Guest Column
Minorities to Experience Disproportionate Impact from Impending Legislation
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Minorities to Experience Disproportionate Impact from Impending Legislation
Los Angeles, CA.—A coalition, concerned with the safety of Californians, has united to oppose a bill requiring the removal of a widely used fire retardant found in furniture, appliances, cribs, and other commonplace items. Hospitals, environmental groups, fire chiefs, and insurance companies alike have come together to form a coalition called “Safety First” to ensure that Californians are protected by the highest standards of fire safety.
Bill AB 706 provides for the elimination of BFRs and CFRs-- chemicals used in 90 percent of flame-retardants found in a variety of products. The bill mandates the removal of the chemicals without an adequate replacement, putting public safety in jeopardy. This bill will disproportionately affect minorities, due to many minority communities also being low-income communities that will be financially unable to counter this blow to fire safety. Statistically, low-income and minority communities already experience a disproportionate number of fire-related deaths, and AB 706 only exacerbates an existing problem in those communities.
“Forcing the replacement of flame retardants that have a history of safe use and efficiency, such as those targeted by your legislation, is likely to result in reduced levels of fire safety for the citizens of California and firefighter personnel,” said Fresno Fire Chief, Randy Bruegman.
One of the alternatives AB 706 proposes is a flame-resistant cover; however, any slippage or tear in the cover exposes the untreated, highly flammable material, creating a serious hazard. This drastic change in policy would not only put the lives of many minorities at risk, but also pose a likely environmental risk, as manufacturers must use potentially hazardous, alternatives to these chemicals. These untried alternatives, which the proponents of AB 706 have to identify, pose a greater risk to firefighters than the chemicals that are already in use and familiar to firefighters. Additionally, AB 706 makes manufacturers vulnerable to lawsuits from consumers who expect a more adequate level of fire protection than AB 706 allows.
Raising California standards for fire protection with the use of these flame-retardant chemicals has reduced the number of fire fatalities by more than 64 percent. Removing these life-saving chemicals is a step in the wrong direction for public health and consumer fire safety.
For more information, contact Seth Jacobson of JCI Public Relations at (310)317-1966 or seth@jcipr.com.