European retailers are recalling popular headphones after a study suggested trace amounts of hormone-disrupting chemicals

Some European retailers have stopped selling certain headphones following EU funding He studies They found that it contains chemicals that disrupt hormones.

The study included leading brands such as Apple, Beats, Samsung, Bose, JBL, and Sennheiser. Online stores Bol.com, Coolblue and Mediamarkt did not respond to inquiries Edge About the headphones they pulled, but local News agencies report They are among the retailers who have decided to pull some of the models with the worst scores from the market.

The study authors analyzed 81 different types of headphones, and found that all contained at least traces of harmful chemicals including BPA, phthalates, and flame retardants. This is it Chemicals that cause endocrine disruptors linked For reproductive health issues, neurobehavioral problems, and other health risks.

While the chemicals were found in low concentrations, their prevalence in the headphones studied shows how widespread their use and neglect are. It also raises questions that products containing these substances may affect individuals who are most at risk, including children, teens, and pregnant women.

“We really believe that a systemic approach to banning and phasing out the most harmful chemicals — which have generational impacts — is the way forward,” says Karolina Prabkova, campaign director on toxic chemicals in consumer products at the Czech non-profit Arnica, who co-authored the report.

Prabkova and her colleagues produced the report as part of the ToxFree LIFE for All project along with four other consumer advocacy groups based in the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Hungary and Austria. The project has received a grant of approximately €2 million from the European Union.

To conduct this study, researchers disassembled headphones to collect 180 samples of hard and soft plastic from products marketed for adults, teens, and children. A laboratory analyzed the samples to look for hormone-disrupting chemicals in products made by more than 50 different brands.

They gave each set of headphones three scores for the parts that touch the skin no Touch the skin and evaluate the comprehensive product. For each category, the headphones are rated either green for “least risk,” yellow for being “compliant with the law but exceeding the strictest voluntary limits,” or red for “high concern.” Samples that were “not in compliance with legal limits or contain(ed) multiple hazardous substances” received a red rating. But the report does not reveal exact numbers for the amount of substance found in each sample, but rather reveals only the chemicals that were identified.

Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 and JBL’s Tune 720BT received green ratings across the board, for example. But there were also varying results between individual products tested that were made by the same brand. JBL’s Wave Beam and JR310BT, children’s headphones, both received red scores for parts that don’t touch the skin and overall product ratings. Meanwhile, HP’s HyperX Cloud III gaming headset and Razer’s Kraken V3 earned red in all three categories.

Edge It reached 11 major manufacturers included in the study. Only Bose, Sennheiser and Marshall responded; They all say their products comply with legal safety requirements.

The companies also questioned the methodology used in the study. “It is unclear what facts the lab used to reach its conclusions,” Bose spokeswoman Joan Berthiaume said in an email. Eric Palonen, a spokesman for Sennheiser, said the company contacted the report’s authors “in hopes of obtaining accurate data on Sennheiser products tested in order to verify our data and decide on next steps,” but the organization did not provide the data it requested.

“The study used its own testing standards and labeled the product based on BPA-related substance thresholds that are more stringent than those typically applied to plastics used in electronic products,” Anna Forsgren, director of compliance and sustainability at Marshall Group, said in an email. Forsgren also stated that the company “welcomes reports like this because they lead to greater transparency and accountability in the industry.”

Brabcová says several manufacturers have reached out to Arnika to inquire about how the study was conducted. Although the group declined to confirm which companies were in contact, Prabkova sees its interest in the report as a sign that companies are thinking about how to improve their products.

The goal wasn’t to label the headphones or even discourage consumers from purchasing some of the products mentioned, Prabkova says. Edge. After all, the chemicals were found at low levels in the samples. “There is no imminent risk from using these (headphones), and again these are trace concentrations,” Prabkova says.

Instead, Prabkova and her colleagues want to draw attention to the many ways consumers are exposed to these chemicals in their daily lives, and the cumulative risks that arise from this. “Even in a small product like headphones, there is a mixture of chemicals that people may be exposed to,” she says. “Now, multiply that by 100 because we use hundreds of products every day.” These headphones also eventually become e-waste, which can release chemicals into the air when burned or seep into water sources from landfills.

“The idea is that you don’t want to have a lot of exposure from here, there and everywhere,” says Aimin Chen, a professor of epidemiology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, who was not involved in the study. “If you can reduce exposure, that’s always a good thing.”

BPA compounds are commonly used to bond plastic or metal parts, and to provide thermal insulation for printed circuit boards and batteries. The most common types of this chemical are: Linking BPA to developmental risks for childrenIt was found in 98 percent of headphone samples. Phthalates They are widely used to make plastics more flexible and to add scents to personal care products. About 60 percent of the samples in the study contained small amounts of phthalates Carcinogenic, mutagenic, or proliferative.

Chen points out that the report from Arnica and its partners doesn’t go further than showing how much exposure to these chemicals a person might get from wearing certain headphones — just that the chemicals are present in the devices. It may take more research and controlled studies to find out how much of the substance may enter the human body through skin contact or through inadvertent ingestion of dust from the product.

Part of the concern about headphones is that users tend to wear them for long periods of time and during exercise. Chen and the report’s authors point out that higher temperatures and humidity resulting from sweat may accelerate the release of harmful substances.

Gaming headsets in particular were characterized by their low scores in the study. This raises concerns about populations that may wear headphones for extended periods, as well as groups such as young people and pregnant women who are more sensitive to hormone-disrupting chemicals. Compared to an adult, a Adolescent, child or fetus It is more susceptible to the effects of chemicals that may mess with hormones and disrupt how the body grows.

About 60% of gaming headphone samples received a “red” rating for their overall rating, compared to about a quarter of samples of products designed for children. The top ratings for many children’s designs show that it is possible to reduce risks when extra precautions are taken. The report’s authors call on lawmakers to take stronger measures to reduce the use of harmful substances in consumer products. This includes banning entire classes of chemicals and requiring disclosure of the types of substances found in electronics.

Businesses can also hit the ground running, Prabkova says. “Progressive manufacturers are actually giving a great signal for eventual legislation,” she says. Given that more than 40% of the 81 headphones tested ultimately received an overall “green” score, she says the brands can certainly meet the stricter safety standards. “There are companies that go beyond (legal requirements) and the consumer has the right to choose brands that have a better policy.”