What is BPA?
BPA - PLASTICS and FOOD CONTAINERS
Why are plastics and food containers harmful to us?
What is in plastics and how do these toxins affect us?
What exactly is Bisphenol-A (BPA)?
How does it affect me my family?
What products contain BPA and what should I throw out without going overboard?
Let me assure you that by reading this article and making some simple changes in your life you will provide a safer environment for your family, if only by educating yourself on this topic. I am not a professional doctor or scientist so what I have attempted to do is pull down relevant research from the internet and attempted to decipher the lingo and make it easier for the non-scientist to evaluate. There are an extraordinary amount of products that contain BPA at a variety of levels and it is up to you how far you want to go to remove BPA from your house. I will provide you with an idea of what BPA is and what affects it has on you and your family according to recent studies. I will outline key items, which I refer to as my hit list, which you should consider not purchasing and/or remove from your house immediately.
Products to stay away from
Hard clear plastic, usually indicated as a number 7 plastic on the bottom, that contains BPA.
All plastic numbered 3 and 6. Number 3 (PVC) and Number 6 (Polystyrene) are also known to leach harmful chemicals
Canned foods, especially canned formula, that are lined with BPA
Plastic toys
What should I replace them with?
I have switched almost all of my plastics within my kitchen to glass. Glass is a safe alternative and rather than diving into every plastic container/bottle and their contents, I found switching to glass easier. Glass baby bottles are gaining traction in the market and are a great alternative to the standard plastic bottles. Two manufacturers of glass bottles are Evenflo (however you need to use silicone nipples instead of their standard rubber nipples) and Born Free. Born Free also offers BPA free plastic bottles for those who are concerned about the potential of glass bottles breaking around their children.
As for toys, try keeping your eye out for natural wooden toys with lead free paint rather than plastic ones (they tend to be around the same price and most are conscious enough to be lead free as well). We provide natural wooden toys made by Plantoys on our website and I’m sure you’ll find a few more brands through the web.
BPA- What is it?
BPA is an abbreviation for Bisphenol-A. BPA is an ‘ingredient’ used in the chemical compound that lines the inside of food containers such as canned goods and cartons for liquids like milk and juice. It also is the major building block in Polycarbonate plastic. Plastics with the number 7 on the bottom of the container.
How does it get into me?
The bonds in BPA are prone to leaching (falls apart from its parent compound) into the foods contained within the can/carton or plastic container. This takes place over time and can be accelerated with heat.
How Does it affect me?
BPA acts as an environmental estrogen and once it is ingested it can disrupt proper hormone functioning, alter genes and interferes with normal physical and behavioral development.
My children come first!
The effects of BPA will be more pronounced in children because they are growing and developing at such a rapid pace. We as adults have mature brains (most of us anyway) and bodies. Therefore the interaction of BPA and our hormones/genes are dulled in comparison.
The case against BPA
The commentary to follow shows that the debate is still out regarding BPA, however research has proven at least some adverse affects of BPA ingestion. Obviously it is in the best interest of major plastic and food container manufacturers to quell this debate although in recent months it has hit the forefront with respect to our children. Hopefully over time the corporations producing these toxic products will bend to the pressure.
Two Researchers, Fredick S vom Saal and Claude Hughes, from the University of Missouri have concluded the following:
‘In this commentary, we document for the scientific, public health, and regulatory communities that exposure of experimental animals to "low doses" of BPA, which result in tissue levels within and even below the range of human exposure, has been related to adverse effects in a large number of recently published studies.
A recent case-control study reporting that blood levels of BPA are related to ovarian disease in women (Takeuchi et al. 2004) adds to our concern. A large number of in vitro studies show that effects of BPA are mediated by both genomic and nongenomic estrogen-response mechanisms, with disruption of cell function occurring at doses as low as 1 pM or 0.23 ppt (Wozniak et al. 2005).
