A routine moment at home became a scientific question for Miriam Diamond, an environmental chemist and professor of Earth sciences at the University of Toronto.
Seeing her young son jump on the living room couch made her think about what the cushions might be sending into the air — an idea that later informed her work on harmful chemicals released by common household products, according to U of T News.
"I thought, 'I know there are flame retardants in that couch,'" Diamond recalled to U of T News, "and I know the compression of the foam would cause the chemical to be ejected more quickly."
That observation grew into research that reshaped understanding of pollution indoors, showing that people are not merely passive recipients of indoor pollution.
Instead, ordinary daily activities can move "forever chemicals" from products into household dust and the air, where they may then be inhaled or ingested.
In 2005, a study found that household dust was a key point of exposure to flame retardants. In 2025, another study found that children's mattresses contain high levels of toxic chemicals.
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These forever chemicals, also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are tied to serious health concerns. PFAS have been linked to a higher cancer risk, immune issues, and slower fetal and infant development.
Children can face especially high exposure because they spend more time close to floors, mattresses, foam products, and household dust, Diamond said.
Diamond also noted that consumers generally cannot tell which products contain added chemicals unless those products are tested by scientists. Parents trying to make careful choices often do not have enough information to make fully informed decisions at the store.
Rather than leaving these findings inside academic circles, Diamond has brought them into consumer investigations, including working with CBC's Marketplace to make scientific research more accessible to the public.
In one investigation, she found that children's jewelry contained high levels of toxic cadmium. Ultimately, this prompted Health Canada to introduce stricter regulations.
"Many researchers believe that if we do the research, it will be adopted through evidence-based legislation and policy. That's wishful thinking," Diamond told U of T News. "Policy doesn't change because of evidence alone."
Even so, Diamond emphasized that shoppers should not be expected to bear most of the burden. "Culpability ultimately lies with the manufacturers," she said to U of T News.
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