About two weeks ago, a promising 70-degree day in Colorado was followed by a 70-percent temperature drop and a(nother) foot of snow. So when my friend and colleague asked me to join her at an Earth Day Dinner hosted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in San Francisco, I jumped on the opportunity.
EWG isn’t new to me. I’ve used the Healthy Living app for a couple years to help me better understand the ingredients of everyday food, personal and household products and their effects on me, my family and the environment. The journey has been eye-opening, indeed.
But until a few days ago, I had no idea most mattresses can be fraught with (or release) harmful chemicals, including:
Flame-retardants such as fiberglass (linked to upper respiratory issues and skin allergies) or antimony (a cancer-causing heavy metal)
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emitted by polyurethane foam, a common mattress material
“Fragrance,” sometimes used to camouflage odors created during production, is a highly unregulated and mysterious blend of chemicals that can cause allergic reactions, some of which contain hormone-disrupting phthalates
Manufacturers aren’t required to disclose all materials used in their mattresses. Which means consumers are left in the dark about potential health risks associated with these products that we touch and trust. A lot, if not every day.
A not-so-new sheriff on the shelf
For more than two decades, EWG has provided chemical hazard evaluations and practical suggestions to help consumers protect themselves from exposure to potentially harmful substances in everyday products.
EWG VERIFIED standards and criteria are backed by science and developed after painstaking scrutiny by EWG's team of researchers and toxicologists.
The stamp of a safer option
When you see this mark on a product, you know that brand has gone above and beyond inadequate regulations to prioritize full ingredient transparency, avoid harmful chemicals and adhere to stringent safety standards.
When it comes to materials we won't lose sleep over, if a mattress is EWG VERIFIED, that means it is:
Made with transparency, publicly disclosing all ingredients and materials used.
Made with safer product materials and lower-emitting VOCs.
Prohibited from using harmful chemical flame retardants and fiberglass.
Prohibited from using PVCs and the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS.
A cushy landing for learning
I've only skimmed the surface so far with this resource alone ... stay tuned for a tour about EWG's credo, culture, vetting criteria and rating system. In the meantime: