We all know them, and probably you have one or two in your own kitchen; those black plastic kitchen utensils that are capable of withstanding high heat, are easy to clean, and affordable. Lately however, they have been revealed to contain high levels of dangerous chemicals.
Worn-down black kitchen utensils. Source: Oskar Hagelskjær
Plastic kitchen utensils are often black due to the pigment 'Carbon Black', which in addition to being cheap, helps to increase the heat resistency of the plastic. Often plastic utensils are made from polyamide (6 or 6.6) or polypropylene, or very often, from a mixture of recycled plastics that could not have been used for anything else. You might intuitively think that this is good, right? Actually, no!
A recent study published in Chemosphere, revealed that average use of black plastic kitchen utensils caused expsore to brominated flame retardants, far exceeding recommended values. Notably, user median intake of BDE-209, which is mutagenic and carcinognic, was estimated at 34,700 ng/day. In some cases, consumer products contained concentrations of brominated flame retardants up to 1200 times higher than the EU's limit of 20 parts per million (PPM). Of the investigated items in the above-mentioned study, 85% contained toxic flame retardants.
However, exposure rates might even be understestimated. This is because researchers only consider the effect of direct leaching from macroplastic items but not the potential increased exposure from ingesting microplastics released from these items during use. Especially kitchen utensils are problematic as these are heated up for longer periods of time, within the food, and may experience physical abrasion during cooking.
Close-up of a black plastic spoon meant for use under heated conditions. Source: Oskar Hagelskjær.
Upon conducting a microscopic analysis of the plastic spoon found in my parents' kitchen, it became apparent that during its lifetime (proabably around 10 years), significant amounts of plastic had been shedded and lost, with some particles inevitably finding their way into the food.
Macro-view of one of the holes in the plastic spoon. Source: Oskar Hagelskjær.
The plastic spoon displayed a scaly surface that at an even higher resolution demonstrated the existense of loose fragments. The most exposed fragments were not as dark in color as the the overall plastic matrix, indicating pigment leaching amongst other additives; likely including mutagenic and carcinognic brominated flame retardants.
Super macro-view of one of the holes in the plastic spoon. Source: Oskar Hagelskjær.
But why are flame retardants finding their way into recycled, consumer plastics used in cooking? And why specifically black plastic items? It is speculated that plastic items that are technically recycable, but due to existing pigment content are undesirable, can only become appealing and uniform in color if dyed with black pigment. These plastics include what is known as 'electronic waste'; plastics used to encase electrical components that pose a fire hazard. For this reason, these plastics are rich in flame retardant chemicals, and it is speculated that this type of plastic waste is recycled into a variety of consumer goods.
It is speculated that the recycling of electronic waste is a significant source of brominated flame retardants in consumer goods. Source: https://www.ey.com/en_us/insights/climate-change-sustainability-services/how-circular-economy-models-can-address-global-e-waste
DecaBDE which was banned in 2021, is still found in plastic utensils, as they are sometimes made from recycled electronic waste. An April 2024 study revealed that people with the highest blood levels of PBDEs were approximately 300% more likely to die from cancer compared to those with the lowest levels.
Microplastic Solution urges everyone to replace their black plastic utensils with solid wood equivalents if possible. While there is no doubt that black plastic items pose a higher health risk than other plastic variants, extra caution should be excercised with items that are heated and in direct contact with our food. Black plastic kitchen utensils pose a serious health risk that my be understated, due to the fragmentation and potential ingestion of microplastics.
Source: Hans, Pixabay.
My parents have now tossed all of their black kitchen utensils but have been using them for several years. I only recently tossed mine. As the shadow-side of the plastic industry is slowly being revealed, remain vigilant and critical; avoid synthetic materials wherever possible, especially in context of what you ingest and inhale. Think about Teflon (PTFE) pans, synthetic fibers/clothing, etc. What might be the next big 'discovery'?
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