1、Introduction
CertiPUR-US® is a certification program administered by a nonprofit organization.
CertiPUR® is a voluntary testing, analysis and certification programme for the environmental, health and safety properties of polyurethane foam used in bedding and
upholstered furniture applications. It specifies substances that may not be used in the production of polyurethane foams and sets stringent maximum limits for some components.
This is A Health Checkup for Foam.When you buy products containing certified foam, you can be confident that the flexible polyurethane foam inside meets CertiPUR-US®
standards for content, emissions, and durability, and has been analyzed by independent, accredited testing laboratories.
The Technical Guidelines provide complete details on the certification process and were established with guidance from the global foam industry and in conjunction with the
leadership of the mattress and upholstered furniture industries. In addition, an advisory panel of scientists, academics, environmentalists and representatives of consumer groups
provided invaluable input in the development process.
All certified flexible polyurethane foams are tested and analyzed twice in the first year, and re-certified annually thereafter. In addition, we conduct random on-site foam
production plant checks of participating foam producers.
2、CertiPUR-US certified foams are:
✓ Made without ozone depleters
In 1987 the Montreal Protocol came into being. It mandated that industries eliminate ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) by the year 2000.
Ozone depleters are chemicals that can damage the Earth’s ozone layer, so their use is strictly regulated.
The CertiPUR-US certification program tests foam for various characteristics, including the presence of ozone depleters.
✓ Made without PBDEs or the following Tris flame retardants: TCEP, TDBPP, TDCPP or TEPA
Some PBDEs (polybrominated diphenylethers) were used in foam to meet certain state flammability requirements, but those PBDEs were effectively banned in the U.S. by
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2005. Other flame retardants that have been identified by the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) as substances that may cause
cancer, may cause genetic defects or may damage fertility or unborn child (1A, 1B) may not be used in certified foam. TCEP, TDBPP, TDCPP or TEPA are among these flame retardants (FRs).
✓ Made without mercury, lead, and other heavy metals
Though not common components of foam chemistry, heavy metals in food (mercury in fish) and in the home (lead paint in children’s toys) have made the entire heavy
metal family an area of concern. CertiPUR-US laboratory testing subjects material extracted to molecular analysis capable of detecting even trace amounts of heavy metal content.
CertiPUR-US verifies that registered foams are made without mercury, lead and other heavy metals.
✓ Made without formaldehyde
Like heavy metals, formaldehyde has never been used as a raw material in foam. Formaldehyde has been labeled as a cause of poor indoor air quality. The absence of
formaldehyde in foam is verified in CertiPUR-US-certified foam by a small chamber emission test.
✓ Made without phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission
Phthalates (pronounced “thal’-ātes”) are mainly used as a softening agent in the manufacture of some consumer products. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement
Act (2009) eliminated the use of eight specific phthalates for use in children’s toy and child care items. CertiPUR-US goes a step further by requiring detailed laboratory analysis
of foam extractions and prohibiting the use of phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in all CertiPUR-US certified foams.
✓ Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million)
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are a major component of air pollution. VOC emissions from household products are also a concern for indoor air quality. CertiPUR-US
certified foams are tested using a small chamber test standardized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).* In the test, foam samples are conditioned for 72
hours after which emissions of total organic compounds are measured. Results of this test verify that CertiPUR-US compliant foams have low emissions for indoor air quality
(less than 0.5 parts per million).
3、How to Certify a Foam
If you are a foam producer that is interested in certifying flexible polyurethane foam (either slabstock or molded), start by reading the appropriate Technical Guidelines
pictured and downloadable on this page. The only difference in the criteria for certification of slabstock and molded foam is the sample size required for evaluation, and the
packaging of the sample to be sent to the testing laboratories for analysis. Some molded foam producers may need to create a new mold to accommodate the proper sample size.
CertiPUR-US® certification is open to all manufacturers of slabstock or molded flexible polyurethane foam. Companies need to submit an application, lab test results,
production line photographs, and affidavits and declarations on prohibited substances. Certain conditions and limitations apply.
4、Program Basics
a、Foam Families
Each CertiPUR-US® registration covers only a specific class of flexible polyurethane foam manufactured with the same raw materials. The categories are:
Conventional foams
Conventional FR foams (sharing the same flame-retardant package)
High resilience foams
Molded foams
Super-soft (low density/low index) conventional foams – 25% IFD ≤ 15 lbs. (65 N) and density ≤ 1.5 lbs/ft3 (24 kg/m3)
Viscoelastic (memory) foams
Viscoelastic (memory) foams with gel
Branded foams (any of the categories above with an exclusive brand name)
Other foams, subject to approval by program administrators
b、Certification Process
From start to finish, the certification process takes about 60 days, including 21-30 days for analytical testing.
C、Once Foam is Certified
Once a foam producer has completed the certification process for a foam family, the company will be added to our page of registered foam producers and an individual
web page for your company with your logo, website, contacts and proof-of-certification will be created.
d、Re-certification
Certified foams must by re-certified every six months for the first year, and annually thereafter.
e、Random Verification
AFPF conducts random on-site foam production plant checks of participating producers. Samples of certified foams are subjected to chemical and physical testing at
independent laboratories to verify that they comply with all CertiPUR-US® Technical Guidelines.
