Starting with one type of product can be a manageable place to start reducing chance of harm, suggests a team of international researchers.
This Color Plastic May Increase Cancer Risk Up to 300%, Finds New Study
Published on Jan. 27, 2025
Most of us know that plastic poses health concerns, and in our era it takes some real intention to steer around using it. If overhauling your consumption feels overwhelming, a team of experts is suggesting that an effective way to weed out your plastics is to start by narrowing in on one specific color.
Past research has shown that exposure to certain flame retardants, commonly added to thousands of black plastic consumer products, appears to raise cancer mortality rates. In fact, an April 2024 study published in an American Medical Association journal concluded that people who had the highest levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in their blood showed a 300% higher risk of dying from cancer compared to a sample of individuals whose blood contained the lowest levels of these chemicals.
A more recent study released in October 2024 analyzed the levels of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) found in everyday black plastic objects. After analyzing 203 products to determine the levels of BFRs, OPFRs, and plastic polymers found within, the team concluded that flame retardants were present in 85% of the products that had high levels of bromine.
The problem has to do with the origin of these plastics, the study authors say. “Plastics from electronics are often recycled and can be incorporated in household items that do not require flame retardancy, resulting in potentially high and unnecessary exposure,” the researchers explain. “The detection of FRs in collected household products indicates that recycling, without the necessary transparency and restrictions to ensure safety, is resulting in unexpected exposure to toxic flame retardants in household items.”
Their findings have troubling implications for the millions of Americans whose homes contain black plastic products. The researchers say that use of such products can lead to cancer, disrupt the endocrine system, cause neurotoxicity, and interfere with reproduction.
Now, a new lawsuit alleges that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is putting the public at risk by allowing one particular type of flame retardant, decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE), to be used in everyday household items. “The EPA is allowing, without any restrictions, the ongoing recycling of plastics that contain decaBDE and that violates the legal requirement under the Toxic Substances Control Act to take all practicable measures to reduce people’s exposure to decaBDE,” Katherine O’Brien, a senior lawyer for Earthjustice who was served as the plaintiff’s attorney in the lawsuit, recently told CNN.
Purging black plastic from your home might not be easy, but it could make a long-term difference. Experts recommend starting with items that may come into contact with your food or go directly in your mouth, as these often carry the highest risk.
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