Avoiding black plastic in your kitchen

Research indicates black plastic kitchen tools, often made from recycled electronic waste, may leach toxic chemicals into food during cooking.

Allyson Chiu reports for The Washington Post.

In short:

• A study found 85% of tested black plastic kitchen items contained harmful flame retardants.
• Heat and oil can increase the likelihood of these chemicals leaching into food.
• Experts recommend replacing black plastic tools with wood, stainless steel, or silicone alternatives.

Key quote:

“There’s really no safe level of exposure to these harmful toxic flame retardants.”

— Megan Liu, science and policy manager at Toxic-Free Future

Why this matters:

Flame retardants linked to cancer and hormone disruption can accumulate in the body. Avoiding black plastic helps reduce potential long-term health risks, especially when cooking with heat or oil. Switching to safer kitchen tools can be affordable and straightforward.

Read more:

• Hidden dangers of black plastic utensils reveal a broken recycling system
• Avoid using black plastic in the kitchen to limit flame retardant exposure
• Black plastic kitchen utensils may contain harmful flame retardants