Although the focus of most studies of effects of BPA has been on its estrogenic activity, recent reports indicating the potential to disrupt thyroid hormone action (Moriyama et al. 2002; Zoeller et al. 2005) mean other modes of action must also be considered. Very low part-per-trillion doses of BPA also cause proliferation of human prostate cancer cells via binding to a mutant form of the androgen receptor expressed in a subpopulation of prostate cancer cells (Wetherill et al. 2002), although BPA acts as an androgen antagonist in the presence of the wild-type androgen receptor (Lee et al. 2003; Paris et al. 2002) and can also block testosterone synthesis (Akingbemi et al. 2004).
A comprehensive document containing all of the low-dose BPA references, as well as information concerning mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, sources of exposure, and exposure levels in humans, is available online (Endocrine Disruptors Group 2005).
Our current conclusion that widespread exposure to BPA poses a threat to human health directly contradicts several recent reports from individuals or groups associated with or funded by chemical corporations [Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe (APM) 2005; Gray et al. 2004; Kamrin 2004; Purchase 2004]. For example, a recently published report on BPA prepared by a panel convened by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis (HCRA), which was funded by the American Plastics Council (APC), concluded that "the weight of the evidence for low-dose effects is very weak" (Gray et al. 2004). However, the charge to the HCRA panel, which was to perform a weight-of-the-evidence evaluation of available data on the developmental and reproductive effects of exposure to BPA in laboratory animals, led to an analysis of only 19 of 47 available published studies on low-dose effects of BPA. The deliberations of the HCRA were in 2001-2002, and accordingly, a cut-off date of April 2002 was selected for consideration of the published literature.
It is regrettable that the relevance of the analysis was further undermined by a delay of 2.5 years in publication of the report. During the intervening time, between April 2002 and the end of 2004, a large number of additional articles reporting low-dose effects of BPA in experimental animals have been published. The result is that by the end of 2004, a PubMed (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD ) search identified 115 published studies concerning effects of low doses of BPA in experimental animals.
The last U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) risk assessment for BPA was based on research conducted in the 1980s [Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) 1988]. The most recent risk assessment of BPA was based on a comprehensive review of the scientific literature conducted in 1998 by the European Union, with some selected articles added through 2001, at which time few of the 115 low-dose BPA studies had been published [European Chemicals Bureau (ECB) 2003].
I hope this has helped increase your awareness of the concerns surrounding BPA and that you will use this information to continue your own research. Developing your own conclusion as to what change (if any) you need to implement is extremely important. Remember, a lot of people pass on information they have ‘heard’ but by doing your own homework you can weed out ‘folk lore’ from the truth and therefore make educated decisions regarding your children and family.
Plastic Wrap
BPA - PLASTICS and FOOD CONTAINERS
Why are plastics and food containers harmful to us?
What is in plastics and how do these toxins affect us?
What exactly is Bisphenol-A (BPA)?
How does it affect me my family?
What products contain BPA and what should I throw out without going overboard?
Let me assure you that by reading this article and making some simple changes in your life you will provide a safer environment for your family, if only by educating yourself on this topic. I am not a professional doctor or scientist so what I have attempted to do is pull down relevant research from the internet and attempted to decipher the lingo and make it easier for the non-scientist to evaluate. There are an extraordinary amount of products that contain BPA at a variety of levels and it is up to you how far you want to go to remove BPA from your house. I will provide you with an idea of what BPA is and what affects it has on you and your family according to recent studies. I will outline key items, which I refer to as my hit list, which you should consider not purchasing and/or remove from your house immediately.
Products to stay away from
Hard clear plastic, usually indicated as a number 7 plastic on the bottom, that contains BPA.
All plastic numbered 3 and 6. Number 3 (PVC) and Number 6 (Polystyrene) are also known to leach harmful chemicals
Canned foods, especially canned formula, that are lined with BPA
Plastic toys
What should I replace them with?
