study” by Sara Vaezafshar, Sylvia Wolk, Victoria H. Arrandale, Roxana Sühring, Erica Phipps, Liisa M. Jantunen and Miriam L. Diamond, 14 April 2025, Environmental Science & Technology Letters.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.5c00051 - “Are Sleeping Children Exposed to Plasticizers, Flame Retardants, and UV-Filters from Their Mattresses?” by Sara Vaezafshar, Sylvia Wolk, Kayla Simpson, Razegheh Akhbarizadeh, Arlene Blum, Liisa M. Jantunen and Miriam L. Diamond, 14 April 2025, Environmental Science & Technology.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c03560
Both studies were conducted as part of lead author Sara Vaezafshar’s PhD dissertation at the University of Toronto and funded by the University of Toronto Fellowship, Ontario Graduate Scholarship, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
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