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Electronics waste – defunct computers, televisions, monitors, media players and other devices – is subject to precise trash-collection regulations in most cities and towns because its disposal involves highly particular procedures. Many of these exist to mitigate the risk of exposure to chemical compounds contained within these products, but new research indicates the presence of additional dangers not previously known to the general public. The discovery has considerable implications for everyday individuals, government regulators and business leaders alike.<\/p>\n
The nature of black plastics<\/strong> What primarily differentiates black plastics from their standard plastic counterparts is the lack of adequate techniques for recycling it, stemming from the chemical composition of the material. It's recyclable, in that term's most literal sense, but the aforementioned pigment often leads to it misidentification by automated recycling facilities. (This is because infrared sensors have trouble detecting the minimal reflectiveness of carbon black.)<\/p>\n Dangers stemming from cross-contamination<\/strong> Compounding the problem, after becoming so compromised, the material ended up in food packaging. Traces of it, and any contaminants to which it may have been exposed, thus ended up consumed by human beings. These dangerous substances included the flame retardant bromine, as well as antimony, lead, cadmium and mercury.<\/p>\n Additionally, the study found that black plastics subject to this infusion of electronics-contingent toxins had also found its way into a number of other consumer products outside the realm of food: Coat hangers, tool handles, office supplies, children's toys, plastic jewelry, garden hoses and holiday decorations represent the most common instances of this occurrence<\/a>, according to the University of Plymouth's account of the study.<\/p>\n Potential for even greater hazards<\/strong> "Black plastic may be aesthetically pleasing, but this study confirms that the recycling of plastic from electronic waste is introducing harmful chemicals into consumer products," Turner said. "That is something the public would obviously not expect, or wish, to see and there has previously been very little research exploring this. In order to address this, further research is needed. But there is also a need for increased innovation within the recycling industry to ensure harmful substances are eliminated from recycled waste and to increase the recycling of black plastic consumer products."<\/p>\n The doctor's study found that some black plastics taken from pockets of waste along the shorelines of English beaches in the island's southwestern region showed signs of toxicity similar to the plastics that contaminated food packaging. This could indicate the possibility of further poisoning for marine animals and people visiting the coast, but a full environmental impact assessment would likely be necessary to establish that hazard with complete certainty. <\/p>\n
According to Motherboard, the term "black plastics" refers to plastics made with the industrial pigment known as carbon black<\/a>. Packaging producers, particularly those making single-use products, typically opt for black plastic due to durability concerns, a reason that also explains its popularity among electronics manufacturers. This subset of the synthetic material market makes up a small but not insignificant portion of the global plastic waste stream. For example, per the study conducted by Dr. Andrew Turner at the University of Plymouth in Plymouth, U.K., and published in the journal Environment International – which identified the broader extent of the substance's threat – 15 percent of Great Britain's discarded plastics<\/a> are of this variety. <\/p>\n
Dr. Turner discovered that the base material for new black plastics was often coming from e-waste, because so little of the material made its way into the melting pot of post-consumer content that forms so much of modern recycled materials. By virtue of its exposure to other chemicals used in the manufacturing of electronics, the new plastic carried contaminants it otherwise wouldn't have.<\/p>\n
In a statement regarding his research, Dr. Turner didn't mince words:<\/p>\n