In a new study released today in Berlin, WWF, the conservation organization, calls for better controls and when necessary a ban on toxic additives in consumer goods. WWF is also advocating effective import controls and the development of environmentally sound alternatives.
Plastics can make life comfortable and colourful - but plastics also pose dangers.
Manufacturers should use only toxic free materials for their plastic products. Some of these chemicals are persistent and accumulate in the food chain. Brominated flame retardants protect foams in building materials, mattresses and cars, and computers and TV casings from catching fire. One brominated flame retardant is suspected of causing cancer, others may be linked to abnormalities in development and behaviour. The chemicals leak out of the plastic when heated or in contact with water, and can accumulate within the food chain.