On February 18, 2012, U.S. researchers reported at the annual meeting of the American Society for the Advancement of Science in Vancouver that animal experiments show that long-term exposure of female mice to flame retardants may make their offsprings smaller, less crowded, and learning And poor performance in memory. Flame retardants such as polychlorinated diphenyl ethers are commonly used in electronics, bedding, carpets, and furniture. Studies have shown that such flame retardants can persist in the environment and accumulate in the body and cause poisoning. Among the "family members" of PCBs found in human blood and milk, the concentration of tetrabromodiphenyl ether is relatively high. Researchers worry that this condition may trigger neurotoxic effects during pregnancy and neonatal development.

In February 2013, a Duke University study was reported by the media. The study collected sofas purchased from various parts of the United States from 1985 to 2010, and obtained more than 100 kinds of polyurethane foam samples (common materials used for sofas). Of these samples, 85% contained adhesive flame retardants that were harmful to human health. The harmful flame retardants referred to in this research mainly refer to two kinds of chemicals: one is tris (trimethylolaminomethane), which is a carcinogenic flame retardant containing chlorine. Due to its potential health risks, as early as 1977 It has been forbidden to use it for infants and young children since 1970, but there are still no specific regulations on sofas and other furniture; the other is PentaBDEs (pentabromodiphenyl ether). "A large number of studies have proven that brominated flame retardants can penetrate into the environment and accumulate in living organisms over time; according to existing research, brominated flame retardants have been shown to destroy endocrine activities and affect the regulation of thyroid function. , Can even affect brain development; especially the excessive exposure of pregnant women will directly lead to low birth weight, low IQ and impaired performance of newborn babies. "Professor Professor Stapleton said. Because of this, after 2005, some US manufacturers have voluntarily abandoned this brominated flame retardant, and most developed countries have also abandoned it.