I have switched almost all of my plastics within my kitchen to glass. Glass is a safe alternative and rather than diving into every plastic container/bottle and their contents, I found switching to glass easier. Glass baby bottles are gaining traction in the market and are a great alternative to the standard plastic bottles. Two manufacturers of glass bottles are Evenflo (however you need to use silicone nipples instead of their standard rubber nipples) and Born Free. Born Free also offers BPA free plastic bottles for those who are concerned about the potential of glass bottles breaking around their children.
As for toys, try keeping your eye out for natural wooden toys with lead free paint rather than plastic ones (they tend to be around the same price and most are conscious enough to be lead free as well). We provide natural wooden toys made by Plantoys on our website and I’m sure you’ll find a few more brands through the web.
BPA- What is it?
BPA is an abbreviation for Bisphenol-A. BPA is an ‘ingredient’ used in the chemical compound that lines the inside of food containers such as canned goods and cartons for liquids like milk and juice. It also is the major building block in Polycarbonate plastic. Plastics with the number 7 on the bottom of the container.
How does it get into me?
The bonds in BPA are prone to leaching (falls apart from its parent compound) into the foods contained within the can/carton or plastic container. This takes place over time and can be accelerated with heat.
How Does it affect me?
BPA acts as an environmental estrogen and once it is ingested it can disrupt proper hormone functioning, alter genes and interferes with normal physical and behavioral development.
My children come first!
The effects of BPA will be more pronounced in children because they are growing and developing at such a rapid pace. We as adults have mature brains (most of us anyway) and bodies. Therefore the interaction of BPA and our hormones/genes are dulled in comparison.
The case against BPA
The commentary to follow shows that the debate is still out regarding BPA, however research has proven at least some adverse affects of BPA ingestion. Obviously it is in the best interest of major plastic and food container manufacturers to quell this debate although in recent months it has hit the forefront with respect to our children. Hopefully over time the corporations producing these toxic products will bend to the pressure.
Two Researchers, Fredick S vom Saal and Claude Hughes, from the University of Missouri have concluded the following:
‘In this commentary, we document for the scientific, public health, and regulatory communities that exposure of experimental animals to "low doses" of BPA, which result in tissue levels within and even below the range of human exposure, has been related to adverse effects in a large number of recently published studies.
A recent case-control study reporting that blood levels of BPA are related to ovarian disease in women (Takeuchi et al. 2004) adds to our concern. A large number of in vitro studies show that effects of BPA are mediated by both genomic and nongenomic estrogen-response mechanisms, with disruption of cell function occurring at doses as low as 1 pM or 0.23 ppt (Wozniak et al. 2005).
Although the focus of most studies of effects of BPA has been on its estrogenic activity, recent reports indicating the potential to disrupt thyroid hormone action (Moriyama et al. 2002; Zoeller et al. 2005) mean other modes of action must also be considered. Very low part-per-trillion doses of BPA also cause proliferation of human prostate cancer cells via binding to a mutant form of the androgen receptor expressed in a subpopulation of prostate cancer cells (Wetherill et al. 2002), although BPA acts as an androgen antagonist in the presence of the wild-type androgen receptor (Lee et al. 2003; Paris et al. 2002) and can also block testosterone synthesis (Akingbemi et al. 2004).
A comprehensive document containing all of the low-dose BPA references, as well as information concerning mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, sources of exposure, and exposure levels in humans, is available online (Endocrine Disruptors Group 2005).
Our current conclusion that widespread exposure to BPA poses a threat to human health directly contradicts several recent reports from individuals or groups associated with or funded by chemical corporations [Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe (APM) 2005; Gray et al. 2004; Kamrin 2004; Purchase 2004]. For example, a recently published report on BPA prepared by a panel convened by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis (HCRA), which was funded by the American Plastics Council (APC), concluded that "the weight of the evidence for low-dose effects is very weak" (Gray et al. 2004). However, the charge to the HCRA panel, which was to perform a weight-of-the-evidence evaluation of available data on the developmental and reproductive effects of exposure to BPA in laboratory animals, led to an analysis of only 19 of 47 available published studies on low-dose effects of BPA. The deliberations of the HCRA were in 2001-2002, and accordingly, a cut-off date of April 2002 was selected for consideration of the published literature.
