Notice that the information about the ill effects of BPA and phthalates come from every corner of the world. I am totally amazed as I gather articles to share with you (and some that I choose not to), that the writing has been printed literally in publications from just about every country in the world.
Canada is undeniably out in front in what they are printing and doing to put a stop to the use of these chemicals and the United States comes in second (although we are not a close second). This disappoints me, but I do live in California, a state that is doing it's fair share and will be banning plastics within the next 2 years!
Leslye Adelman, Founder
Gentle Nurturing
There is no doubt that plastic does tremendous harm to our bodies and our environment. And the best way to help both is to cut down on its use, says a recent article in Time magazine. But it's not as simple as it sounds. For there is little available in the market today that does not contain plastic in some form.
"Our food and water come wrapped in plastic. It's used in our phones and our computers, the cars we drive and the planes we ride in," says writer Bryan Walsh. The US produced 28 million tons of plastic waste in 2005, 27 million tons of which ended up in landfills.
And while environmentalists fret about the petroleum needed to make it, and parents worry about the possibility of toxic chemicals making their way from household plastic into children's bloodstreams, there are a few groups of people who are trying to minimize the use of plastic in daily life.
Walsh gives the example of 28-year-old Chicago resident Jeanne Haegele who, last year, resolved to cut plastics out of her life, and of Frederick vom Saal, a biologist at the University of Missouri, who is a member of a group of researchers who have raised questions about the safety of some common types of plastics.
As plastic ages or is exposed to heat or stress, it can release trace amounts of harmful ingredients like bisphenol-a (BPA) and phthalates. BPA is in everything from baby bottles to can linings, while phthalates are found in toys as well as vinyl shower curtains. These chemicals enter our body through food, water or dust we consume or even by absorption through skin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 92% of Americans age 6 or older test positive for BPA.
Ingredients like BPA and phthalates are endocrine disrupters, which mimic hormones, and can cause vast changes in the body, especially in young children. Animal studies on BPA found that low-dose exposure, particularly during pregnancy, may be associated with serious illnesses, including cancer and reproductive problems. Some human studies on phthalates linked exposure to declining sperm quality in adult males, while others linked it to early puberty in girls.
Jeanne Haegele
This is why avoiding certain kinds of plastics is simply being better safe than sorry. You can avoid plastic bottles and toys labelled with the numbers 3 (vinyl) or 7 (polycarbonate, or PC, but also polylactide, or PLA, plastics made from renewable resources). Steer clear of vinyl shower curtains and canned foods — especially those with acidic contents like tomatoes. You should also avoid heating plastic in microwaves.
It's tough, however, to get rid of the stuff altogether. Haegele still uses a plastic toothbrush, though she had made her own toothpaste from baking soda, cinnamon and vodka (for the recipe, go to her blog, lifelessplastic.blogspot.com). She has used vinegar for conditioner. But she is still searching for a decent shampoo that doesn’t come in a plastic bottle, or wrapped in plastic.
