Climate

The fire retardant in the seafood chain

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 17/10/2026, 13:00:24 UTC.

Briefings

Historical records show fishmeal fires from the 1960s to 1970s were caused by its spontaneous combustion. To prevent this, Cargill introduced ethoxyquin in 1967, which reduced fires by 75% by the 1970s. However, ethoxyquin is a carcinogen and has been banned in the EU and UK. Recent lawsuits challenge whether seafood from ethoxyquin-treated fish is safe to eat, while the Canadian food agency lacks clear testing protocols for the chemical in final seafood products.

Key points

• Fishmeal fires from 1966 to 1976 were caused by the chemical fishmeal's spontaneous combustion, which was mitigated by the introduction of ethoxyquin in 1967.
• Ethoxyquin was banned in the European Union and UK but remains permitted in the U.S., Australia, Japan, and South Korea, creating regulatory inconsistencies.

Context

The Outlaw Ocean Project documented historical fires where fishmeal ignited storage areas. Cargill's 1967 introduction of ethoxyquin significantly reduced fire frequency, though this chemical remains a subject of safety debate due to carcinogenic concerns and regulatory gaps in testing seafood products.

Limitations

Evidence covers fires from 1950s to 1970s and includes specific dates and chemical names. Some recent lawsuits and regulatory actions are described as 'settled out of court' or 'pending,' limiting the ability to confirm current legal status or outcomes.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 18/10/2026, 00:57:27 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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