BPA-Free Does Not Mean Safe. Most Plastics Leach Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals.
Which plastics are safe? I get that question all the time. The Internet is full of charts listing the numbers of the various types of plastic and explaining which ones are safe and which ones are not. Supposedly, #2 (high density polyethylene), #4 (low density polyethylene), and #5 (polypropylene) are safe, right? Does that mean the lid on my travel mug is safe? It’s #5 polypropylene.
So is the sport cap on Michael’s Klean Kanteen water bottle.
We’re supposed to avoid plastics #3 (PVC), #6 (polystyrene), and #7 (polycarbonate). Polycarbonate is the plastic that is made from the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA). And BPA has a bad rap because it’s a hormone-disruptor. Walk down the aisles of any drug store these days, and you’ll find rows of plastic products labelled BPA-Free. BPA-Free water bottles…
Baby bottles…
Pacifiers…
In fact, entire shelves of baby products are labelled BPA-free. Are they safe?
Plastic #1 (polyethylene terephthalate), the type of plastic that disposable water bottles are made of, is not made with BPA either. Is it okay to drink from?
My response: we can’t be sure any plastic is safe as long as we don’t know what chemicals are in the plastic and as long as those chemicals have not been tested. I’ve said this over and over again. And I’ve pointed out chemical additives that have been found to leach from “safe” plastics like polypropylene.
Now, a University of Texas study published last month in Environmental Health Perspectives confirms that hormone-disrupting chemicals leach from almost all plastics, even BPA-free plastics.
That study? Is 33 pages. I read the whole thing, so you don’t have to.
BPA is not the only chemical with Estrogenic Activity
BPA concerns us because it has Estrogenic Activity (EA), meaning it mimics the hormone estrogen in the body. According to the study authors, chemicals with EA have been linked to all kinds of health problems, including
early puberty in females, reduced sperm counts, altered functions of reproductive organs, obesity, altered sex-specific behaviors, and increased rates of some breast, ovarian, testicular, and prostate cancers.
Theorizing that BPA was not the only EA chemical, the authors of the study tested 455 everyday products of all different kinds of plastic from various retail sources to determine if they had estrogenic effects. Products included food wrap, deli containers, hard or flexible packaging, plastic bags, baby bottles, and reusable plastic water bottles. Most of these products were BPA-free. But what other chemicals were in them? Just like you and I, the researchers didn’t know. We are, after all, talking about the plastics industry and their secrets.
The exact chemical composition of almost any commercially available plastic part is proprietary and not known. A single part may consist of 5-30 chemicals, and a plastic item containing many parts (e.g., a baby bottle) may consist of 100 or more chemicals, almost all of which can leach from the product, especially when stressed.
So, to test the products they had gathered, the researchers first extracted chemicals from the various plastic products using different solvents to mimic the types of foods/beverages the plastics might contain, and then they exposed those extracted plastic chemicals to MCF-7 cells, a type of human breast cancer cell that is receptive to estrogen. If the cells multiplied in the presence of the leached plastic chemicals, the researchers knew those chemicals were estrogenic and therefore potentially harmful to humans.
Their finding? Almost all of the plastic products tested leached EA chemicals.
Almost all commercially available plastic products we sampled, independent of the type of resin, product, or retail source, leached chemicals having reliably-detectable EA, including those advertised as BPA-free. In some cases, BPA-free products released chemicals having more EA than BPA-containing products.
Stressed Out Plastic is Even Worse
Realizing that plastics are more likely to leach chemicals when exposed to various stressors like heat or light, the researchers also tested the products after subjecting them to UV radiation (mimicking the effect of sunlight), wet heat (as in a dishwasher), and microwave radiation. As you might expect, there was more leaching of EA from stressed plastic products than from unstressed ones. In fact, in some cases, products with no detectable EA levels when unstressed were found to release EA chemicals after being roughed up a bit. Wouldn’t you?
The Point: it’s not enough for a company to test its products in an unstressed environment. Only by exposing plastic products to the kinds of stressors it will be subjected to in real life can we know for sure whether it will leach EA chemicals or not.
Bio-Based Plastics Like PLA are Not Exempt
PLA is a kind of compostable plastic made from starch, usually corn. It’s generally touted by its manufacturers as safe simply because it doesn’t come from petroleum. So guess what. 71% of all the PLA samples tested were found to leach EA chemicals as well.
The Point: just because a plastic is made from plants doesn’t make it safe.
It’s in the Additives
The researchers also tested “barefoot” polymers, meaning pellets of the basic plastic before any other chemicals have been added to it. And while a few of these barefoot plastics (#2, #4, and #5) did not leach EA chemicals by themselves, nearly all commercial products made from these plastics did. It’s those darned secret additives!
The Point: it’s not enough for a company to tell you that a certain type of plastic (#2, #4, #5) is safe. Without knowing what additives are in it, we don’t know what could be leaching out.
