Scientists have issued an urgent warning to headphone users after toxic, cancer-causing chemicals were discovered in some of the most popular devices.
Experts tested 81 pairs of headphones, from brands including Bose, Panasonic, Samsung and Sennheiser, and found that all contained substances that can cause cancer, liver damage and problems with brain development. The harmful substances can leach from the plastic and be absorbed through the skin during use.
Scientists from the European ToxFree LIFE for All project tested headphones for endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS), known as “life chemicals.” These mimic the effects of the hormone estrogen and can cause early puberty in girls, feminization in men, and cancer.
The results show that BPA was found in 98% of the headphones, while BPS was found in over three-quarters of the samples. Some headphones had concentrations of up to 315 mg/kg, well above the European Chemicals Agency's recommended limit of 10 mg/kg. Such devices include the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless and the Bose QuietComfort, among others.
Experts warn that for in-ear headphones, especially during sports where the skin sweats, chemicals can pass directly into the body. Long-term use, especially among adolescents, can be dangerous. Some headphones aimed at children or adolescents contained high levels of these substances.
In addition to bisphenols, some headphones contained phthalates, reproductive toxins that affect fertility, and chlorinated paraffins, which cause liver and kidney damage, although mostly in small amounts.
Scientists are calling on EU lawmakers to urgently ban endocrine-disrupting chemicals and ensure that they are not replaced by equally harmful additives. Emese Gulyás, the project leader, stresses: “Harmonised EU rules banning entire classes of toxic chemicals are needed to protect consumers and ensure a safe circular economy.”
Scientists and media have contacted Bose, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony and Sennheiser for comment. /GazetaExpress/
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