According to a recent report by Toxic-Free Future, harmful chemicals have been detected in some common household items made from black plastic. This discovery has raised significant concerns among experts and the general public alike. The biggest worry is that certain of these items come into direct contact with food, which means that we could potentially be ingesting these harmful substances. Megan Liu, the policy manager at Toxic-Free Future, stated, "With our specific study, finding flame retardants in food contact materials, we know that they can leach out of kitchen utensils and into food. It's alarming to think that we could be eating flame retardants." Uncovering the Hidden Dangers in Black Plastic Household Items
Testing Household Items Made of Black Plastic
The Toxic-Free Future organization conducted a peer-reviewed study after testing a variety of household items made from black plastic. Sushi trays, black kitchen utensils, and jewelry all showed concerning levels of flame-retardant chemicals. As Megan Liu mentioned, "Flame retardants are associated with a wide range of health effects. They're known to be persistent. They're able to build up in our bodies and our food chain, and they're toxic even at low levels of exposure."Specifically, Liu said that these chemicals are associated with an increased rate of cancer and reproductive problems. In a statement, the North American Flame Retardant Alliance told Boston 25 News, "While the report raises concerns about the presence of flame retardants in household items, it is important to remember and recognize the critical role these chemistries play in fire safety as well as the fact that manufacturers conduct rigorous research and risk assessments to ensure that FRs do not pose significant health risks to consumers."The Professor's Perspective on the Problem
Ramaswamy Nagarajan, a professor of plastics in the engineering department at UMass Lowell, is developing safer retardants made from bio-derived sources in his lab. He believes that the problem is surfacing due to the way materials are recycled. Even banned chemicals keep reappearing in consumer products because the quality controls and checks in place may not be sufficient to understand the influence of additives in these applications. Nagarajan explained, "I'm a big fan of recycling and we should recycle material. At the same time, the quality controls and checks which are there in place are probably not sufficient at this point to understand the influence of additives in these applications."On a personal level, Nagarajan takes precautions with black plastic. He said, "I try to minimize the contact of food in these plastic items which I don't know what they are. You transfer the food to something else and then you don't get the exposure."Advice on Reducing Exposure to Harmful Flame Retardants
When it comes to cooking, Liu has some important advice. She said, "We know there are safer alternatives that are out there, like wooden and stainless steel. Reducing your use of black plastic and plastics as much as possible helps reduce your exposure to harmful flame retardants."This is a developing story, and we will continue to bring you updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW©2024 Cox Media Group