Some BPA Replacements are WORSE than BPA
The researchers tested baby bottles made from PES (polyethersulfone), a new plastic being used to replace BPA in hard plastic bottles. Among others, Born Free brand bottles are made from PES. What did they find? Some PES baby bottles released more EA chemicals than those with BPA in them!
The researchers also tested water bottles made from PETG, a copolyester like the new Eastman Tritan which has replaced BPA water bottles. Again, EA chemicals were found to leach from those bottles as well.
As for our good old #1 PET disposable water/soda bottles? Big time EA leaching.
The Point: be skeptical of new plastics being developed to replace harmful ones. And remain skeptical of old plastics too.
Are There Any Safe Plastics?
One of the study researchers works for a company called PlastiPure, which is working to develop EA-free plastics. To do that, the company hopes to create an EA-free supply chain, requiring that all the chemicals that are added to plastics be certified EA-free as well. Their WaterGeeks plastic water bottle is advertised as EA-free.
I had a conversation with Brent Meikle from PlastiPure last year. I asked why go to all the trouble to develop a “safe” plastic bottle when they could just promote stainless steel or glass instead. Brent’s feeling was that it was not practical to expect everyone to switch to stainless steel bottles, especially those involved in sports, and that plastics are here to stay, so they should be safe.
Whether or not the new EA-free plastics are safe or whether they will turn out to have other harmful health effects, the fact remains that like all petroleum-based plastics, they are not biodegradable and will cause harm to the environment when not handled properly. I hope that PlastiPure will continue to focus on making durable plastic products rather than single-use disposables.
As for me, I’m going to stick to my stainless steel travel mug and water bottle. No plastic water bottles for me. But as for my plastic lid? If it has to be plastic, I’d rather it were EA-free.
The Point: we can only act on the information we have at the moment. Ask questions. Remain skeptical. But keep an open mind.
This post is included in the March 2012 Green Moms Carnival on toxic chemicals hosted at Groovy Green Livin’.
Came here to learn which kind of plastic water bottle to get. If all are unhealthy, I’ll just get the cheapest.
Not super helpful for an ordinary dude, y’all are obviously too invested in this issue to avoid being biased, but tbh idgaf.
The chemicals involved in construction materials can pose harmful risks. Something that I never really hear anyone bring up, are the safety risks associated with PVC plumbing, that may be delivering the potable water you consume and use in your household. Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It absorbs many things, & is constantly being exposed; this is often overlooked, as are the items that we wear, and chemicals our furnitures are treated with. There are many unsafe chemicals, which we are unseemingly exposed to in the world we live in. All of these things pose risks unkown until all risks are discovered, & proven otherwise. Most proofs are truly only verified by the test of time. Industries are not out to upend their livelihoods, in search of evidence that renders they’re products unsafe/unusable. This conflict of interest is understandable. If you want to create a viable product, you want to test it according to protocols, get it approved, and get it to your consumers. In such case you’re in the business of profiting from selling products created, not from conducting extensive research into the unknown, nor what-if scenarios. If you use these products, I personally suggest to be skeptical, err on the safe side, and not use them in ways beyond their intended limitations. I’m not for fear mongering, nor promoting anyones agendas; it’s simply your responsibility to make choices in the best interest of your health and well being. I appreciate the content presented here for shedding light on the fact that, just because testing tells you some aspect of something is safe in a certain limited condition, doesn’t mean that there aren’t unknown elements to be weary of; especially in different stresses, time intervals, & applications. Unknown health risks remain unknow until they are discovered. That’s a redundant, obvious truth that people sometimes choose to remain ignorant of; but what you don’t know, truly can hurt you; it’s up to you to care.
Purple mattresses is running g this huge as campaign making people want to buy these plastic beds, they’re definitely not safe
So I’m guessing you also avoid any food with soy. It being a major endocrine disruptor, as well.
What’s your view on plastics leaching onto water you’re not actually drinking? Thinking about PC or PVC swimming pool covers which float on the pool’s water and are subject to a lot of heat/UV stress. Would that be a concern for you?
Since 97′ our SHOES have become equally as plastic…having gone from 100% cotton lining & inner soles to totally synthetic…from Made in Korea to China & the sizes are really OFF & the heat I get from wearing synthetics vs cotton is HUGE!! Synthetics make my feet feel like they are on fire & I would bet that the LEACHING & length of time on a persons feet is what can trigger hypersensitivity..I have searched high & low since 2006 for studies to better prove this but haven’t yet found anything but that plastics/petroleum leach out & on to your skin! My guess is we all are absorbing these chemicals & I can only imagine what they maybe doing to our health as well.
So if I am forced to use plastic, which leaches the least, stressed or unstressed?
“I read the whole thing so you don’t have to”. What a bunch of nonsense. Anyone saying this wants you to listen to them instead of thinking for yourself, and usually has an agenda to push.
