DECADES ago, when humanity entered into a relationship with plastics, few were expecting it to turn into a love-hate deal. It was lauded as a miracle material and quickly became a staple of everyday life.
Today, most of us understand that plastics, especially of the single-use variety, are bad news for our health and for the environment. However, the fact of the matter is that breakups are never easy and modern society would arguably be non-functional without plastic.
As we get serious about finding a solution to the plastic problem, all forms of this ubiquitous material are facing increasing scrutiny.
Fairly recently, concerns have been raised about black plastic containing higher levels of carcinogens and toxic chemicals compared to plastics of other colours. Is this true?
Verdict:
TRUE
The colour of plastic does not inherently determine its chemical content; it is the composition and manufacturing process that dictate whether harmful substances are present. The reason black plastic is of particular concern is due to the types of materials commonly used to achieve its dark pigment.
Black plastic is often produced by recycling electronic waste, which can contain a variety of chemicals including brominated flame retardants and heavy metals like lead and cadmium – all substances known for their toxic properties.
In addition, the black colour of such plastics often come from the addition of a soot-based pigment known as carbon black, which acts both as a colourant and a reinforcing agent.
The issue? Carbon black itself has been categorised by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
While plastic itself is an inert material, the chemicals in them are not and researchers are still unclear how much of these compounds are able to “escape” the matrix of the plastic.
This is particularly concerning considering that black plastic is not only a common food-contact material, but is often sold as heat- or microwave-safe (for example, you might commonly see the material used in coffee cup lids or microwaveable takeaway containers).
Health issues aside, the carbon pigments typically used to colour black plastic make it difficult to sort and recycle using conventional optical sorting systems, which rely on reflection of light.
Carbon black is known to absorb UV and infrared radiation, which makes it hard for recycling facilities to identify the polymers present in a piece of black plastic.
As a result, black plastic is less likely to be recycled properly, more likely to become contaminated with residues from previous uses, and almost always destined to end up in a landfill or incinerator at the end of its lifespan.
Given how little is known about the long-term health risks of exposure to black plastic, we should all be thinking about risk mitigation.
The easiest way to do so is by reducing our use of the material, especially as food containers where there is a direct pathway for chemicals to enter the body.
However, given its widespread use, this might not always be possible. As such, some alternatives are to:
– Avoid heating any plastics – or putting plastics in contact with heat – whenever possible. For example, pass on the hot cup lid or switch to a non-plastic dish when reheating food.
– Opt for fresh foods and ingredients whenever possible.
– Shop in bulk to minimise single-use packaging.
– Replace plastic containers at home with glass, steel or ceramic ones.
– Support your local authorities’ plastic-free initiatives.
– Stay informed on which types of plastics are particularly ‘problematic,’ and keep those around you informed as well.
As consumers, it is always prudent for us to be cautious and informed about the materials we use in our daily lives.
We should not be satisfied simply with sorting our trash or contributing to recycling efforts without striving to stay updated on how such processes work.
It is only then that we can fight for safer manufacturing practices and more effective recycling methods to protect both our health and the environment.
References:
Source Agencies
