Reconciling chemical flame retardant exposure and fire risk in domestic furniture.

Introduction: Evidence suggests that standards for resistance of furniture to ignition may lead to an increase in use of chemical flame retardants (CFRs). This is motivating the development of new approaches that maintain high levels of fire safety while facilitating a reduction in use of CFRs. However, reconciling potential fire risk with use of CFRs in relation to specific policy objectives is challenging.

Self-reported Side-effects of Ultraviolet-C Disinfection Devices.

The COVID-19 pandemic increased sales of portable UV-C devices as a means of inactivating the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Research suggests that excessive UV-C exposure to the eyes and skin can lead to side-effects, primarily photokeratitis and erythema, but these findings are limited to case studies. This study explores self-reported side-effects of UV-C devices by collating five waves of UK consumer survey data from April 2020-December 2021 (N = 26 864).

Survey of Home-Use UV Disinfection Products.

The COVID-19 pandemic provided a commercial opportunity for traders marketing a range of ultraviolet (UV) radiation products for home-use disinfection. Due to concerns about the efficacy of such products and the potential for harmful levels of UV exposure to people, a range of products were purchased from on-line trading platforms. Spectral irradiance measurements were carried out to determine whether the products could be effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and whether they were likely to exceed internationally agreed exposure limits.