Quote from the study:
“our data suggest that almost all commercially available plastic items would leach detectable amounts of chemicals having EA once such items are exposed to boiling water, sunlight (UV), and/or microwaving.”
So, if you don’t microwave or boil the damn thing you’ll be fine!
this sounds like Communist propaganda to me
I’m not doubting the dangers of plastics, but I mean, EVERYTHING comes in plastic in one form of another, from yogurt and cheese to bread to … So it’s not really avoidable. I find the alarm over the lid of your water jug to be kinda moot given that literally 99% of the foods in your home are packed in plastics. Also, your recaptcha is broken.
John, when you say, “literally 99% of the foods in your home are packed in plastics,” do you mean MY home or homes in general? Because, it you’ll check out the rest of this site, you’ll find that most of the foods in MY home are not packaged in plastic, which is the purpose of this site. Check out my list of ways to reduce plastic here: http://myplasticfreelife.com/plasticfreeguide/
I too reduce as much plastic within my enviroment.
Its a constant awarness, effort to reduce and remove.
Thanks for the article.
Hi Beth,
Thank you for this great article! I am about to start food prepping and will begin with plastic containers and invest in the more expensive glass ones further ahead. Thanks to you I will NOT place them in dishwasher (have to wash with warm water, though 🙁 but will make sure the exposure time is short) or microwave. I wonder, does refrigerating/freezing also make them release EA? Thanks, Anne
Hi, Anne. I haven’t found anything definitive about whether freezing plastic increases leaching. But I do like to err on the side of caution.
This is a bit dated and I’m wondering if there are updates are newer perspectives from you or someone you trust about the plastics you talk about. It really is confusing trying to live without plastic, especially when you are 69 years old and trying to reconcile all the conflicting information on the Internet.
Confusing… on the bottom of some “oxo” plastic storage containers the #7 is in a triangle but also “bpa” in a circle with a line going through it. So which is it? BPA free or not?
I understand why it’s confusing. #7 just means any plastic that is not #1 – #6. The rest all get lumped together because they are less common in consumer packaging. Some of them have BPA and some don’t. Some of them, even if they don’t have BPA, may have other endocrine disruptors. It IS confusing!
Doesn’t matter. Polycarbonate 7 will have other plasticizers in it bps is alternative to boa and is shown to be worse and less biodegradable. Just avoid 7 plastics in food. … local cafe pours hot espresso into their plastic “safe” cups before adding ice. Stupidity and carelessness all around. Buy the glass and stainless as best you can.
With all due respect, [CITATION NEEDED] for the major claims in this article about EA discovered by researchers.
Industrial Engineer entering the field of Bio-plastics
I linked to the study in the article. But if you didn’t see it, here it is again: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222987/
LOL [citation needed] that the poison you are about to release into the world by the megaton is in any way proven safe. Holy cow… you people literally never test anything and are asking the medical folks to prove themselves? Care to enlighten us on what if any safety health testing you do at the plastics factory? The history of your industry destroying water sources is well known, your safety practices if they even exist are ambiguous at best. Why all the secrecy around plasticizer formulation? Ah your patent pending money is more important than baby health eh? Go google phathlets and exposure in hospital especially babies.
What is a good product to buy water 5 gallon at a time and use in one of those common ( whole foods type ) dispensers?
Any yogurt sold in not – plastic?
Wishing we were more plastic free.
Thanks, Erica
Make your own yogurt. Super easy. Some yogurts sold in glass jars. You can use pre-existing yogurt to seed new yogurts. Pasteurize your milk first.
Thanks for article summary I’ll stop bothering your readership now. Toodles.
What fo you think about wheat straw plastic ?
All plastics, whether made from fossil fuels or plants, can contain additives, and unless the manufacturer is willing to disclose those additives, there’s no way for us to know if a particular plastic product is safe.
This article stresses me out. While I completely agree that all plastics are unsafe, I think we can only avoid them to a certain extent. I have spent the last few months trying to rid of bad chemicals in my home. From throwing out all my cleaning products and using Norwex, to putting an end to buying plastic water bottles (which in my home we were so bad for) and spending good money on Klean Kanteen bottles… which I thought those were safe, now I’m second guessing the lids. My daughter is 2 1/2 and I feel awful for the amount of chemicals in plastics I have exposed her to. Then I take a second and look around.. Are her mattress and sheets safe? Are the curtains safe? What’s in my couch? What chemicals do the racks in the dishwasher give off when being used? And then look in the fridge.. so much stuff comes in plastic containers. You just can’t avoid it. I miss life when I didn’t care about this stuff lol. I don’t know what to buy anymore. Chemicals are everywhere and I feel like I can’t win and I’m going broke trying. UGH
This is my concern regarding using stainless steel in place of plastic. Without a Geiger counter, how can one be sure? https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/the-growing-global-threat-of-radioactive-scrap-metal/
I used avent polypropelene baby bottles and also sterlized them in hot water everyday..now im worried if they would have leached any chemicals..philips says it doesnt..can u plz tell me if it would have leached Estrogen mimicking chemicals..plz tell me…
Unfortunately, I can’t tell you what chemicals those bottles might be leaching because the manufacturers do not disclose their ingredients. That’s the problem.
