Should you toss your black plastic spatula? What a new study says about toxic chemicals

If you’ve ordered takeout or flipped an egg in the past year, chances are good that you’ve laid hands — or mouth — on black plastic. That ubiquity can come with a downside, research suggests. Despite its everyday use in kitchen utensils such as spatulas and slotted spoons, children’s toys, takeout containers and meat and produce trays, a recent study published in Chemosphere found that black-coloured plastic may contain “concerning” levels of toxic chemicals.

Scientists from Toxic-Free Future and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam found the highest levels of toxic flame retardants in a spatula, sushi tray and children’s beaded necklace sold in the United States. These chemicals (a.k.a. brominated flame retardants or BFRs) are commonly used in electronics, such as televisions, and likely made their way into household goods through “dirty” plastic recycling practices, the researchers say.

“Companies continue to use toxic flame retardants in plastic electronics, and that’s resulting in unexpected and unnecessary toxic exposures,” Megan Liu, study co-author and science and policy manager at Toxic-Free Future, said in a statement. “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. The high levels we found are concerning.”

The study examined 203 black plastic non-electronic household items bought in the United States and found that 85 per cent contained toxic flame retardants, even though they don’t require flame retardancy. Research has linked BFRs to health risks such as cancer, endocrine disruption, nervous system problems and reproductive issues, according to the study. When “high-impact” household items contain toxic chemicals, the researchers note that children and women of childbearing age can be especially vulnerable to the ill effects.

“These results clearly demonstrate that flame retardant-containing electronics, such as the outer casings of large TVs, are being recycled into food storage containers and utensils,” said Heather Stapleton, the Ronie-Richele Garcia-Johnson distinguished professor at Duke University. “While it’s critical to develop sustainable approaches when addressing our plastic waste stream, we should exert some caution and ensure we’re not contributing to additional exposures to these hazardous chemicals in recycled materials.”

With the rise of recycled plastic products, Mike Schade, director of Toxic-Free Future’s market transformation program, Mind the Store, emphasized that major retailers “must require suppliers to test them to ensure toxic chemicals aren’t hiding.”

According to the nonprofit research and advocacy organization’s Retailer Report Card, many businesses have adopted voluntary chemical-reduction commitments. However, the 2024 report released on Nov. 14 found that Canadian retailers lag behind their American counterparts in addressing toxic chemicals and plastics. A handful of American retailers achieved “A” scores, while Canadian companies generally scored below the average of a “D+.”

So, should you toss your black plastic kitchen utensils and steer clear of black-coloured takeout containers? Some have suggested throwing out spatulas and slotted spoons made from recycled black plastic, saying they’re “probably leaching chemicals into your cooking oil,” while others are weighing the risk for themselves.

“The reality is nuanced: Yes, there is a real problem that’s been identified. But, on the level of the cookware in your kitchen, it’s not that concerning,” epidemiologist Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz wrote in Slate. The Chemosphere study showed that recycled black plastic items can contain potentially harmful chemicals. “But the data about the levels of pollutants in these products shows that they are, in fact, quite safe,” according to Meyerowitz-Katz.

On the other hand, toxicologist Linda Birnbaum, former director of the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program, who wasn’t involved in the study, was concerned by the findings, telling CNN, “I would recommend not using black plastic for food contact materials or buying toys with black plastic pieces.”

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