[2] CFFS was founded in 2007 by chemical manufacturers Albemarle Corporation, Chemtura Corp. and ICL Industrial Products (Hawthorne/Roe),[3] together which controlled over 40% of the flame retardants' world market.
[citation needed] In 2012, the Chicago Tribune conducted an investigation in which they discovered that flame retardants’ producer companies were distorting scientific studies related to their toxic chemicals.
The companies were stating that the substances were beneficial for society in general, since, for example, according to researches, “they give people a 15-fold increase in time to escape fires,” and also “they prevent residential fires and save lives.” The chemicals, however, were very dangerous substances and also associated with a series of health issues to humans, such as cancer, developing problems, neurological deficits and impaired fertility.
[6] In 2012, three different brands of baby mattresses were found to have toxic flame retardants and contained possible carcinogens, as tested by laboratories for the Chicago Tribune.
Linda Birnbaum, director of the federal government's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, said "If these chemicals are in your child's mattress, they are going to be constantly exposed.
"[8] CFFS supported finding a solution to this issue, and proposed that mattresses must pass federal fire-safety tests that are far more stringent.