Math Error in Black Plastic Study Reduces Health Risk Concerns

Viral study on black kitchen utensils had glaring error, researchers issue correction

(NEXSTAR) – If you were caught up in last month's panic over black kitchen cooking utensils, you now have a reason to breathe easier. The concern over the common kitchen tools appears to have been overblown, all because of a mistake in the scientific study. The study, published last month in the journal Chemosphere, tested 203 household products made of black plastic. The researchers found 85% of them contained high concentrations of flame reta…

Data error revealed in study about toxic chemicals in black plastic utensils

The authors of a study that found black plastic utensils contain dangerous levels of flame retardants now say their calculations were off. The study was conducted by Toxic Free Future. According to their website, the non-profit organization advocates for “…the use of safer products, chemicals, and practices through advanced research, grassroots organizing, and consumer engagement.” They got a lot of attention last month with claims that black pl…

Viral study about black plastic spatulas had a big math problem

People trashed their black plastic utensils after a study revealed they could have harmful chemicals. But a researcher discovered a math error in the study.

Maybe It's Not Time to Chuck Black Spatulas

A study that led to warnings about the dangers of black plastic utensils may have caused countless spatulas to be thrown away unnecessarily, according to Joe Schwarcz at McGill University . Schwarcz, director of the Canadian university's Office for Science and Society, says researchers at Toxic-Free Future made a mathematical error...

Your Black Plastic Utensils (Probably) Aren’t Killing You After All

If you recently threw out your black plastic spatula, as several news articles urged us to do (“Your favorite spatula could kill you” was a real headline), you might want to see if you can dig it back out of the trash. They were based on a study whose most dramatic finding has turned out to be a miscalculation. To be fair, the general idea hasn’t been debunked; plastic contains a multitude of chemicals whose potential health effects aren’t well …

The Study That Called Out Black Plastic Utensils Had a Major Math Error

Despite the correction, the study’s authors stand by their conclusions about the risks of certain kitchen utensils.