A recent study published in the journal Chemosphere has raised serious concerns about the safety of black plastic products commonly used in households. The research reveals that various black plastic items, such as food service ware, kitchen utensils, and even children’s toys, contain high levels of toxic flame-retardant chemicals. These substances, which are linked to cancer, are being detected in everyday products made from recycled plastics, posing a significant health risk to consumers.
Toxic Chemicals Found in Everyday Items The study, conducted by researchers in the United States and the Netherlands, tested more than 200 black plastic products. These included takeout containers like sushi trays, spatulas, and even beaded necklaces worn by children. Shockingly, 85 per cent of the analyzed items were found to contain harmful chemicals, such as brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs).
Megan Liu, the science and policy manager at Toxic-Free Future and a co-author of the study, expressed alarm at these findings. "These cancer-causing chemicals shouldn’t be used to begin with, but with recycling, they are winding up in household products where we don’t expect to see them," she said. How Flame Retardants End Up in Plastic Flame-retardant chemicals are added to electronics like televisions and computer casings to prevent fires.
However, during the recycling process, these plastics are often repurposed into new products, including th.