From toys to kitchenware to food takeout trays, researchers have discovered a toxic chemical banned for its link to cancer in many common household items. Exposure to the flame retardant can come with serious health risks.
“We knew even before we started this study that there is no reason for our food-contact items, kitchen utensils, or toys to contain harmful flame retardants,” lead study author Megan Liu explained in her report. “While I’m doing what I can to switch my household items to safer alternatives, I hope that studies like this, along with the ever-growing body of research proving how dangerous plastics are, will help push our governments and retailers to act now and shift towards safer materials.”
Published in the scientific journal Chemosphere, Liu and her fellow researchers discovered nine toxic flame retardants in household items containing black plastic. Some of the items had high concentrations of the chemicals, up to 2.3% in weight. In 70% of the samples tested, they found traces of decaBDE, a retardant banned by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2021. But newer retardants were also found, including a hormone-disrupting chemical recently detected in human breast milk.
According to Liu — environmental advocacy group Toxic-Free Future’s science and policy manager — the dangerous chemicals are likely making their way into household items through poor recycling practices.
