Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the contribution of off-gassing flame retardants to indoor air contamination, particularly in mechanically ventilated homes.

This government has made no assessment of a contribution to indoor air contamination by off-gassing flame retardants. Part D of the Building Regulations 2010 relates to toxic substances and associated guidance in Approved Document D (attached) makes clear that formaldehyde fumes, given off by urea formaldehyde foams, should not penetrate to occupied parts of the building. Building Regulations Part F and Approved Document F (attached) relate to ventilation and describe how systems should be designed to supply a minimum level of outdoor air for occupants’ health and to rapidly dilute indoor air pollutants. Approved Document F includes performance criteria for indoor air pollutants, based on the World Health Organization’s Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality: Selected Pollutants (2010) and Public Health England’s Indoor Air Quality Guidelines for Selected Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in the UK (2019 ).