Black-colored plastics found in kitchen utensils, toys linked to toxic chemical

BLACK PLASTIC SEEMS TO BE EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK – IN TAKEOUT CONTAINERS, KIDS’ TOYS, COOKING UTENSILS, AND SO MUCH MORE. 

NOW, A NEW STUDY SHOWS BLACK-COLORED PLASTICS MAY CONTAIN CONCERNING LEVELS OF A TOXIC FLAME RETARDANT THAT COULD BE LEACHING IN THROUGH THE RECYCLING PROCESS. 

THE STUDY – BY ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY GROUP “TOXIC-FREE FUTURE” – FOUND THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE TOXIC CHEMICAL IN COSTUME JEWELRY KIDS OFTEN WEAR WHEN DRESSING UP AS PIRATES. 

THE STUDY’S LEAD AUTHOR SAID THESE NECKLACES CONTAIN TOXIC CHEMICALS EQUAL TO ALMOST THREE PERCENT OF THEIR WEIGHT. 

THE TOXIC FLAME RETARDANT IS PART OF A CLASS OF CHEMICALS KNOWN AS POLYBROMINATED DIPHENYL ETHERS – OR P-B-D-Es – WHICH HAVE BEEN LINKED TO A SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED RISK OF DYING FROM CANCER.

RESEARCHERS FOUND ONE P-B-D-E IN PARTICULAR – KNOWN AS DECA B-D-E – WAS FOUND IN 70 PERCENT OF SAMPLES TESTED… EVEN THOUGH IT WAS **COMPLETELY BANNED** BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY IN 20-21.

THE EUROPEAN UNION ALLOWS A LEVEL OF DECA-B-D-Es UP TO 10 PARTS PER MILLION IN PRODUCTS.

THE STUDY’S AUTHORS SAY THEY FOUND LEVELS RANGING FROM FIVE TO 12-HUNDRED TIMES GREATER THAN THAT IN THE PRODUCTS THEY TESTED. 

TAKE BLACK PLASTIC KITCHEN UTENSILS FOR EXAMPLE.

RESEARCHERS SAY BASED ON HOW OFTEN THEY’RE USED… YOU COULD BE EXPOSED TO NEARLY 38 PARTS PER MILLION OF DECA-B-D-E PER DAY – MORE THAN THREE TIMES WHAT THE E-U HAS DEEMED ACCEPTABLE.

THEY SAY MOST OF THE CONTAMINATION CAN BE LINKED BACK TO FLAME RETARDANTS COMMONLY USED TO PREVENT FIRES IN ELECTRONIC DEVICES – FROM T-Vs AND SMARTPHONES TO GAMING SYSTEMS AND COMPUTERS – WHEN THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN RECYCLED IMPROPERLY…

HOWEVER, THESE FLAME RETARDANTS CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN THE PADDING OF THINGS LIKE COUCHES, YOGA MATS, CHILDREN’S CAR SEATS – JUST TO NAME A FEW.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES SAYS THESE TOXIC CHEMICALS **CAN** LEACH FROM PRODUCTS INTO THE AIR THEN ATTACH TO THINGS LIKE FOOD, DRINKS, AND DUST, WHICH ARE THEN INGESTED.

**BUT** THE NORTH AMERICAN FLAME RETARDANT ALLIANCE POINTS OUT THIS RECENT STUDY DID **NOT** ACCOUNT FOR ACTUAL LEVELS OF EXPOSURE IN HUMANS OR HOW THEY WERE EXPOSED.

THE STUDY ALSO **ONLY** LOOKED AT BLACK PLASTICS – SO IT’S UNCLEAR IF THE TOXIC CHEMICALS CAN BE FOUND IN ANY OTHER COLOR OF PLASTIC.

RESEARCHERS SAY IF YOU WANT TO CUT DOWN YOUR EXPOSURE… YOU CAN REPLACE YOUR KITCHEN UTENSILS WITH STAINLESS STEEL.

DUST, MOP, AND VACUUM REGULARLY TO GET RID OF ANY DUST THAT HAS BEEN CONTAMINATED…

AND **DON’T** WASH AND REUSE THE BLACK PLASTIC CONTAINERS YOUR FOOD COMES IN…

AND DEFINITELY DON’T PUT THEM IN THE MICROWAVE.