Black Plastic Kitchen Utensils, Takeout Containers — Even Toys — Linked to Cancer-Causing Chemicals

Black-colored plastic used in kitchen utensils, takeout containers and children’s toys may contain potentially cancerous chemicals due to mistakes in recycling practices, a new study finds.

The study — published Tuesday, Oct. 1, in the journal Chemosphere —  screened 203 consumer products for bromine, commonly used to make flame retardants. Toxic brominated flame retardants (BFRs) were found in 85% of the products, with total concentrations ranging up to 22,800 parts per million (ppm) of chemicals, including the banned substance deca-BDE and its replacements.

Health concerns related to these toxic flame retardants include carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, and reproductive and developmental toxicity.

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are commonly found in plastics, televisions, and electronics, and “are currently the largest marketed flame retardant group due to their high-performance efficiency and low cost,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In the study, BFRs were found in beaded, pirate-coin necklaces worn by kids, for example. Other products include sushi trays, grocery meat and produce trays, kitchen utensils, hair accessories, toys, Tupperware containers and office supplies.