It is regrettable that the relevance of the analysis was further undermined by a delay of 2.5 years in publication of the report. During the intervening time, between April 2002 and the end of 2004, a large number of additional articles reporting low-dose effects of BPA in experimental animals have been published. The result is that by the end of 2004, a PubMed (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD ) search identified 115 published studies concerning effects of low doses of BPA in experimental animals.
The last U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) risk assessment for BPA was based on research conducted in the 1980s [Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) 1988]. The most recent risk assessment of BPA was based on a comprehensive review of the scientific literature conducted in 1998 by the European Union, with some selected articles added through 2001, at which time few of the 115 low-dose BPA studies had been published [European Chemicals Bureau (ECB) 2003].
I hope this has helped increase your awareness of the concerns surrounding BPA and that you will use this information to continue your own research. Developing your own conclusion as to what change (if any) you need to implement is extremely important. Remember, a lot of people pass on information they have ‘heard’ but by doing your own homework you can weed out ‘folk lore’ from the truth and therefore make educated decisions regarding your children and family.
Plastic Wrap
Beware of that cling wrap. Consumer group Choice, suggests we start avoiding plastic packaging for fear it could be potentially hazardous.
Of concern are materials containing polycarbonate - used to make food storage containers and bottles - and epoxy resins, used to line tin cans, Choice said.
Both have the potential to release bisphenol A, which has been linked to increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Choice has called on the industry to phase out the use of such materials, and until then, introduce mandatory labelling.
"PVC is used to make the gaskets that seal glass jars used for foods such as pasta sauces," Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn said.
"There are safer alternatives, which should be used instead... But they insist on using cheap materials and lack of knowledge from their consumers.
Wax Paper
When you use wax paper do you stop to think of what the wax is made of? Most wax paper has a petroleum based formula on it. I am scared to death of things like this. Therefore I only use all natural soybean wax paper.
Made from unbleached paper and coated with 100% natural soybean wax, it's ideal for wrapping foods without affecting flavor. Conventional waxed paper is coated with paraffin wax – a petroleum based product. Soybean wax is clean, safe, non-toxic, biodegradable, and comes from a renewable and sustainable resource grown by American farmers, giving them an economical use for their soybean surplus.
Unbleached paper
Totally chlorine-free (TCF)
100% natural soybean wax
Compostable
Minimum waste
Unbleached recycled cardboard packaging
Vegetable-based inks for printing
Non-toxic glues
Cardboard packaging biodegradable but should be recycled
Ideal for food preparation
Excellent for wrapping sandwiches and other foods
Use for separating cookies or cookie dough and pre-cooked meats or burger patties
Lines and protects kitchen surfaces and helps keep microwave clean
Microwave safe
Suitable for vegetarians and vegans
~
Of concern are materials containing polycarbonate - used to make food storage containers and bottles - and epoxy resins, used to line tin cans, Choice said.
Both have the potential to release bisphenol A, which has been linked to increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Choice has called on the industry to phase out the use of such materials, and until then, introduce mandatory labelling.
"PVC is used to make the gaskets that seal glass jars used for foods such as pasta sauces," Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn said.
"There are safer alternatives, which should be used instead... But they insist on using cheap materials and lack of knowledge from their consumers.
Wax Paper
When you use wax paper do you stop to think of what the wax is made of? Most wax paper has a petroleum based formula on it. I am scared to death of things like this. Therefore I only use all natural soybean wax paper.
Made from unbleached paper and coated with 100% natural soybean wax, it's ideal for wrapping foods without affecting flavor. Conventional waxed paper is coated with paraffin wax – a petroleum based product. Soybean wax is clean, safe, non-toxic, biodegradable, and comes from a renewable and sustainable resource grown by American farmers, giving them an economical use for their soybean surplus.