What can one do when traveling? I will soon be heading away for a week, and we usually buy a case or two of water when we get there. The thought of giving my child bottled water from a plastic bottle is making shivers go down my spine. So, I’m genuinely curious if you have any solutions on what to do while traveling so we can have safe, drinkable water.
Additionally, I read below that you had a bladder mesh installed. How are you? My mother is due to have this procedure next week! I am now concerned about this too. Can you offer any insight? Thank you.
Hi, Rose. I didn’t have a bladder mesh installed. Maybe that was another commenter?
Are you traveling to a place without safe drinking water? If you want to avoid plastic bottles, you could purify the water yourself. REI has a comprehensive article on the various options available: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/water-treatment-international.html
Hi. Contact PlastiPure. http://www.plastipure.com/
Hi, Do you know labs that will test products for EA? I’m curious about a few products on the market, as well as one I manufacture! I’d love to have it tested to make sure it’s safe. Let me know if you have any leads on labs!
I poured a 201 degrees Fahrenheit liquid in a polypropylene cup and I noticed a few tiny white bubbles. The cup became a little soft too. I drank it anyway. Was the plastic letting out toxins? Is it dangerous?
Yes it leached almost assuredly. No it’s not dangerous but maybe if you do it every day you’ll have problems. My local coffee place puts hot espresso into bottom of pet cups before adding ice. Folks sterilizing for babies is worst because babies can’t adjust as well as full humans. At least you don’t fill bottle right after washing so if it leached it leached into cleaning fluid not your baby’s mouth. A bone chilling article showed babies treated in hospital (plastic intubation and things) had significant more phthalates in body than healthy ones that stayed home. Let’s avoid plastics not for health reasons which seems almost impossible but to punish industry for their obfuscation and avoidance of this issue. Ok now I stop. Much love.
Is there a way to store homemade liquid food (soup for instance) in one’s refrigerator freezer without plastic?
Yes. You can reuse glass jars (see my post about how I store homemade broth in the freezer (http://myplasticfreelife.com/2016/12/homemade-broth-and-better-broth-concentrate/) or you can purchase airtight stainless steel containers like these (http://myplasticfreelife.com/2008/09/plastic-free-in-freezer-airtight/)
Water bottles labeled #5 have to be the worst smelling plastic. I have an Oko bottle (I don’t use) that transfers the nasty plastic smell into the water. I call it a cancel bottle. No way these should be sold to anyone. Thanks for your info.
First you have to know where your research is coming from. I would trust independent labs but I find it hard to trust government funded labs !!
Your comment literally makes my brain hurt. At least govt has a verifiable funding structure. Who’s paying bills for your so called independent lab to exist? Yikes… ask yourself this, why is govt trying to poison its citizens? I can think why the plastics factory wants to push its product though.
Im sorry this is such a late response, I just came across this article and convo. I hope you were able to figure out a way to report your reaction. If not, the FDA has a way where individuals can fill out a form online and submit it. Just thought I’d let you know!
Thank you for this article! I didn’t have so much faith in plastic before, but thought that 2,4 and 5 are OK. From now on I am going to toss them also and use only glass and stainless steel. Thank you also for the link of the study. It is really eye-opening.
Just wanted to clarify one thing: recycling code #7 does not mean polycarbonate.
#7 means “other” as in “any plastic that isnt 1-6”. While PC falls into this category, so do many other plastics, both supposedly safe and definitely unsafe.
In other words #7 means “you should get more info on specifics”
I recently bought an organic crib mattress from Naturepedic but I am still struggling with the fact that it contains Food-Grade Polyethylene. The cover is organic cotton with water proof polyethylene and inside instead of coils (which I decided to avoid as they can act as an antena for radiation) it has a patented wavesupport technology made from pure food-grade polyethylene and batting of organic kapok and organic cotton. The mattress sheet is also organic cotton. How safe is this type of plastic? Or am I exposing them to some sort of endocrine disrupters, chemicals or toxins?
Any information will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
It’s fine if she doesn’t eat it.
I would also like to know any thoughts on this as I have a naturepedic changing pad… thanks!
if you don’t feel the need to worry about this that’s fine but you don’t have a right to tell other people how to feel. There is a such thing as dealing with some things and trying to limit your exposure in other ways. Everyone chooses to handle these kind of health issues different and you need to just respect that even if it doesn’t make sense to you. The truth is a lot of us for whatever reason do not want to give up our electronic devices but want to limit chemical exposure and other ways to make up for it. If they come out with a chemical-free tablet I will jump on it but until then I and others can only use what’s out there if we want to still use it. Really if you can’t add to the discussion don’t say anything, this goes for others like you that think just because you don’t have a problem with something it shouldn’t be researched or people’s questions about it shouldn’t be answered. Sick of the self-centeredness from people like you. The world doesn’t revolve around you.
