After all, black plastic kitchen utensils aren’t that toxic: But you should still throw them away, says group

A recent study that recommended immediate disposal of toxic chemicals in black plastic products contained mathematical errors that greatly exaggerated the risk of contamination, but its authors stand by their conclusions. , warns against the use of such products.

Experts from the non-profit Toxic Free Future, published in the peer-reviewed journal Chemosphere, found that flame retardants were found in 85% of 203 items made of black plastic, including kitchen utensils, takeout containers, children’s toys and hair. and other toxic chemicals have been detected. accessories.

The study originally stated that potential exposure to the chemical in one of the kitchen appliances was near the lowest level considered a health risk by the Environmental Protection Agency.

But in an updated version of the study, the authors say there was an error in their calculations and the actual levels were “an order of magnitude lower” than the EPA’s threshold. The mistake was discovered by Joe Schwartz, director of the Department of Science and Society at McGill University in Canada.

In a blog post, Schwartz explained that Toxin-Free Future scientists incorrectly calculated the lower limit of what the EPA considers a health risk due to a multiplicative error. Humans may be exposed to toxic chemicals in black plastic utensils at levels that are not even close to the lowest level considered a health risk by the EPA, but in fact at about one-tenth of that level. .

Schwartz said the risks outlined in the study aren’t enough to make you throw away your black plastic kitchen utensils if you have them, but that they shouldn’t include flame retardants in these products in the first place. Agreed with the authors.

“Mathematical errors do not affect the study results, conclusions or recommendations,” said study co-author Megan Liu, science and policy manager at Toxic-Free Future. She added that any trace of flame retardants or toxic chemicals in cookware should be a concern to the public.

Black products are made from recycled e-waste, such as discarded televisions and computers, and often contain flame retardants, leading to increased use of flame retardants in commonly used products. It has become. Heating can release flame retardants and other toxic chemicals.

If you’re wondering whether old black plastic spoons and other utensils fall into this group, Liu has some more advice for you.

In general, how do you know a product is harmful?

It’s almost impossible to know if a black plastic item is contaminated. That’s because these products containing recycled e-waste do not disclose a detailed list of all ingredients and contaminants contained in the product.

Liu said it is also unclear how many types of flame retardants are contained in these black plastic products.

Some of the products researchers tested in this recent study “contained up to nine harmful chemicals and harmful flame retardants,” she said.

How can I tell if my black plastic food tray is made from recycled contaminated plastic?

When you want to know what type of recycled plastic a product is made from, you look for the number within the arrow (forming a triangle) logo.

Recycling symbols are numbered from 1 to 7, and we usually associate the numbers with things that can be thrown into the blue recycling bin. Numbers 1 to 7 represent polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene or styrofoam, and other plastics (polycarbonate, polylactic acid, acrylic, acrylonitrile butadiene, styrene), respectively. ). , fiberglass and nylon).

The study found that polystyrene plastic labeled with the number 6 contained high concentrations of toxic flame retardants, Liu said.

When did recycled e-waste start contaminating black plastic products?

There is no clear timeline for when recycled e-waste specifically began to be incorporated into black plastic products, but e-waste began to be recycled in the early 2000s, Liu said.

Traditionally, the way we disposed of computers, cell phones, stereos, printers, and copiers was to simply add them to landfills instead of reusing the salvageable parts.

However, as the National Conference of State Legislatures points out, electronics manufacturing requires large amounts of resources that can be recovered through recycling.

Recovering resources such as metals, plastics and glass through recycling uses only a fraction of the energy needed to mine new materials.

However, the study found that flame retardants and other chemical contaminants were detected in indoor air and dust at formal e-waste recycling facilities in Canada, China, Spain, and the United States in and near e-waste recycling facilities. Pointed out. From soil samples around e-waste recycling facilities in China and Vietnam.

What are the safer alternatives?

The safest, non-toxic material choices for kitchenware are wood and stainless steel.

The Los Angeles Times in 2024. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.