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.

Researchers estimated that those using contaminated black plastic kitchen utensils would be exposed to an average of 34,700 ppm of decaBDE each day.

“Companies continue to use toxic flame retardants in plastic electronics, and that’s resulting in unexpected and unnecessary toxic exposures,” said -

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study co-author Megan Liu, 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. The high levels we found are concerning.”

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“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,” added Heather Stapleton, environmental chemist and exposure scientists 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.”

BFRs surged in popularity after polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which were previously used as flame retardants, were banned or scrutinized due to potential health risks.  

Study researchers noted that only black plastics were studied so they were unable to determine if other colors of plastics could also be exposed. The brand of products analyzed were also left unnamed. 

Experts suggest avoiding buying toys with black plastics and refrain from using black plastic for food contact materials.

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