Nice article, except: You used “researchers” 8 times but there is no a single reference to any of those researchers. It would be a “bingo point” if you add them here.
Yeah this supposed study has no link anywhere in the article…a good way to instantly self destruct the article’s credibility.
I’m sorry you overlooked the link to the study when you read the post the first time. The link to the study is in this paragraph on the words “University of Texas study” and here it is again for you:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222987/
Now, a University of Texas study published last month in Environmental Health Perspectives confirms that hormone-disrupting chemicals leach from almost all plastics, even BPA-free plastics.
You will find references to the researchers at the actual study link, which was posted above: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222987/
I recognize your sarcastic tone, but I’ll answer anyway. The point of the study and the article is that we CAN’T name the EA’s because manufacturers don’t provide that information. The study was not testing to identify the presence of specific chemicals but for estrogenic effects of whatever chemicals happened to have been added to the plastics. You have to know what you’re looking for before you can test for it.
Thanks for not listing a single actual name of any of the supposed other EA’s (besides BPA). I like it when things stay unsubstantiated at my level (somebody just reading a blog that has all they need to know in one place), and as for that paper, it helps that you read the whole thing, so I don’t have to.
Time to switch from a goth shade of lipstick to a more neutral color ….
AnnieB: you can’t.
You can’t get another person to tell the truth … unless you’re a crackerjack lawyer I suppose. Even then, it can be iffy ….
With new “diseases” like environmental and chronic conditions, up-to-date doctors know that your diagnosis should be based on your experiences, not theirs.
Canada has been a leader in this emerging field. Check out the Integrated Chronic Care Centre in Nova Scotia, found here: http://www.nshealth.ca/content/integrated-chronic-care-service-iccs … and all the best to you.
I want to be sure of one thing, is PET okay to use for homemade products, since it is not being digested in any way? Floor cleaning etc?
My 20 year-old son has a hernia and is scheduled for surgery in about 3 weeks. They want to use a polypropylene mesh in the repair. I’ve read the pros/cons of using mesh but can’t get past that it’s PLASTIC and they’re implanting it in his body for the rest of his life! Have you come across anything substantial about polypropylene in the body Beth?
I have polypropylene mesh for a bladder repair from 2005. Haven’t been well since. I’m convinced it is the plastic starting to break down in my body after all these years of being attacked by my body’s immune response. My liver and kidneys are a bit stressed and I have no idea why as I am otherwise a healthy person. I hope your son is ok
I’m looking for a safe plastic bottle for my
Baby. (We are not able to use glass) I came across the “Joovy Boob PPSU” http://joovy.com/boob-baby-bottle-ppsu/
Is PPSU plastic considered safe?
Hi Brittany. I’m not going to tell you it’s safe because I have no way to know. But have you considered stainless steel baby bottles? https://www.purastainless.com/
I used glass bottles when my kiddos were useable. Not one ever broke even whe I dropped them, but I still had to watch to make sure they didn’t break .
I am looking to buy a crib mattress for my baby that is the best mattress to prevent SIDS and is non toxic because it does not contain the toxic chemicals that standard, and even organic, crib mattresses have. It is basically an open wood box with a spacer fabric sheet that lays on top. So it is completely hollow with no fillings, hence the avoidance of many chemicals. But the wooden base has a plastic inner lining made from recycled milk jugs, polypropylene #5. This polypropylene base lies 5 inches below the sleep surface and there is nothing between the base and the surface. The company claims that there is no off gasing. What are your thoughts? Do you think this base could be toxic to a baby?
Here is a video that explains it better. https://www.securebeginnings.com/
I would be more concerned about the fabric that is in direct contact with the baby:
” The primary contact surface is an open weave spacer fabric; a breathable medical-grade, 100% permanent treatment-free poly fiber that has an open knit porous surface allowing for passive airflow. ”
This means the fabric itself is a type of plastic. I would want to know exactly what it is made of.
I was worried about toxins in mattresses too. We have twins and could not afford to buy latex crib mattresses. I finally made my own zippered covers and bought a pure latex rubber mattress pad for a full size bed. I cut it with a bread knife and, presto, I had two pure latex mattresses for my children. The hardest part was sewing a zipper into a cover, and vacuuming up the latex mattress crumbs after I had cut the pad to the proper size. However, it only cost $136.00 each to build my own mattresses. $111.00 was for the foam, and $25.00 was for the zippered cover. An added bonus is that the pure latex pads are made with holes in them. I could press my face down in the mattress and still be able to breathe. The do have zippered organic mattress covers that you could probably use to assemble your own crib mattress. They run about $80.00.
