Flame retardants found in black plastics could have health consequences

Black plastics often contain particularly high levels of flame retardants, according to a new study. The chemicals are often used in electronics, but recycling has brought them to products that should not have them. There is no safe level of flame retardant consumption, and the findings point to the uncertainty of plastic recycling as well as the overwhelming use of plastic in daily life. Plastic poisons A study published in the journal Chemosphere found an alarming level of flame retardants in black plastic kitchen tools, along with children’s toys and food containers. The most concerning flame retardant found was decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE), banned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2021. Flame retardants (FRs) have been linked to carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity and reproductive and developmental toxicity. “It was especially concerning that they found retardants that aren’t supposed to be used anymore,” Linda Birnbaum, toxicologist and former director of the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program, said to CNN. “I would recommend not using black plastic for food contact materials or buying toys with black plastic pieces.” While the study only looked at black plastic, most commonly used in electronics manufacturing, more research is...