Black-colored plastic used in children’s toys, takeout containers, kitchen utensils and grocery meat and produce trays may contain alarming levels of toxic flame retardants that may be leaching from electronic products during recycling, a new study found.
“A product with one of the highest levels of flame retardants were black plastic pirate coin beads that kids wear — they resemble Mardi Gras beads but more for costume wear,” said lead study author Megan Liu, science and policy manager for Toxic-Free Future, an environmental advocacy group.
“That particular product had up to 22,800 parts per million of total flame retardants — that’s almost 3% by weight,” Liu said. “Kids will often play with toys multiple days in a row until they tire of them.”
The most hazardous flame retardants the study found in consumer products are the same used in electronic enclosures on televisions and other electronics, Liu said.
“It appears the plastics used to make the consumer products were contaminated with flame retardants due to mistakes in the recycling of electronic waste,” she said.
One consumer product, a black plastic sushi tray, contained 11,900 parts per million of the flame retardant decabromodiphenyl ether, or decaBDE for short. That chemical is a member of the polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDE, class of flame retardants.
People with the highest blood levels of PBDEs were approximately 300% more likely to die from cancer as people with the lowest levels, according to an April 2024 study.
DecaBDE was fully banned in 2021 by the US Environmental Protection Agency after being linked to cancer, endocrine and thyroid issues, fetal and child development and neurobehavioral function and reproductive and immune system toxicity.
Despite those restrictions, decaBDE was found in 70% of the samples tested, at levels ranging from five to 1,200 times greater than the European Union's limit of 10 parts per million, Liu said.
Based on exposure to contaminated black plastic kitchen utensils such as spatulas and slotted spoons, study researchers estimated a person could be exposed to an average of 34.7 parts per million of decaBDE each day.
“It was especially concerning that they found retardants that aren’t supposed to be used anymore,” said toxicologist Linda Birnbaum, former director of the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program.
“I would recommend not using black plastic for food contact materials or buying toys with black plastic pieces,” said Birnbaum, who was not involved in the study.
Electronics with flame retardants
Electronic devices that use flame retardants as a way to prevent fires are common in homes in the United States, according to the American Chemistry Council’s website: “The average home contains more than 20 electronic products, including televisions, smartphones, computers, gaming systems and tablets. These devices are embedded into our everyday lives, yet they could pose additional safety risks if it weren’t for flame retardants.”
Source: CNN
