Healthy Chair Mat

October 13, 2012, by Debra Lynn Dadd

Question from Percyfaith

I am looking for a healthy material chair mat for my computer desk. Don't know if there is such a thing. I have a low pile carpet in the room and over my lifetime have mostly used the cheap mats at office supply stores. I am more sensitive now and the 2 mats we have have cracked and need replacing. I found a mat I liked (size and price) but it was made of polycarbonate. I know that is avoided in drinking bottles but not sure if it is ok for flooring mats. Do you know a healthy material and a source? I don't not have much money to spend either. 

Debra's Answer

The issue in drinking bottles is that the water is sitting in the bottle for a long period, having a lot of contact time with the plastic, which leaches BPA into the water.

BPA does not particularly emit vapors into the air from polycarbonate, it's a contact issue.

This mat should be fine. The only caution I would give you is to not walk on it with bare feet and especially don't have bare feet sitting on the mat for hours on end while you are working at the desk. Any plastic can be absorbed through the skin by contact, especially long period of contact where heat and moisture from your feet can increase leaching.