Banned Flame Retardants Found in Cooking Utensils

Banned Flame Retardants Found in Cooking Utensils: What You Need to Know

Prevalence of Fire Retardants in Electronic Devices

There’s a good chance that the tablet, phone, or computer you’re reading this article on contains fire retardant chemicals. Preventing your devices, including your television, from catching fire has some obvious benefits.

Types of Fire Retardants and Their Concerns

Like anything else, there are many kinds of fire retardants. Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are one of the more concerning types. This is because they are considered toxic and are known to accumulate in the body’s tissues. BFRs have been linked to cancer, hormone disruptions, and nerve, reproductive, and developmental toxicity. BFRs are often found in electrical and electronic devices’ plastic housing cases and printed circuit boards.

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Banned Flame Retardants and Replacement Options

There are also different types of BFRs, two of which have been banned in the U.S. and European Union since 2007 and 2006 respectively. These include decabromodiphenyl ether (deca-BDE) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). A host of other flame retardants replaced the two banned BFRs and are currently considered safer, including a type of flame retardant called organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs). While OPFRs are considered safer than BFRs, there is some question regarding the aquatic toxicity of OPFRs—meaning, how they affect organisms, like fish, that live in water.

What Happens When Electronic Devices Get Recycled?

But what happens when these electronic devices get recycled into products we use every day—like kitchen utensils? Does the recycling process remove the BFRs? Or are they still there, potentially poisoning us?

Study Finds Banned Flame Retardants in Cooking Utensils

Researchers of a new study published in the October 2024 issue of Chemosphere wanted to know, too. Here’s what they found.

How Was This Study Conducted and What Did It Find?

These researchers hypothesized that products made with recycled black plastic are more likely to contain fire retardants, including ones that have been banned and phased out. This is in part because the color of most electronic housing cases is black. And although the banned BFRs are no longer allowed in new products, there’s a high chance that products containing them still reside in homes. When they’re taken to be recycled, they end up in our ecosystem as different products—some of which we eat and cook with.

Study Findings

A total of 203 black plastic products were chosen for testing and included food service ware, hair accessories, kitchen utensils, and toys. These products came from in-store and online, from both small, local (non-chain) retailers and large chain retailers. The products were either entirely black plastic or had black plastic components and included things like children’s toys, Mardi Gras beads, cooking utensils, plastic silverware, and plastic “to-go” boxes (what researchers referred to as sushi boxes or trays).

After several tests were performed on each product to test for fire retardants, data analyses were run. A mixture of BFRs and OPFRs was found in 65% of the 203 products, and BFRs alone were found in 20% of tested products. The products containing multiple fire retardants included food serviceware, toys, kitchen utensils, and one hair accessory. The most frequently found fire retardants are the same ones used in television casings, including previously banned ones. One of these was found in substantial quantities in the to-go sushi tray that was tested.

What Can You Do Today to Reduce Your Risk?

If you have any electronics, you are most likely exposed to these fire retardants daily. This is because these chemicals can be breathed in through dust in your home. And when they make it into products that you eat and cook with that are made from recycled electronics—you are directly exposed to them. Ditto for children’s toys that go into their mouths.

And when exposed to heat—like when you’re cooking with these utensils or you heat up leftovers in plastic to-go boxes—it increases the chances of the chemicals being leached even more. Even if you don’t reheat food in to-go boxes, having your food sit in these boxes can increase exposure risk, too.

What Can You Do to Reduce Your Exposure to Fire Retardants?

According to these researchers, many large retailers have taken steps to restrict the use of certain known toxic chemicals in the products they sell. However, this does not seem to apply to recycled products. And usually, the packaging does not list the chemicals used in the production of these products—neither the original product nor the product it became after recycling.

So what can you do right now to reduce your risk? Megan Liu, science and policy manager for Toxic-Free Future and lead study author gave EatingWell the following suggestions:

* Replace your plastic kitchen utensils with wooden or stainless steel options.
* When possible, choose plastic-free when purchasing any item to help reduce your overall exposure to harmful additives in plastic.
* Choose electronic products that minimize plastic parts. If possible, purchase from companies like HP and Apple that have strong policies to avoid toxic chemicals in their products.
* At home, practice regular cleaning and ventilating to clear out any fire retardants accumulating in dust or air. Other ways to reduce your exposure to dust include frequent hand washing, regular wet-dusting and mopping, and vacuuming.

Conclusion

The concern is that these types of chemicals tend to hang out in your body and accumulate over time. Many of them have been linked to cancer. They mess with your hormones and reproduction. And they can damage your nervous system and children’s development.

FAQs

Q: Are all electronic devices containing fire retardants?
A: No, not all electronic devices contain fire retardants. However, many electronic devices do contain fire retardants, and the type of fire retardant used can vary depending on the device and manufacturer.

Q: What are the most common types of fire retardants used in electronic devices?
A: The most common types of fire retardants used in electronic devices are brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs).

Q: Are there any alternatives to fire retardants?
A: Yes, there are alternatives to fire retardants. For example, some electronic devices use flame retardant-free materials or designs that reduce the risk of fire.

Q: What can I do to reduce my exposure to fire retardants?
A: There are several steps you can take to reduce your exposure to fire retardants, including choosing electronic products that minimize plastic parts, practicing regular cleaning and ventilating, and avoiding heat when using plastic products.

Q: Can I trust that my electronic devices are safe?
A: While manufacturers are working to reduce the use of toxic chemicals in their products, it’s still important to take steps to reduce your exposure to fire retardants. Be aware of the materials used in your electronic devices and take steps to minimize your exposure to them.