Why are scientists urging the immediate disposal of black kitchen spatulas, and what does arithmetic have to do with it?

The authors of a recently published study claimed that kitchen utensils made from black plastic, particularly spatulas, contain dangerous levels of toxic flame retardants, according to Futurism.

The published work sparked panic, and many media outlets immediately urged people to dispose of kitchen utensils, especially black plastic spatulas.

At the same time, the scientific community expressed skepticism about the results obtained, prompting the journal Chemosphere, where the study was published, to issue a clarification. The editors of the journal explained that the toxicity levels reported in the study were incorrect due to an arithmetic error behind the alarming conclusions.

The research was initially conducted by the advocacy group Toxic-Free Future, which tested over 200 black plastic products, half of which were kitchen utensils. They were examined for the presence of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), which are added to various products to enhance fire resistance.

Such chemicals, particularly BDE-209, have been linked to several negative health outcomes, including endocrine disruption, damage to the endocrine system, and even cancer. The issue is that the origin of recycled materials is difficult to determine, leading researchers to suggest that they may be reused in the manufacturing of food-related items. Essentially, this is an area where plastic with flame retardants could pose the greatest risk.

Part of the researchers' suspicion was confirmed. They found that 9 kitchen utensils indeed contained concerning levels of flame retardants.

However, a simple arithmetic mistake significantly exaggerated the level of risk. According to the researchers' calculations, regular use of contaminated kitchen utensils would expose the body to 34,700 nanograms of BDE-209 daily. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that the safe level of BDE-209 is 7,000 nanograms per kilogram of body weight.

Applying this figure to an average adult weighing 60 kg results in a daily limit of 420,000 nanograms, which is ten times lower than the levels of flame retardants found in the problematic spatulas.

However, the published study authors misplaced just one zero, and the daily limit suddenly became 42,000 nanograms.

The study authors assert that despite the calculation error, their conclusions were correct.

"This does not affect the results of our study. The levels of flame retardants we found in black plastic household items are still a significant concern, and our recommendations remain unchanged," said lead author Megan Liu.

Researchers continue to insist that some kitchen utensils still pose a source of hazardous chemicals and urge replacing them with safer alternatives.

Let us remind you why you shouldn't heat even "safe" plastic in the microwave. Researchers found that during heating in a microwave, dishes made from such material can release billions of particles.