Proposition 65 Warning for Styrene and BPA in Toaster Oven

December 16, 2019 by Lisa Powers

Question from Naomi

I recently purchased a Black and Decker Toaster oven, model TO3290XSD, online to replace our old one which is severely rusted and not functioning well. When the box was delivered I noticed a warning that read as follows: WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including Styrene, which known to the State of California to cause cancer, and Bisphenol-A, which is known to the State of California to casue birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. I went to the website and there is a list of chemical and their potential adverse effects but no explanation of how exactly the particular product in question would expose a person so such chemicals or how such chemicals are incorporated into the product. I feel as though I do not have enough information to make a decision about the safety of this toaster oven for preparing food. I am also concerned that if I return it I may not be able to find a chemical free alternative because it is likely that most new toaster ovens out on the market contain some sort of toxic chemical as well. Can you help me figure out how to better evaluate the safety of using such a toaster oven ? I have sent an email to the company inquiring further about the nature of how the chemicals are used in the product but I am not certain I will get a helpful response. I could not find a phone number for the company but will look again. Thanks so much for any insights you can provide

This is a follow up to my previous submission. I finally found a working phone number at which to speak to a live customer service representative at Black and Decker: 800-544-6986 and spoke to a representative named Debby. She said that the styrene and BPA are used to harden the plastic in the feet and some other small plastic pieces on the outside of the toaster oven and that there are no plastic parts inside the oven so there is no concern that the chemicals can come into contact with food. I asked her to email me some printed information explaining this so I could have something to refer to and pass on to others and if she does indeed send it, I will pass it on to you.

Lisa’s Answer

Thank you for passing on this very helpful information. This is a good example of how misleading Prop 65 can be. It would be better if none of the parts contained toxins like styrene and BPA but as ingredients in such small pieces on the outside of the toaster, it shouldn't be a concerning exposure.