I am trying to find a phone case for our galaxyS6 smart phone. Every phone case that I find is made from polycarbonate and TPU material. Please give me an alternative. Everyone I turn to has no answers. I already have a hormone imbalance so I really want to avoid the ones made with these materials
Try checking on Etsy.com. There are quite a few crafts people making mobile phone cases from alternative materials. You might find something or find someone who could make you one.
You’re already cooking youself and those around you with radiation from your dumbphone. Why worry about some toxic chemicals on the side?
I have a Fish Oil in a PETE1 bottle. Does that leach? And can chemicals leach into an oil more so than water? If I transfer the fish oil into a glass bottle will that help or the chemicals remain? Any other info would be appreciated. Thanks
Yes, the chemicals in plastic do leach more into oil. You could transfer it to prevent further leaching, but what’s in there already will still be in the oil.
Nate , you don’t need to waste money on fish oil , just eat the fish . Dark tuna fish has selenium in it which dampens or puts out any mercury or radiation , plus you get the protein and other nutrients when you eat the food .
And the only acceptable number to hold liquids in plastic containers is” 2. “
Awesome plastics article by the way! Very researched and informative… nice to see someone cutting away at all the fat of the internets many avenues of misinformation!
It sounds a bit preachy, but people really do have a right to know the ways in which the regulatory agencies that are tasked with protecting the common interest of our health are allowing the industries of American capitalism to poison our lives, our fisheries, our environment and the wellbeing of the world–all for a dollar.
Not sure if someone has mentioned it yet or not.. Didn’t make it through all the comments. Fungus based “plastics” (which how can I even call them plastics) are going to be our ticket out of this mess.
This is where plastics research may be leading in the end: sustainable, biodegradable, cheap, inert and 3D printable 😉
https://video.vice.com/en_us/video/fungus-the-plastic-of-the-future/55d349a52b68305332db7143?utm_source=mbfb
It’s a Vice News profile and it’s very very cool.
It sounds really cool, but keep in mind that it still needs to be 3rd party certified compostable (even bio-based plastics can be formulated not to biodegrade), and the company must disclose any additives in the plastic because even bio-based plastics can contain toxic additives.
no it doesn’t, as long as the plastic is touching the food, additives can freely move in and out of the basic polymer structure (source: my high school chemistry knowledge)
On the subject of BPA Free vacuum sealer plastic bags, is the leaching potential of other chemicals equally concerning when sealing dried vegetables and other dried products? With the air having been removed and the contents being dry, does this remove the potential for leaching? Many Thanks!!!
I don’t know, but I imagine the temperature at which they are packaged and stored would make a difference.
Don’t forget porcelain. My babies drank water from a teaspoon when newborn and by the age of 2-3 months could drink from a porcelain or china cup if they need other than breast milk- you know the ones with Peter Rabbit on. Babies are quite capable there can be nothing worse than sticking a dummy in their mouth or a teat from a bottle or the plastic nozzle from a none spill cup with spout. It’s not necessary – just spend some time with your little one and hold the cup to their lips and let them drink instead of shoving something in their hands and walking away.
Stop getting exploited by manufacturers.
And your nesting instinct should be to clean with oregano or lemon essential oil or bicarb and not the health devastating manufacturers cleaners. And don’t redecorate, buy new furniture, carpets, flooring, mattresses until at least 2yrs old unless you want to poison with fire retardants etc
Hi Miranda. Thank you for the study. I read through it. It seems the chromium came from sipper tubes meant for rats, and the authors write, “Chromium is a required element in the diet and is important for normal growth and survival of rodents.35,44 Due to the potential for toxicity, the Environmental Protection Agency has set the limit for chromium at 0.1 ppm for people.51 The very small amounts of manganese and chromium that into the drinking water in the current study is not likely to pose as a significant source for toxicity.”
Also I found it interesting that this study focused much more on the neoprene and rubber stoppers than on the stainless steel components.
I highly doubt any of the plastics are safe. They are just promoting those as safe that haven’t been outed in the media as unsafe yet. The health of the consumer is not a concern to the manufacturers. Check out this astounding account of plastics: https://highline.huffingtonpost.com/articles/en/welcome-to-beautiful-parkersburg/
” 2″ is the only acceptable number , and it’s has to be the soft plastic not the hard . Here’s how you can tell , your tongue will tell you which is better , put any other number against” 2″ of course the water should be chilled and do the experiment yourself . Better yet in the book of Job he said animals can teach us things , put a bowl of chilled water in front of a dog from water with the number 2 and any other number and the dog will pick the water from the number 2 .
Stainless steel leaches too. The only truly safe material to use is clean glass made without lead.
It’s my understanding that people with nickle allergies must avoid stainless steel but that’s it’s safe for the general public.
