TBBPA, a flame retardant used in products as varied as phones, microwaves, furniture, and children's clothing, is drawing renewed scrutiny from independent researchers and public health advocates who say a new federal review may understate the risks it poses to families.
Researchers say young children could face the highest exposure because the chemical can build up in household dust.
Here's what to know
A draft Environmental Protection Agency assessment of tetrabromobisphenol A, or TBBPA, is a point of contention for public health groups, which argue the agency is minimizing evidence of the chemical's dangers, as The Guardian reported.
The EPA said the consumer and child exposure scenarios it modeled did not amount to an "unreasonable risk," so it did not propose broad new limits on TBBPA in consumer goods.
This brominated flame retardant is used in common products, including circuit boards, electronics casings, furniture, carpeting, textiles, and some children's items. Global output totaled at least 552 million pounds in 2016, and researchers estimate it is present in about 70% of electronics worldwide.
Many researchers and international health bodies view it more cautiously. The International Agency for Research on Cancer lists TBBPA as a probable carcinogen, and studies have connected it to hormone disruption, immune toxicity, brain damage and developmental harm.
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Maria Doa, a former EPA scientist who now works with the Environmental Defense Fund, criticized the agency's process.
"The political people at the EPA changed the science to get the outcome they want," Doa said. "This isn't the first time. They've been doing that pretty consistently under Trump."
More background
Advocates say the issue goes beyond chemical modeling because the EPA's final decision could shape household products for years.
A major concern is indoor dust, according to The Guardian. Advocates say TBBPA can escape from products and accumulate in dust, creating an important route of exposure for babies and toddlers, who spend more time on floors and often put their hands in their mouths.
Arlene Blum, director of the Green Science Policy Institute, said, "Small molecule TBBPA, as used in plastics and in consumer products, should be restricted. It can get into humans and contribute to cancer and behavioral harm. Infants and toddlers who crawl in the dust and put their hands in their mouths are especially vulnerable."
Earthjustice said the EPA leaned too heavily on industry-backed research and failed to give enough weight to another EPA assessment that found TBBPA in textiles, including 96 types of children's clothing.
"There's a lot of underestimation of the risk, and they're ignoring different exposure pathways … and we're definitely seeing them cite industry sources," Lakendra Barajas, a senior attorney at Earthjustice, said.
What's being done?
Several environmental and public health groups are urging the EPA to revise the assessment before it becomes final.
Earthjustice filed comments disputing key assumptions in the agency's analysis, while the Environmental Protection Network questioned whether the review is moving too fast and grounded in sufficiently credible science.
"The integrity of the process is key as the regulatory decisions that will ultimately be made must be based upon solid and credible scientific evidence to assure that public health and the environment will be appropriately protected," Penny Fenner-Crisp, a former EPA water division manager, warned in written comments, per The Guardian. "The American population deserves nothing less."
The EPA has not decided whether to restrict TBBPA, and the final risk assessment could help determine whether manufacturers are pushed to reformulate products or allowed to continue business as usual.
Advocates say tougher oversight would encourage safer substitutes in electronics, furnishings, and children's goods, rather than leaving families to manage the risk on their own.
Communities with young children may have the most at stake if weak safeguards remain in place.
Where can I learn more?
These stories examine how officials handle everyday chemical hazards and what that means for children, who face the greatest exposure. They cover concerns ranging from microplastics in infants to safety oversight cuts and other products tied to child health risks.
• Scientists warn microplastic pollution puts infants at risk, deepening concerns about early-life exposure.
• Industry insiders warn Chemical Safety Board cuts could bring more releases, deaths and pollution.
• Connecticut lawmakers are pushing to restrict a widely used weed killer linked to risks for children.
A broader fight over chemical safety runs through all of them, and TBBPA is part of that same debate.
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