In theory, flame retardants in furniture and other household items such as draperies could reduce the spread of flames and thus protect people during fires. However, the major category of chemical flame retardants used for this purpose, the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), has a number of adverse health effects including those on the thyroid gland.
If you had to choose between a flame retardant sofa set and PBDE-free non-flame retardant sofa set, which would you choose? Explain.