Britons are being urged to ditch plastic kitchen utensils over concerns they could be adding unwanted chemicals to everyday meals.
Breast Cancer UK has launched a Plastic Free July campaign calling on people to swap plastic spatulas, spoons and whisks for wooden alternatives and sign a pledge demanding tougher rules on chemicals in consumer products.
The charity says plastic utensils can expose people to endocrine disrupting chemicals, known as EDCs, which are found in a wide range of everyday items including cosmetics, clothes, packaging and kitchen products.
EDCs can interfere with the body’s hormone system and some have been linked to increased risk of serious illnesses, including breast cancer.
Breast Cancer UK says awareness remains low, with seven in ten Britons unaware of EDCs and only one in ten associating cookware with hormonal health.
The charity says plastic utensils are a particular concern because they can crack, warp, chip or melt when used with hot food. Damaged edges can also scrape non-stick coatings, potentially adding further chemical exposure from cookware.
Stuart Harrad, Breast Cancer UK ambassador and environmental chemist, said: “Research has shown that every time your hot food or drink comes into contact with a plastic utensil, lid, or cup, the heat may cause more microplastics and EDCs to leach directly into your food.
“This is concerning from a human health perspective as it increases our consumption of these chemicals, and the extent to which these build up in the body and their consequent effects is hard to measure.”
The charity is presenting the switch to wooden utensils as a cheap and simple way for households to reduce potential exposure.
Dr Hannah Moody, Director of Research and Engagement at Breast Cancer UK, said: “By switching from plastic to wooden utensils, we can reduce our chemical load immediately. Wooden utensils don’t break down when we are using them; they are built to last decades.
“And best of all, they cost you less than your average Americano.”
The campaign also links household choices with wider calls for regulation.
Breast Cancer UK says the safe option should be the only option and wants the UK Government to ban EDCs from everyday products unless they have been properly tested.
A recent poll for the charity found two thirds of Britons believe businesses have a duty to protect consumers from EDCs and that government should restrict chemicals that have not been thoroughly tested.
Chief Executive Thalie Martini said: “There is ample evidence to suggest that we should be removing these chemicals from our products until they are proven safe, and we must make it clear that we will not be guinea pigs any longer.”
Copyright © 2026 Energy Live News LtdELN