The story in the world’s biggest selling English language daily newspaper – headlined ‘Toxic sofas burn 1000’ – referred to two retailers and ‘Chinese-made furniture’. This follows reports in Cabinet Maker and on BBC TV’s Watchdog in recent months.
Having discussed the situation with BLC Leather Technology Centre Ltd, fungicide treatment is common practice in the production of leather for furniture, as it can prevent the growth of mould.
“Any standard fungicide treatment in leather production would not normally cause this problem,” a BLC spokesman said today.
Although FIRA conducts structural and flammability testing, it does not test fungicides, but BLC – which has a client base of around 350 companies – has offered a 20% discount off its non member rates to FIRA members wanting to assess the level of fungicides in any of their leather products. Anyone interested in taking advantage of this offer should contact , with the subject line ‘BLC testing’.
Consumers are advised to contact the retail outlet from where they purchased their furniture if they have genuine health concerns which they believe relate to the use of fungicides.
Following a