A landmark international study across five Central European countries has found hazardous chemicals in every single pair of headphones tested, from premium models to cheap imports. Researchers say the results reveal a systemic failure in consumer safety regulation across the electronics industry.
The investigation, conducted as part of the EU-funded ToxFree LIFE for All project, analyzed 180 samples of hard and soft plastic components from 81 headphone products marketed to children, teenagers, and adults in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Austria.
Key findings at a glance:81 headphone models tested across Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Austria100% contained traces of hazardous chemicals (bisphenols, phthalates, flame retardants)Up to 351 mg/kg of bisphenols detected—35× higher than proposed EU limitsProduct from online marketplaces (e.g. Temu) showed the highest toxicityThe Bisphenol Crisis: A Universal Contaminant
Researchers discovered that nearly all headphones contain bisphenols, chemicals known to interfere with hormones.
The widely restricted Bisphenol A (BPA) appeared in 98% of samples, while its substitute, Bisphenol S (BPS), was found in over three-quarters.
Maximum concentrations reached 351 mg/kg, dramatically exceeding the 10 mg/kg limit currently proposed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
„These chemicals are not just additives; they may be migrating from the headphones into our body,” said Karolina Brabcová, chemical expert at Arnika. „Daily use—especially during exercise when heat and sweat are present—accelerates this migration directly to the skin. Although there is no immediate health risk, the long-term exposures especially for vulnerable groups like teenagers is of great concern. There is no ‘safe’ level for endocrine disruptors that mimic our natural hormones.”
Regrettable Substitutions and Online Market Risks
The study confirms a broader trend of so-called regrettable substitution. In this practice, banned chemicals are replaced by slightly modified cousins that behave in almost the same way. Manufacturers often change just part of the molecule. The substance then falls outside current rules. However, its core structure — and therefore its toxic effects — remain very similar.
In flame retardants, this means older halogenated substances are increasingly swapped for organophosphate flame retardants such as RDP (Resorcinol bisdiphenyl phosphate), an alternative to TPhP that recent research links to neurotoxicity and endocrine‑disrupting effects on thyroid and oestrogen systems.
These risks are most visible in headphones bought from international online marketplaces operating at the edge of EU oversight, where the highest levels of harmful plasticisers and chlorinated paraffins were detected. At the same time, the tests show that even established brands are not immune: hazardous chemicals appeared across the entire price range, so a higher price still does not guarantee a safer product.
A Call for Urgent EU Reform
The „ToxFree LIFE for All” partnership is calling on European policymakers to move away from the slow „substance-by-substance” approach. It urges them to adopt Group-Based Restrictions on flame retardants and bisphenols. “This commitment from the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability adopted in 2021 is to be fulfilled as soon as possible. This is given the recent findings from the sampling campaign,” concluded Brabcová.
The evidence is clear. Our current laws are slow and outdated to protect vulnerable consumers, who are exposed to harmful chemicals but lack the knowledge, skills, and resources to protect themselves,” says Emese Gulyás, a sustainable consumption expert at the Hungarian Association of Conscious Consumers and head of the ToxFree Life for All partnership. “We need immediate, harmonised EU regulations that ban entire classes of toxic chemicals. This is the only way to protect consumers while fostering a safe circular economy where recycled materials aren’t poisoned by ‘legacy toxins’.
How Consumers Can Act
While individual choice is limited by market-wide contamination, the project recommends that consumers:
Join over 11,000 citizens demanding safer products at ToxFreeProductsNow.eu.
About ToxFree LIFE for All: The ToxFree LIFE for All project (LIFE22-GIE-HU-101114078) is an EU-funded initiative aimed at protecting citizens from hazardous chemical exposure through awareness, testing, and policy advocacy. Partners include VKI (Austria), Arnika (Czechia), dTest (Czechia), TVE (Hungary), and ZPS (Slovenia).
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. LIFE22-GIE-HU-ToxFree LIFE for All, 101114078. Co-funded by the Hungarian Ministry of Energy (Z1230232)
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