Dear Recycle Lady,
Do black plastic kitchen utensils release toxic microplastics?
Say it Isn’t True
Dear Say it Isn’t True,
It really isn’t true. In 2024, an alarming study of black plastic kitchen utensils resulted in people across the nation tossing out black plastic kitchen utensils. The journal Chemosphere reported that “toxic brominated flame retardants and organophosphate flame retardants (decaBDE) might be present at dangerous levels in some products containing black recycled plastic.” This included black spatulas and spoons, black plastic to-go containers, and some toys. Their recommendation was to replace all black plastic kitchen utensils with stainless steel or wooden options. The Consumer Federation of America sued the EPA saying that “EPA is not adequately regulating decaBDE because it allows recycled decaBDE into everyday products, such as black plastic kitchen utensils and containers.” A savvy scientist reviewed the mathematics of the study and found a large error in the calculations. When made aware of this error, the authors said that “we miscalculated the reference dose for a 132 lb. adult, initially estimating it at 42,000 ng/day instead of the correct value of 420,000 ng/day.” The EPA came to the correct conclusion saying, “unless you regularly stir molten lava with your spatula, there is no need for anyone to throw out their black kitchen utensils.”
Dear Recycle Lady,
What are “ghost nets” that have been found in oceans?
Need Explanation
Dear Need Explanation,
Ghost nets are fishing nets that have been lost, discarded or abandoned in oceans, harbors, or beaches. They are also part of “ghost gear” that includes all types of fishing gear, such as nets, lines, traps, pots, and other gear that is no longer in use. It also includes fishing gear that may have been lost due to weather conditions, poor maintenance, retrieval costs, or an overloaded catch. Ocean currents cause the ghost gear to go far from its origin, often drifting for thousands of miles. It then ends up on coral reefs, beaches, or deep on the ocean floor where it can remain for years. It is a major source of ocean plastic pollution and a real danger for marine life. Fish, whales, dolphins, sharks, sea turtles and other marine animals, as well as sea birds, don’t recognize the ghost gear as a danger and can easily become entangled and die. Fortunately, many organizations are working to remove the entangled ghost gear and to educate fishing communities on the hazards of ghost gear.
Dear Readers,
Did you know that bubble gum is made with plastic? Not only is chewing gum sold in plastic packaging, but with the exception of a few natural brands, bubble gum is mostly made from a type of plastic. Approximately 374 billion pieces (374,000,000,000) of bubble gum are sold worldwide every year! Research suggests that chewing just one piece of gum can release hundreds to thousands of microplastics into saliva. (www.cnn.com. March 25, 2025)
Interesting Information: Oceans cover roughly 71% of the surface of our planet! Not only that, but about 97 percent of the Earth’s water can be found in our oceans. Of the tiny percentage that’s not in the oceans, about two percent is frozen up in glaciers and ice caps. In 1875, the British Royal Navy’s Challenger expedition first discovered the deepest part of the ocean by using a weighted rope to record its depth. Named after the expedition, the Challenger Deep is located in the Pacific Ocean at the southern end of the Mariana Trench and is 35,876 feet deep!
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests Recyclelady7@gmail.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
