Abstract: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a major cause of environmental pollution, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are one of the POPs. Therefore, it is important to understand the residue of PBDEs in the environment and its toxicological effects on organisms, for environmental governance and human health. This article briefly summarizes the residue of PBDEs in soil and water bodies, and the migration and transformation between them, and outlines the PBDEs’acute toxicity and physiological and biochemical toxicity in organisms, analyzes the effects of PBDEs on the biological antioxidant system, body organs, tissues, and biological genetic organisms. Aiming at the problems of higher toxicity of PBDEs in the environment and organisms, we put forward that appropriate laws and regulations should be developed to limit the use of PBDEs and strengthen the treatment of wastes containing PBDEs. The study recommends a ban on importing electronic waste, suggests choosing the production place far away from the residential area and so on. The study also discusses the future research on the development of new brominated flame retardant.