Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report of the Environmental Audit Committee, Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Life, published in July 2019, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the regulation of toxic chemicals used in furniture.

Flame retardants which were used in soft furnishings that fulfil the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) criteria are banned from use or restricted globally under the UN Stockholm Convention. Other known harmful flame retardants have been identified as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) and are on the candidate list for authorisation. This is the first step for a harmful chemical to be banned subject to stringent controls under the UK REACH authorisation process.

The UK supports global action on harmful chemicals. The Environment Agency is a leader in understanding these chemicals and the UK has recently proposed another flame retardant, medium chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs), to the Stockholm Convention for consideration as a POP, which could lead to a ban on its use in the future.

The Government has announced that it will develop a new approach to the Furniture and Furnishing (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 which will focus on safety outcomes and will be underpinned by a set of essential safety requirements, which all upholstered furniture placed on the market must meet.

The current regulations do not specify the use of chemical flame retardants as a means of making furniture fire safe and the Government continues to welcome innovative approaches that deliver safe outcomes for consumers.