Flame retardants morph into dioxins

From Hamburg, Germany, at a meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry–Europe

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) make up a family of common flame retardants for plastics, foams, and fabrics. Nearly ubiquitous in air and water, these pollutants have gained notoriety for accumulating not only in wildlife but also in human blood and breast milk (SN: 10/13/01, p.