A new study has found that black-colored plastic used in children’s toys, takeout containers, kitchen utensils, and grocery trays for meat and produce may contain high levels of toxic flame retardants, likely originating from recycled electronic waste.
According to lead author Megan Liu, science and policy manager for the environmental group Toxic-Free Future, the hazardous flame retardants detected in these consumer products are the same as those used in electronic devices like televisions.
Liu explained that this contamination likely results from errors in recycling electronic waste, leading to toxic chemicals like decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) being found in items like a black plastic sushi tray, which contained 11,900 parts per million of the chemical.
A 2024 study also revealed that people with the highest levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in their blood were 300% more likely to die from cancer compared to those with the lowest levels.