Agreed, it’s super frustrating to try and live more organic and chemical free. It shouldn’t be this hard to live as nature intended if one wants too. Humanity’s drive to create is admirable, but progress should NOT come at the expense of health. Every chemical and material manufactured should be tested, and clearly labeled with possible health concerns so people can avoid them if they want to. And chemical free options should be actively supported by those such as the FDA and other government establishments that have influence in industry. Perhaps they can give out grants to companies that are striving to be organic and find alternatives to harmful chemicals.
In the meantime, just have to do our best to avoid things that we feel are unsafe for us and our family. And maybe get other’s talking about the issues to by sharing valid blogs (that share their sources such as this one) and scientific articles . It may take a lot of people, but if enough limit or outright stop purchasing plastic products, the companies will take notice. Consumers have more power than they think sometimes; just like any fight winning can take time and it takes a lot of us to be heard.
I can’t believe you even own a cell phone if you’re genuinely concerned with something so small such as cell phone cases containing BPA. Cell phone radiation poses a much greater overall health risk than BPA. Basically, try to stop stressing over such little things, it just causes unnecessary stress.
The unknown is literally lying and badly misinformed. Cell radiation has been studied by many and even the WHO made a statement saying it’s ok. Man science education needs a revamp in this country badly!! Radio spectrum radiation is not even close to mutenogneic. You could cook yourself in a microwave and not cause damage aside from boiling.
The trouble is that if we don’t know what additives are in the plastic, we don’t know what chemicals could be leaching out.
looking to buy housebaot to live on and a few have replaced their steel tanks with proploylene water storage tanks…..Are they safe? not so sure although people who`ve bought them seem convinced!!
This is one I have not solved. I bought a bamboo case, and it broke immediately. Then, I was living without a case, and I dropped my phone and broke the screen so bad it would not work. I had to replace the phone. So now I have a heavy duty plastic Otter case because I figure protecting the phone will save more resources in the long run than breaking it and having to replace it. But if anyone else has a better answer, I’d love to hear it!
That’s correct. It’s not a good idea to reuse plastic bottles.
Actually, you are incorrect. The people in this world who are the most affected by toxic chemicals are those in poor communities.
Sorry – editing issues.disbiosys can be the result of chemical exposure. Even good bacteria like lactobaccilis can cause arthritus like autoimmune issues if their functional state
Changes from exposure to certain molecules
The sad thing is none of this is new information and no effort at all was made to effect change last time around. . People act as if this was new information, but I first read about the supposedly inert hard granuels of*all* known plastics testing as hormonal disrupters back in the mid 90s, as well as research into plasticers, softeners and other ingredients being far worse… back then. That was during the first push big push by breast cancer reseachers who had found tumer cell lines were mysteriously ggrowing in petri dishes without feeding them estrogen. Why? because the lab supplier had turned away from glass to plastic petri dishes.it is also true that diseases if dysbiosis are now big news and many of the add resulting autoimmune conditions that leave oeoople in misery and pain are the result of microbes reacting to man made substances in the body or dysbiosys that is caused by chemical interfierance (environmental poisoning).
I would like to know how much touching of a plastic for is too much. Say a fork for instance, is eating with one say cold food too much exposure?
Hi. Would you please contact me to discuss via email? beth at myplasticfreelife dot com. Thanks for your interest!
This is a brilliant post, would it be okay to share it on Kinder Organic’s blog? We have a post about BPA free products, this would compliment it as it covers other areas that we haven’t talked about. We would place a link to your blog and give you full credit! Kindly let me know if that’s okay with you?
I am new to this. Are you writing to me? Melie
About a year ago I bought a glass bottle that I loved (bkr). Unfortunately, I broke it and I didn’t buy it again. I did decide to buy another glass bottle from another brand (takeya), but one day I thought to myself: well yes, the bottle is made of glass , but the cap is plastic! Shortly after this, I watched a video about a study like the one mentioned here (it might be the same one) and now I feel bad using my “safer” takeya glass bottle. Does anyone have any suggestions of glass bottle that don’t have plastic caps? I definitely want to invest in one, no matter how expensive. I was also thinking of using mason jars, but I am not sure if the material put on the lids to prevent things from leaking is plastic or what. I really need to do more research into this, but if anyone knows I would appreciate if you could tell me.
GoGlass water bottle has a stainless steel cap.
I haver a Klean kanteen bottle but am worried about the cap. It’s not stainless steel does it leach some hazardous chemical? Obviously it’s not bpa but this article from mother jones got me wondering https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/03/tritan-certichem-eastman-bpa-free-plastic-safe/
I don’t use the plastic Klean Kanteen cap because I don’t know what chemicals are in it. Better safe than sorry.
My stainless steel bottle (I think it is Kleen Kanteen) a screw-on cap that is lined with stainless steel inside where it touches the liquid. (It also has a plastic sippy cap, which I do not use.)
