x0x0 and Htsthbjig are right, this is an industry puff piece. In a previous job I researched brominated flame retardants and it is well documented that they cause developmental disruptions, cancer, and reproductive toxicity. One of the main dangers is that they are not chemically bonded to the plastic and foam that they are added to, like in your couch cushions. This means they get into dust, which is particularly a hazard for babies crawling on the floor.
The laws are also outdated and not very practical- in California, which has some of the most rigorous regulations on environmental health, the test for a flame retardant cushion is to hold a candle to a piece of foam for 12 seconds.
The Chicago Tribune did a series on the tobacco industry's role in getting brominated flame retardants into furniture, which I recommend reading for some context on the current US regulations: http://media.apps.chicagotribune.com/flames/index.html
The laws are also outdated and not very practical- in California, which has some of the most rigorous regulations on environmental health, the test for a flame retardant cushion is to hold a candle to a piece of foam for 12 seconds.
The Chicago Tribune did a series on the tobacco industry's role in getting brominated flame retardants into furniture, which I recommend reading for some context on the current US regulations: http://media.apps.chicagotribune.com/flames/index.html
Edited to add links to some studies: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2866688/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3569691/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3349420/