Unbleached paper
Totally chlorine-free (TCF)
100% natural soybean wax
Compostable
Minimum waste
Unbleached recycled cardboard packaging
Vegetable-based inks for printing
Non-toxic glues
Cardboard packaging biodegradable but should be recycled
Ideal for food preparation
Excellent for wrapping sandwiches and other foods
Use for separating cookies or cookie dough and pre-cooked meats or burger patties
Lines and protects kitchen surfaces and helps keep microwave clean
Microwave safe
Suitable for vegetarians and vegans
~
I have almost no plastic in my house and we never eat from anything that has been heated in plastic either.
I try to eat at places that have paper cups or I bring my own. I rarely if ever keep foods that come in plastic in it's original container. I remove the food and place it in glass.
I do not use hardly any wax paper and I never use plastic wrap.
The only exception I have with plastic is my husbands munch packs. They are made from BPA free materials. I ask that he does not reheat in them, but he is a man and probably does it anyway.
I am not saying you have to dump all your plastics, you do not have to do like I did and throw everything in the recycle bin and then stand there with nothing to put food into. Just slowly wean yourself off of relying on plastics.
How much plastic do you use?
Does anyone know where to get glass lunch containers made with heavy weight glass like Pyrex?
12 comments:
"We as adults have mature brains (most of us anyway)"
lololol
i need to read this in two parts. its very nice to have all the info in one article like this. very well done! and thank you.
thanks for posting this vv. i think the funniest line i've heard all week is your reference to your husband being a man. v funny.
i'm like you, when i hear something is bad i just get rid of it all and then deal with the fallout. thankfully i don't have to pack lunches anymore. can you wrap his sandwiches in parchment paper? what about glass containers that have plastic lids? are those ok?
xo
janet
awsome post!! thanks for sharing
if your interesing in other peoples vegan views check out my blog and look at the vegan profiles :) you might find them interesting
Xx Yas
http://mypurplegrape.com
I bought these today (as set of five containers for $20) and i really like them:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=112870
They are okay for microwaving, 'frigerating, and freezing. We'll see how long the lids last but they feel very sturdy and have a great seal.
Is it okay to store dry stuff in plastic containers? Does nasty stuff leech into it if there's not moisture contact?
DD- lol yes, it is funny!I am slightly anal when it comes to info on possibly harmful chemicals I feel everyone shouls be as informed as I am...Is that wrong? lol
Viv~
btw, nice to see you again old friend!
Hi Janet,
I am searching out glass containers now. I very rarely pack him sandwiches, he usually gets a full dinner with salad, fruit and water or smoothies. I think if I slide a piece of parchment between the plasitc lid and food it would be ok as long as he remembers to take the lid off...Men, lol
Viv~
PG-
I will head over there after I finish commenting. Thank you!
Stephanie Leah,
Thano you for the link. I will head there after I finish posting.
I try not to store anything in plastic. I am so bad, I even take my dried beans and rice out of the bags and put them in glass containers. But that is just me. I read a report years ago about the connection between harmful plastics and adhd and retardation in infants, and it pretty much scared me straight. It is up to you if you choose to take all of your food out of plastic. I cannot tell you if it is the right thing for you to do, but if you want my honest opinion, yes I would recycle what I could and throw the rest out.
xo
Viv~
the next holiday that comes up i am going to be asking for glass containers. i have already stopped using saran wrap, heating plastics in the microwave, and let hot things cool down before i put them in plastic.its good to see you too Brandi:)thank you for saying that to me.
michelle
ps i had alwasy wondered what was on wax paper.
Thanks for all the info, I'm trying to cut down on my use of plastic in the kitchen. :-)
DD-Now you know...LOL I stopped using plastics a long time ago, then gave into them due to convience. But I have successfully gotten rid of it again. See you later gator...lol
Viv~
CV-Good luck! It is hard at first to give it up, but then you get really clever about storage.
ttyl,
Viv~
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