If you’ve ordered takeout food that came in a black plastic container, or if you have a ladle or spatula in your kitchen that’s made of black plastic, it may be time to find a new restaurant — and maybe go shopping for new utinsels.
A new study has found that the black plastic comes from recycled electric and electronic products that have high concentrations of flame-retardant chemicals, known carcinogens that can seep into food when the plastic comes in contact with heat.
That finding is significant news for Black Americans, who have disproportionately high rates of cancer and other illnesses that those chemicals can trigger.
Authors of the study published last month in Chemosphere, found cancer-causing flame retardants in 85% of consumer household products it tested. The highest levels of toxic chemicals, however, were found in everyday items made of black plastic: a sushi tray, a spatula, and a beaded toy necklace for children.
“Companies continue to use toxic flame retardants in plastic electronics, and that’s resulting in unexpected and unnecessary toxic exposures,” says Megan Liu, study co-author and science and policy manager at Toxic-Free Future.
“These cancer-causing chemicals shouldn’t be used to begin with, but with recycling, they are entering our environment and our homes in more ways than one,” she says. “The high levels we found are concerning.”
“For decades, electronics manufacturers have used flame retardants that have provided an important layer of fire safety,” according to information from the American Chemistry Council. The retardants are used “in the internal components and enclosures of televisions, mobile phones, and a variety of appliances.”
The ACC’s North American Flame Retardant Alliance, which represents makers and users of flame-resistant chemicals, said the study doesn’t have enough data on what amount of human exposure to the chemicals cause harm. A spokesman for the organization also called recycling plastics from electronic waste “a critical component of a circular economy, helping to conserve resources and reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste,” in an interview with CNN.
Previous studies had sounded the alarm about chemicals in plastic leaching into food and beverages. This absorption increases when the plastics are put in a microwave or stirred into food during cooking. Some of these chemicals have been linked to metabolic disorders including obesity and reproductive issues in women
Black Americans have the highest rates of obesity and are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer.
This includes reproductive cancers like breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer which these studies indicate could be related to plastics.
This month, the U.S. will enter negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty, which could lead to annual reductions in plastic production and a ban on hazardous chemicals in plastics. Toxic-Free Future wants to see the U.S. and states ban chemicals in plastics through the Global Plastics Treaty and state policy.
