Harmful chemicals detected in leading European headphone brands
Hormone-disrupting chemicals were found in more than 81 models, from manufacturers including Sony, Samsung, Apple and Sennheiser
Headphones from several leading tech manufacturers have been found to contain harmful chemicals, raising concerns over long-term use.
The findings come as a result of a study entitled 'The Sound Of Contamination' from Czech non-profit organisation Anika - part of the EU-funded initiative ToxFree LIFE - which analysed 81 headphone models, around 50 of which were from well-known tech brands including Sony, Samsung, Apple, and Sennheiser.
The report claims that all 81 were found to contain bisphenols, phthalates, and flame retardants, all of which, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA), have been linked to endocrine disruption by mimicking the body's natural hormones, and are also linked to infertility, cancer, and neurological disorders.
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The study ranked the 81 models in a traffic light system over their potential risk, with green being the safest, yellow “legally compliant but exceeding stricter voluntary limits” and red for "unsatisfactory", found to be the most hazardous.
44% of models tested reportedly fell into the red category, though only 11% were found to have instances of dangerous chemicals coming into direct contact with the skin.
The highest concentration of bisphenols were found in My First Care earbuds, which are marketed to children. A pair of headphones sold by Temu, also marketed to children, was found to contain five times the legal EU limit of phthalates.
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Despite this, the study found that at least 50% of headphones marketed to children fell under the green rating, with the safest models of all being Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 and JBL’s Tune 720BT.
According to Dutch publication RTL, a number of retailers in the Netherlands have taken steps to remove hazardous models as a result of the report, with Bol.com claiming to have all models deemed "unsatisfactory" in the study from its shelves, which would include the Razer Kraken V3, Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 4 and Beats Solo Buds.
A spokesperson from Dutch tech retailer CoolBlue told RTL: "We are in direct contact with our suppliers regarding this matter. Should this reveal any indications requiring further measures, we will act accordingly."
You can read the full The Sound Of Contamination study here.
Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on X
