More than 20 types of unregulated toxic flame retardants have been discovered in human breast milk in the United States for the first time, according to the findings of a new study.
The peer-reviewed research was authored by Toxic-Free Future, a non-profit organization conducting environmental health research, and is published in Environmental Pollution.
Researchers from Emory University, the University of Washington, and Seattle Children’s Research Institute analyzed milk samples collected from 50 mothers from across the United States to check for Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), a class of man-made chemicals that belong to a large group of organohalogen chemicals.
Brominated flame retardants are highly persistent and toxic and are typically used in a wide variety of products including plastics, textiles, electrical appliances, and even as thermal insulation in buildings as they reduce the flammability of a product….