Avoiding Harmful Chemicals in Products and Projects ----A Virtual CEU Course

Written by Angie Kenny | May 1, 2025 5:00:01 PM

Join SFC on our virtual platform as we host a LIVE CEU Course:

Avoiding Harmful Chemicals in your Products and Projects

Have you ever wondered what the items are truly made of that you are bringing into your client's home and how it affects overall health? When we think about that and chemicals of concern in home furnishings, we look at these groups of chemicals:

Antimicrobials, PFAS, Flame Retardants, VOC's (Volatile Organic Chemicals), and Poly-Vinyl Chloride (PVC)

These can be harmful - so we emphasize the importance of avoiding them in the form of home furnishings, equipment, cleaning supplies, etc. But how do we go about avoiding them and what certifications can we trust to give us this information? Barry Cik, SFC Member and founder of Naturepedic Organic Mattresses, can help work through these questions. He will discuss how to avoid harmful chemicals in your design projects and provide the science behind why this is important to both people and the environment.

In this Webinar and CEU Course, we'll learn:

A brief history of chemical use in home furnishing products and how it has changed over the years
Where these chemicals lurk and hide from consumers and our industry, and what to look for when purchasing new products
Some examples of how PFAS and other harmful chemicals are being eliminated from use in the United States but how there is still a long road ahead
Better options for your design projects moving forward and confidence to talk to your clients about them
Resources to lean on in the form of certifications to back up your choices

Barry A. Cik is the Founder and Technical Director of Naturepedic, a manufacturer of award-winning certified organic and non-toxic mattresses for babies, children, adults and pets. As a professionally trained board-certified environmental engineer, Barry combines his authentic passion for improving our quality of life with the technical knowledge to do so.

His devotion to the organic industry is the natural result of his lifelong interest in preserving the environment not only for us, but for future generations as well. He is an advocate for legislative reform and was invited to testify in Washington, D.C. for a congressional subcommittee hearing exploring chemical reform. A veteran in the field of environmental engineering with over 30 years of experience chasing chemicals, Barry frequently speaks before scientific, consumer, political and business audiences on the benefits of organic. Among Barry's many credentials, he is a Board-Certified Environmental Engineer under the American Academy of Environmental Engineers.

DATE: Tuesday, June 11th

TIME: 12:00pm-1:15pm EST

IDCEC CEU credit is 1 hour for participants.

Presented at NO COST for SFC members and non-members.

This webinar will be recorded, but the CEU credit will not be available through the recording.

LIVE VIRTUAL EVENT

IDCEC CEU#: 115855

Designation: Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW)

Learning Level: Basic

Subject Code: 5. Technical Knowledge | 20. Sustainable and/or Environmental Design

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