Banned flame retardants still expose Europeans to toxic chemicals

Traces of flame retardants banned in the European Union decades ago are still found in homes, offices and recycled plastic, ERR reports. A large international review indicates that Europeans are frequently exposed to the toxic chemicals through old electronics and indoor dust.

Although traces of past pollution are becoming less common in outdoor air and surface water, these compounds remain part of everyday life. People may encounter them through old smart devices, sofas and even black food containers.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, are persistent, human-made organic pollutants. Factories produced up to 1.5 million tonnes of them worldwide between 1970 and 2005. Manufacturers added the substances to electronics, textiles and plastics to make the materials less likely to catch fire.

The European Food Safety Authority has assessed that the compounds added decades ago continue to pose a risk to people of all age groups.

Indoor pollution remains a concern

Most hazardous PBDEs were banned in Europe about 20 years ago after scientists linked them to developmental disorders of the nervous system and damage to the hormonal system. However, the chemicals did not disappear from the living environment. Indoor air and household dust remain significant sources of exposure. In Germany, people take in nearly as much of these organic pollutants through household dust as through food.

Newer homes often contain replacement substances, but old flame retardants continue to be released from equipment in older buildings. According to the review, the highest chemical levels are found in workplaces and places where people spend their free time. Greek scientists recorded particularly high pollution levels in offices, electronics shops and internet cafes.

Regional differences depend on how rooms are used, ventilation and the amount of electronic equipment present. The chemicals do not remain contained in devices but slowly evaporate and attach themselves to dust particles, which people then breathe in every day.

Lighter compounds generally spread through rooms as gases. Heavier molecules with a higher bromine content, such as BDE-209, bind particularly strongly to solid particles, the authors said. BDE-209 now accounts for most of the toxic pollution found in many indoor spaces.

Old electronics and furniture sent to landfills worsen the problem. Much of this material is later returned to circulation under the banner of the circular economy. Previous studies have found PBDEs banned years ago even in plastic that comes into contact with food, meaning consumers may unknowingly bring old toxins back to the table in a new form.

Waste-sector workers face the greatest health risks. Employees who dismantle and recycle electronics inhale extremely high levels of the chemicals. Air at waste-treatment centres and recycling plants in Finland, Norway and Spain has been found to contain large amounts of flame-retardant particles.