A study warning about toxic chemicals in black kitchenware was based on a major math mistake, potentially downplaying the health risks. The original study suggested that black plastic kitchenware released alarming amounts of Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209), a fire-resistant chemical linked to serious health concerns. However, a chemist identified an error in the calculation of BDE-209 exposure levels, leading to a significantly underestimated risk. While the core finding that e-waste recycling might be introducing this chemical into household products remains valid, the revised assessment of the health risk is still under evaluation.
and other black kitchenware in fear of toxic chemicals—but it turns out the alarming warning was based on a major math mistake. In October, researchers from the environmental health advocacy group Toxic-Free Future and the Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment published asuggesting that black plastic kitchenware released worrying amounts of a toxic fire-resistant chemical.
The warning took the internet by storm, convincing legions of people to. Now, however, a chemist in Canada has spotted an arithmetic mistake in the fateful study that upends, or at least complicates, its results, as first reported by thestudy was based on the idea that some black electronic waste—containing the fire-resistant chemical Decabromodiphenyl ether, which is linked to serious health risks—is recycled into household products sold in the United States. As a consequence, the researchers sought to estimate how much of these chemicals are leaking out of black plastic kitchenware and contaminating people while cooking. The team concluded that using this type of black kitchenware could result in people absorbing a median daily amount of 34,700 nanograms of Decabromodiphenyl ether, also known as BDE-209. This is significantly higher than previous models had estimated for human exposure through other means, and worryingly close to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s reference dose of 42,000 nanograms per day for a 60-kilogram adult. There’s only one problem—the EPA’s reference dose for BDE-209 is not 42,000 nanograms per day. The agency’s reference dose is 7,000 nanograms per kilogram of body weight per day. When the researchers calculated this for a 60-kilogram individual, they multiplied 60 by 7,000 and got 42,000, but the correct result is 420,000. The fundamental point of the study—that the recycling of some e-waste is putting a toxic chemical into kitchenware sold in the U.S.—remains true. However, the mistake significantly changes its implications, which had warned readers that their black kitchenware items were exposing them to over 80% of the EPA reference dose. In reality, it’s less than 10%.“I think it does change the flavour of the whole thing somewhat when you’re off by a factor of ten in comparing something to the reference value,” Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society and the plastics expert who caught the mistake while reading the study, told the. “All of this merits attention,” he added. “But you have to do it properly, and you have to make sure your numbers are correct before you scare the pants off people.” Megan Liu of Toxic-Free Future, who co-led the study, said that they’d submitted a correction for the “typo” but that the mistake “does not impact our results,” according to the. “The levels of flame retardants that we found in black plastic household items are still of high concern, and our recommendations remain the same,” she added. Tell that to all the people who threw out their favorite spatulas because of a warning that was off by a factor of 10.The Infinite Monkey Theorem is legit, but the universe will die before any simian could reprise the Bard's poems and prose.Scientists Witness the Birth of Water Molecules at the Smallest Scale YetConservationLeaked Nvidia DLSS 4 Details Suggest RTX 50-Series GPUs Will Have ‘Neural Rendering’Govee RGBIC Light Bars Are at Their Lowest Price of the Year for the Holidays, Even Cheaper Than Black FridayApple Brought Back Its Black Friday Deal for the 2024 MacBook Pro to Close Out the Year StrongGovee RGBIC Light Bars Are at Their Lowest Price of the Year for the Holidays, Even Cheaper Than Black Friday
TOXIC CHEMICALS KITCHENWARE E-WASTE RECYCLING MATHEMATICS ERROR HEALTH RISK
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mets Land 209-Strikeout All-Star Ace In Blockbuster Five-Player Trade ProposalThe New York Mets want to acquire several starting pitchers this winter. Could they find a way to pry Garrett Crochet away from the Chicago White Sox?
Read more »
Phillies Land 209-Strikeout All-Star Ace in Massive Five-Player Trade ProposalThe Philadelphia Phillies have been linked to Garrett Crochet in the rumor mill. Should Dave Dombrowski overwhelm the Chicago White Sox to get a trade done?
Read more »
The House GOP's math problem: From the Politics DeskPlus, Pete Hegseth, Trump’s embattled defense pick, digs in.
Read more »
US fourth, eighth grade math scores plummet on international test: 'A national crisis'The results of an international test of academic skills released this week show dire declines in math for U.S. fourth and eighth grade students.
Read more »
UNLV Rebels vs. Boise State Broncos - Final ScoreJeanty rumbles for 209 yards and a TD as 10 Boise State defeats 20 UNLV
Read more »
Mets Land 209-Strikeout All-Star Ace in Blockbuster Four-Player Trade ProposalThe New York Mets are turning their attention to pitching after landing Juan Soto. Could Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet be on their radar?
Read more »