Prenatal and postnatal concentrations of pentabromodiphenyl ether, a flame-retardant chemical that can be found in furniture, decreased 5% every year between 1998 and 2013; however, these levels remained present in all children that provided samples for analysis.

According to a press release issued by the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, childhood exposure to these chemicals can lead to attention problems and lower mental and physical developmental scores.