There may be poisons in kitchen utensils of a black place, according to a new study.
The products may contain alarmingly high levels of carcinogenic flame retardants, reports Sydsvenska Dagbladet.
“You should be aware and careful,” says chemical counselor Erik Gravenfors on News Day.
A new study from the organization Toxic-Free Future and Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam shows that black plastic in kitchen utensils may contain prohibited flame retardants. Erik Gravenfors is a strategic advisor at the Swedish Chemicals Agency and believes that the discovery is alarming.
– The flame retardants that are found are harmful and forbidden, it is alarming, he says on News Day.
However, the discovery is no cause for concern in consumers in Sweden.
– Based on the analyzes that our inspectors did last year, we have no indications that it looks like this in Sweden, but of course you should be observant. You should always be that when you buy products for the household, he says.
These subjects should avoid
To be on the safe side, consumers in stores may be a matter of additives in the plastic, especially flame retardants and softening agents that can be harmful. You are also entitled to get information about harmful chemicals listed on a so -called candidate list.
-If you order from abroad, it is important to check if the product is C-marked. This indicates that the product is intended for the European market and that it lives up to European requirements, it is very important, he says.
The most harmful products in the home
Previously, there have also been reports of toys with high levels of certain toxins. These were mainly sold online. Older soft plastic products can also be extra risky when it comes to harmful chemicals. This also applies to older electronics that may contain harmful flame retardants.
– You should be careful and try to use sites that you know if you are ordering, says Erik Grevenfors.
At the same time, he believes that you do not need “plastic diet” to feel safe with their household products.
– That plastic diet is not something I generally recommend, but you should be conscious and careful. A good starting point is to stick to the precautionary principle, he says.