Sunday, February 17, 2008

Suicide By Plastic Bottle and Spatula

Seriously. From this article here: http://health.msn.com/womens-health/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100176179

"A growing body of scientific research has linked the weak estrogenic compound bisphenol-A (BPA) to a variety of health problems, such as infertility, prostate cancer, and breast cancer.

BPA is the main building block of polycarbonate plastic, a hard plastic widely used to make kitchen utensils, food storage containers, travel mugs, and water bottles. BPA is also a main component of the epoxy linings found in metal food and beverage cans.

The problem: Polycarbonate plastics can leach BPA into our food and beverages.

Heat, acid, alcohol, harsh detergents, age, and microwaving can also exacerbate the release of BPA, says Frederick vom Saal, a biology professor and BPA researcher at the University of Missouri."

The article suggests the following to limit your intake of BPA:

--Limit canned foods & beverages.
--Don’t store foods in plastic.
--Filter your drinking and cooking water.
--Filter your shower and tub water.
--Don’t transport beverages in plastic mugs.
--Limit use of hard plastic water bottles.
--Minimize hard plastics in the kitchen.
--Skip the water cooler.
--Limit plastic toys for kids.
--Limit plastic baby bottles and sippy cups.
--If you're pregnant, take lots of folic acid, which may help negate some of the BPA.

#2 and #5 plastics have less BPA, by the way.

A big thanks to my dad for sending this to me. Jerk.

10 comments:

Kylee Baumle said...

Well, there's no way I can do even half of those recommendations, so I guess I will just have to take my chances!

Benjamin Vogt said...

Tell me about it, Kylee. 50% would be decent!

Anonymous said...

I agree with you but couldn't follow it either. I do the best I can. Funny thing is--I grew up like that country song says...my momma smoked, drank, and raised me in a led based paint crib. I turned out pretty smart...but that may just be dumb blind luck. We could do so much more to live a more productive and clean life. I'm thankful for most of the testing going on and restrictions being established. My brother lives in Indonesia on business and he stays sick all the time from auto emissions. They don't have the same standards. The people are gracious and sweet--but he's dying over there.

Mad Man Bamboo Nursery said...

Nasty, nasty stuff and its everywhere. Plastic definitely has its benefit, but it has become such a pervasive part of the "consumer culture" that it is a struggle to find alternatives. Thanks for posting on this...

Sean

Robin's Nesting Place said...

I like to do whatever I can to make healthy changes, but so many food products are in plastic,it would be nearly impossible not to use it. I can't imagine how expensive it would be for companies to change to glass.

I'm also not sure what the alternative for sippy cups would be. The way toddlers throw them around. I can just see it, spill proof glass sippy cup hitting the tile floor.

I do try not to ever heat plastic in the microwave.

My parents still heat their leftovers in styrofoam plates. YIKES! I've warned them about that but they don't believe it is harmful.

I wanted to tease you and say thanks for passing along the information. "Jerk". But I wasn't sure how it would come across. :)

Anonymous said...

That list makes me feel helpless rather than empowered! Oh well, let's just go out and dig in the dirt! Loved your story about your Mom and the cuttings! More....please!

Benjamin Vogt said...

Anna--Nothing wrong with dumb luck! But you always hear about people who smoked and drank and did all kinds of things living into their 90s or 100s. Of course, that's not the norm. Sounds like Indonesia is just awful, envirionmentally. We still have so far to go here. I wonder about all these developing countries, how we can expect them to dish out money and also be more restrained compared to us in the last 50 years. It's not fair, but we all do come from the same basket, so to speak.

Benjamin Vogt said...

Sean--What I always find shocking is what products have petroleum in them. Everything! Even toothpaste. And of course, there's plastic. Nasty, handy stuff.

Robin--And think about frozen meals... we all eat those (let's be honest), and they come in plastic. Can't come in glass! I work in a pretty progressive English department, and I hate it when I go to functions and they have styrofoam. What? And lastly, I'm pretty sarcastic myself, so I won't read too negatively into what you leave jokingly.

Layanee--I can't go out and dig in the dirt (you can't either)--it's a little hard this time of year, especially with no snow cover and single digit lows. I did try though the other day "just to see."

Anonymous said...

Benjamin: I am almost desperate to dig in the dirt! I know you must be also! A good alternative...I went to the local nursery, bought some fragrant violets and re-potted them. Inside dirt but dirt, nonetheless!

Benjamin Vogt said...

Digging in the dirt? Nah. Not even in the back of my head.

Arrrrrggggghhh.