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They’re not good though. Hold an open flame or shorting electrical wire to a coated surface and it will burn just the same. Flame retardants only really give y
by zionic 4y ago
They’re not good though. Hold an open flame or shorting electrical wire to a coated surface and it will burn just the same.
Flame retardants only really give you a slight edge vs a burning cigarette on a couch.
We coated our couches, clothes, carpets etc in cancerous chemicals to save a few smokers that passed out drunk
- mensetmanusman 4y agoBurn isn’t binary, rate matters to give humans time to flee…
- zionic 4y agoFlame retardants have no measurable impact on burn rate once the burn has started. We literally coated everything in carcinogenic chemicals for the dumbest of reasons.
- ben_w 4y agoIn addition to what @mensetmanusman says: They also save the families of those smokers, and people like my sister who knocked over a candle and had enough time to put it out despite not having a fire extinguisher, and people like me who forgot food on the stove one time, or people like my dad who missed when pouring burning brandy onto a Christmas puddings. If you still find this unconvincing, ask yourself why life expectancy has gone up rather than down since the invention and mandated use of fire retardants.
- zionic 4y agoMy argument is the net harm of coating everything in carcinogens and endocrine disruptors outweighs the fringe benefit. Flame retardants don’t eliminate fire, they give you an extremely small chance of preventing one in very specific scenarios.