Toxic chemicals threatening Kenya's children and women

Plastic threaten your health.[Courtesy]

From children's toys and baby feeding bottles to kitchen utensils and food containers, plastic products used daily in millions of Kenyan households may be exposing consumers to hazardous chemicals linked to cancer, hormonal disorders, infertility and developmental problems, a new report warns.

An analysis of 55 plastic consumer products sold in Kenya found traces of banned flame retardants, hormone-disrupting bisphenols and toxic heavy metals in several commonly used items. The findings, contained in the report Unsafe by Design: Banned and Hazardous Chemicals in Plastic Consumer Products in Kenya, have renewed concerns about the safety of plastics that come into direct contact with food, drinking water and young children.