A study about toxic chemicals in kitchen utensils sparked fear in many households, but researchers have issued a correction after discovering a calculation error — even though they say their final recommendations remain the same.
As detailed by Ars Technica, the editors of the journal Chemosphere posted the update on Dec. 15 after the authors of the study missed a zero in a figure on the Environmental Protection Agency's estimated "safe limit" of toxic flame retardant BDE-209, used in some household products made from black plastic, such as spatulas, spoons, and even children's toys.
During analysis, the team listed the EPA's safe exposure limit as 42,000 nanograms per kilogram of body weight per day, but they left off the zero to correctly report 420,000 ng per day. This resulted in their calculations estimating a much more significant amount of exposure.
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"We miscalculated the reference dose for a 60 kg [132.2 lb] adult …" the authors wrote in their correction. "As a result, we revised our statement from 'the calculated daily intake would approach the U.S. BDE-209 reference dose' to 'the calculated daily intake remains an order of magnitude lower than the U.S. BDE-209 reference dose.' We regret this error."
However, despite the error, the authors say their findings are unchanged, continuing to serve as encouragement to upgrade cookware or other items that might contain the chemicals. Purchasing plastic-based products also props up an industry dependent on dirty energy, as more than 99% of plastics are derived from polluting fuels like motor oil and gasoline, according to the Center for International Environmental Law.
"These results show that when toxic additives are used in plastic, they can significantly contaminate products, made with recycled content, that do not require flame retardancy," the study concluded. "Products found in this study to contain hazardous flame retardants included items with high exposure potential, including food-contact items as well as toys."
The analysis, led by Toxic-Free Future, also advocates for stricter regulations surrounding hazardous chemicals. Research has linked flame-retardant exposure to reproductive problems, brain developmental issues, and cancer, according to the research and advocacy organization.
"Companies continue to use toxic flame retardants in plastic electronics, and that's resulting in unexpected and unnecessary toxic exposures," study co-author Megan Liu, science and policy manager at Toxic-Free Future, said in October, when Chemosphere first published the results.
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