California’s Sustainable and Safe Furniture Fire Safety Success Story: new fire statistics data
New Californian fire fatality data confirms that furniture fire safety regulatory reform, which reduced the use of chemical flame retardants, have not resulted in an increase in upholstered furniture related fire deaths. Showing effective, safe and sustainable fire safety that protects the public from exposure to harmful chemical flame retardants is possible.
A Class Act? How HSE is changing the way Great Britain decides which chemicals are hazardous
Knowing which chemicals are hazardous is essential to using them safely and avoiding dangerous exposure. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is making changes to how chemical hazards are decided.
The battle to tackle POPs in UK waste: stark findings from the Office for Environmental Protection
Challenges in the management of POPs waste in the UK will continue for years to come but regulatory changes offer hope. Read about the Office for Environmental Protection’s POPs waste research and Fidra’s calls to accelerate regulatory reform and other solutions to address this growing problem.
Alarming levels of chemical contaminants found in UK honey
A new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reports alarming levels of chemical contaminants in UK honey that may be linked to the use of organic fertilisers such as treated sewage sludge on farmland.
New consultation on UK furniture fire safety regulations now open
The UK government have launched a new long-awaited consultation on proposed changes UK furniture fire safety regulations, which could enable the reduction in use of harmful chemical flame retardants.
A Regulatory Step Backwards: Why the draft Chemicals SI fails the test
Chemical pollution is one of the greatest threats to our health and environment, and the regulations that keep it in check are only as strong as the chemical classification system that underpins them.
Clean water can’t wait: the Government must take action now for nature and people
Our rivers, lakes and seas are in crisis, suffocated by decades of pollution and inaction. The way we treat our waters is no longer something the public, or the environment, is going to tolerate.
A new vision for water? How the UK Government’s Water White Paper falls short on chemical pollution
Stopping chemical and plastic pollution at source is needed to deliver clean rivers, lakes and seas.
Fidra’s Response to Scotland’s Circular Economy Strategy
While Fidra welcomes Scotland’s draft Circular Economy Strategy, our consultation response highlights a critical gap: the strategy overlooks the role of harmful chemicals in undermining circular activities.
Use of flame retardants and the dangers of increased fire smoke toxicity to UK firefighters’ health
The use of certain chemical flame retardants in UK consumer products, including furniture, mattresses, textiles, electronics and building construction materials, increases fire smoke toxicity, posing a danger to firefighters’ safety and long-term health without increasing fire safety