. >> two pbdes, penta and octa, were taken off the u.s. market voluntarily in 2004 because of growing health concerns. production of the pbde deca is in the process of being terminated. >> the problem with all of these pbdes is that they are very persistent in the environment. >> the issue with pbdes is that they've been replaced with other types of chemicals that may have very similar concerns and perhaps even the same mechanism of action, in terms of their ability to disrupt the endocrine system. >> the flame retardants chlorinated tris and fire master 550, which may be linked to dna damage, cancer, or neurological defects, continue to be widely used in polyurethane foam in a number of common children's' products. >> so i think that the whole issue of flame retardants is one for which there is some concern, and i think the real question we should ask, and maybe we need to ask this more broadly of other kinds of chemicals as well, is, do we really need them? >> when it comes to endocrine disruptors, one of the most toxic places is your ho