Banned flame retardants continue to accumulate in the St. Lawrence River and the whales and fish that live there

By Jonathan Verreault, Professeur titulaire, Centre de recherche en toxicologie de l’environnement (TOXEN), Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

Flame retardants are added to a variety of products to prevent or slow the spread of fire. They have been added to many consumer and industrial products, including building materials, plastics, polyurethane-based foams in furniture, textiles and automotive parts, and electrical and electronic devices. They’re even in your iPhone.

Unfortunately, these product requirements are often poor predictors of actual fire risks and frequently lead to the misuse of these toxic chemicals.

When people dispose of consumer products that contain flame retardants, these chemical compounds…

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