•Wrinkled blue polyester sport fabric, full frame
Foreign and local experts have postulated rightly or wrongly, that polyester-based mattresses may be dangerous to health, as they contain isocyanates, which irritates the eyes, nose, throat and skin.
Polyester is a synthetic fabric, derived from petroleum and one of the world’s most popular textiles used in different consumer and industrial products, according to Agency reports.
Studies by experts have shown that since polyester is made of plastic, it is not bio-degradable and could take several years for the fibre to dissolve.
But beyond this postulations, the observable toxic materials used during its production process, leach into the soil and contaminate the water of local communities.
Dr. Mearl Stanton of the National Cancer Institute, United States of America has disclosed that particles of fiber are carcinogenic to animals and by extension, humans.
Staton’s studies however revealed that fibers less than three micrometers in diameter and greater than 20 micrometers in length, acted as carcinogens in rats, thus posting that similar effects would probably be seen in human beings.
In his own submissions, James Miller, a British-born, Senior Editor at The Roundup with more than 12 years experience of testing and reviewing non-toxic and eco-friendly products said, eyes may become red and irritated, after exposure to fiber materials.
Soreness in the nose and throat, according to the study, could result when fibers are inhaled, even as asthma and bronchitis could be aggravated by exposure to such toxic materials.
According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration, exposure to isocyanates could equally lead to tightness of the chest, and even cause asthma.
But beyond this, the national safety institute had noted with dismay, that exposure to chemicals, commonly found in most polyester-based foam products may equally cause fatal respiratory diseases.
Those dangerous chemicals, the experts noted are powerful irritants to mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as respiratory system.
Medically, what this means, is that polyester-based foam is ubiquitous across industrial products and largely used for its low-density and sound insulating properties.
Perhaps, this may have informed why such foams are currently under scrutiny, as they face urgent recalls in some Countries, even as a Dutch medical equipment company, Philips has recalled some of such foams.
For instance, a few years ago, Philips voluntarily recalled several models of Ventilator and CPAP machines, citing evidence of sound abatement foam, degrading into particles that users could potentially inhale.
This recall has raised some safety alarm bells, and from indications, some Attorneys across the Country are pursuing related cases.
Another research in Acute Coronary Syndrome, ACS, of the Environmental Science and Technology has also revealed that mattresses with Volatile Organic Compounds, VOCs, could be toxic.
VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short and long-term adverse health effects. —
Experts say concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors.
The emission rates of gaseous compounds, released by several types of polyurethane brought by a sudden reduction or blockage of blood flow to the heart.
ACS is most often caused by plaque rupture or clot formation in the heart’s arteries, which estimated the doses of VOCs inhaled by adults, infants, and children.
It was however discovered that most of them were well below cancer and non-cancer risk levels for the compounds.
Inhalation of some compounds like acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, and benzene could reach levels of concern, emphasizing the need for further studies on possible health effects of chronic, low-level exposure to VOCs.
