Higher exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a group of dangerous chemicals commonly used as flame retardants, is associated with an increased risk of death from cancer, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open.
In short:
- U.S. adults with the highest levels of exposure to PBDEs had a nearly 300% increased risk of cancer mortality over the next 16 years.
- This increased risk was present even after researchers accounted for other potentially contributing factors, such as demographics, socioeconomic status, BMI, diet and lifestyle factors.
- A growing number of studies suggest that PBDEs may cause oxidative stress and DNA damage - factors that play a role in the development and progression of cancer.
Key quote:
“Our findings have major public health implications. Although PBDEs are mostly banned today under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, their production and use are still ongoing in some regions.”
Why this matters:
PBDEs have been used as flame retardants in a wide range of consumer products since the 1970s. Even though regulation changes have led to lower exposure levels, PBDEs are extremely persistent and can still be detected throughout the environment, food chain, and in the general US population. The authors of this study point to the lack of research around the long-term health outcomes of PBDE exposure and call for further studies to better understand their impacts.
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More resources:
The Green Science Policy Institute provides resources on flame retardants and has worked successfully to change regulations, leading to reduced PBDE exposure levels.
