Major brands impacted by research findings.

 

An investigation has uncovered alarming levels of potentially toxic chemicals in popular headphones, including models from major global brands including Sennheiser, Panasonic, Samsung and Bose. 

 

According to a report in The Guardian, laboratory testing of 81 headphone models found that every pair contained detectable levels of hazardous chemicals, including bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) — substances known as endocrine disruptors and linked to cancer, liver damage, and developmental disorders.

 

“These chemicals are not just additives; they may be migrating from the headphones into our body,” said Karolína Brabcová, chemical expert at Arnika, part of the ToxFree LIFE for All project, a partnership of central European civil society groups that carried out the research.

 

“Daily use – especially during exercise when heat and sweat are present – accelerates this migration directly to the skin,” she said.

 

The findings suggest that millions of consumers worldwide, including tens of thousands in Australia, could be exposed through daily use.

 

While individual exposure levels from headphone use may be relatively low, it’s been reported  that researchers warn of a cumulative “cocktail effect,” in which ongoing exposure from multiple everyday products compounds health risks over time.