Environment (DfE) Program 

tive, results-oriented voluntary programs. It champions 

risk reduction through pollution prevention and bases its “license to 

operate” on applying Agency expertise and 

technical tools. 

Designing for the environment is incorporating environmental considerations into 

program collaborates with industry sectors 

ucts, processes and management systems 

safer for the worker and the public. 

• 

• 

616-285-3963, or 

• 

336-884-5000 x117, or 

• 

202-530-4590, or 

• 

434-817-1424 x 305. 

What Is the Design for the 

Environment Program? 

EPA’s Design for the 

is one of EPA’s most effecbusiness decision making. The EPA DfE 

to help businesses design or redesign prodthat are cleaner, more cost-effective, and 

How Do I Get 

Involved with the 

Partnership? 

To get involved with the partnership, please call: 

Kathleen Vokes, of the EPA DfE 

program, at 202-564-9910, 

Dick Driscoll at BIFMA at 

Bill Perdue at AFMA at 

Mark Buczek at AFSC at 

Lauren Heine at GreenBlue at 

Approaches for Achieving 

Environmentally Preferable 

Furniture Fire 

Safety Standards 

United StatesEnvironmental Protection AgencyDesign for the Environment (7406M)Washington, DC 20460Official BusinessPenalty for Private Use $300EPA 744-F-04-002September 2004www.epa.gov/dfe 
“ ” “ ” 

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l 

itutional 

AFMA understands and supports the longrange nature of this project and encourages EPA 

to remain engaged with private sector stakeholders to develop environmentally sound solutions 

to fire safety. 

—American Furniture Manufacturers Association 

www.afma4u.org 

BIFMA is committed to promoting sustainable 

work environments and business practices 

based on sound economics, environmenta

protection, and social responsibility. 

—Business and Inst

Furniture Manufacturers Association 

www.bifma.org 

AFSC is committed to improving fire safety 

standards and saving lives...We expect this 

partnership to lead to the implementation of 

safe and environmentally sound approaches 

to fire safety. 

—American Fire Safety Council 

www.firesafetycouncil.org 

GreenBlue is attracted to this partnership 

because of the rare opportunity to reconceive 

design criteria for flame retardant products. 

—GreenBlue 

www.greenblue.org 

Environmentally 

Preferable 

Approaches for 

Achieving Furniture 

Fire Safety Standards 

This project is a partnership 

between the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency’s Design for 

the Environment (DfE) Program and the 

following stakeholders: the American Fire 

Safety Council (AFSC), the American 

Furniture Manufacturers Association 

(AFMA), the Business and Institutional 

Furniture Manufacturers Association 

(BIFMA), the Consumer Product Safety 

Commission (CPSC), and GreenBlue. The 

partnership will identify environmentally 

sound solutions for 

meeting current and 

future furniture fire 

safety requirements. 

What Are the Project Goals 

and Activities? 

The partners in this project have identified shortterm and long-term goals to facilitate and inform 

industry decision making on environmentally 

sound solutions to fire safety. 

Short-term Goal 

• Provide up-to-date information on flame retardants used in foam and fabric, focusing initially 

on alternatives to pentabromodiphenyl ether 

(pentaBDE), which is commonly used in foam, 

and secondly on flame retardants used in textiles. 

Long-term Goals 

• Identify environmentally preferable approaches 

for designing furniture that meets fire safety 

standards. 

• Develop toxicological information on 

flame-retardant chemicals to affirm short-term 

decisions. 

Key Activities 

Green Chemistry Approaches 

• Identify and evaluate existing chemical 

substitutes for foam and fabric flame retardants. 

May also look at batting and other filling 

materials as appropriate. 

• Target research needs to encourage the design 

and development of environmentally preferable 

flame retardant technologies. 

Green Engineering Approaches 

• Investigate barrier technologies and alternative 

construction techniques. 

• Investigate alternative formulation of foams. 

• Develop a targeted DfE innovation challenge to 

identify chemical and non-chemical solutions. 

The partnership will look not only at ways 

chemicals can help prevent fires, but also at 

inherently flame-retardant materials and 

designs. Cost, functionality, environmental/ 

human health, and fire safety attributes will be 

factored in. 

Why is the Partnership 

Needed Now? 

The U.S. furniture industry needs more information on the environmental profile of flame 

retardant chemicals to move toward the use of 

environmentally preferable flame retardants. 

PentaBDE has been the primary flame retardant 

for foam in residential furniture in the U.S. 

This chemical saves lives, but there is growing 

concern over its environmental effects. In 

response, the sole U.S. manufacturer of 

pentaBDE is voluntarily phasing out production 

by December 31, 2004. 

At the same time, the need for reliable costeffective flame retardant chemicals and flame 

retardancy methods is increasing in response to 

revised California laws or a potential federal 

flammability standard. 

This partnership will provide manufacturers 

with information on existing and emerging 

flame retardants and set criteria to influence 

the future design of flame retardants.