I am wondering what you think of HPP or High Pressure Processing and the effects it has as a stressor on plastics. Pressure can of course cause heat and so I’m curious. I don’t know of any studies that have been done myself. I, myself, choose not to use plastic for my family and this most importantly included my child. But, I’m concerned about this new craze of HPP and the touted health benefits of the products that are getting packaged inside of these bottles exposed to these extreme pressures. Drinks like “raw” juice and coconut water come packaged this way and I would like to inform my otherwise aware friends. Have you seen this Mother Jones article. PlastiPure is featured prominently…http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/03/tritan-certichem-eastman-bpa-free-plastic-safe
Hi. Stainless steel water bottles do not contain BPA. Aluminum water bottles, which is what they tested in that study, do. We have known for a long time that all aluminum bottles and food cans are lined with BPA or other type of plastic. Stainless steel does not corrode and does not need to be lined. Klean Kanteen is a good example of a safe bottle.
Have heard acrylic is safe – no leaching into water/food – what does your research show??
I don’t know if it can leach or not. It would depend on the conditions it is subjected to. And since manufacturers don’t have to disclose the additives in their plastics, we can’t necessarily know that any plastic is safe.
Hi, thank you, Beth for this. I can’t decide between keeping my countertop stainless steel water filter from MultiPure or getting a reverse osmosis instead. Plastic vs Fluoride is my dilemma. The reverse osmosis is all plastic except for the last container. MultiPure customer service says the NSF tested their plastic and it does not leach. After reading your blog, I really have a hard time believing that. What’s worse -plastic or fluoride? Our water company says we have .84 ppm Fluoride in our water (Key West, FL). Thank you!
Hi. I’m not an expert on fluoride. I can only tell you that we go ahead and drink our water straight from the tap. But if you’re concerned about fluoride, you should probably filter it. You may have plastic pipes in your house, anyway.
Thank you! I went with the Reverse Osmosis with MultiPure. Come to find out, the last filter in the system is the one I already have, so at least it gets filtered through the stainless steel container one last time. I’m asking NSF if there are any filters that are certified to filter out BPA, etc., because it’s not listed, from what I can see, on their website as one of the contaminants they check. Thanks for the blog! It helped a lot!
please let me know what you find out. I have the same questions/same issues as you do. thanks
i’d really like to know as well.
You”ll have to watch out Reverse osmosis also removes all the minerals and other benifits from drinking water in the first place. I asked about this to an industrial chemist and he said “stay away from them”, as when the water you drink that has been through a R/O machine has had everything stipped from it. So when you drink the water that has everything stripped from it the minerals it’s suppose to add to your body is then leached out of your body.
It seems that a ceramic filter would be perfect since it filters fluoride and doesn’t need an
outer plastic or nylon housing, but for some reason, it seems the manufacturers
just can’t seem to take that last little step to make it completely plastic-free
and just replace that plastic base/nipple at the bottom that the water passes
through with a stainless piece.
If they would replace that little bottom piece with a stainless one, it could then be
placed in a Berkey or Propur stainless carafe and it would be a completely
plastic-free system that would clean both the fluoride and chemicals out of their water and wouldn’t leach any toxins back IN in the process. Companies like Berkey and Big Brand Water filter Inc. are so close
to this- a simple stainless piece would resolve the problem and be the first
completely non-plastic fluoride-filtering system in the world.
Perhaps if all of us continue to contact these filter manufacturers and ask for this, the will take this last step and realize how many people would purchase this.
Back in 1990’s purchased RO filter at costco. Did research and replaced second fine filter with a KDF fine filter to balance the minerals. I also started in 2007 purifying the filtered water with 1.5 drops activated mms per gallon. Cats love the water and no long have any hard stools. Water is soo smooth. Go to jimhumble.biz
Hey I am having the same issue and no one seems to have info or any ideas or answers…. (the dilemma betn. plastic and fluoride) both problems seem to be endocrine disruptors and cause issues with thyroid and cancer etc etc. from what I can see…but reverse osmosis IS the only thing that will remove fluoride… but nowhere can I find any info about what will remove plastic from water, does anyone know if there is a filtration system that removes plastic from water? Because if there is, I will do both!
I attended a school event last night, and had a disposable bottle of water. Only after drinking it did I notice the neck of the bottle was tinted a transluscent black. !!!! What has happened?
Here is the other thing, the proprietary thing is horrible. It is going on with the ingredients in our food supply too Made/mixed in the USA which is supposed to make everyone feel like the actual ingredients are from the USA too. NOT TRUE! Food manufacturers have admitted they are sourcing from places like China for our food supply–horrible food safety standards there–as well as near the Fukushima nuclear power plant–the nuclear power plant that has been leak HUGE amounts of contamination into the environment for 2.5 years. That stuff causes all minds of problems from cancers, to genetic mutations causing everything from birth defects to DNA mutations that cause from that point forward inherited cancers, diabetes, heart defects, and allergies. Anything that is in a box, bottle, can or dried is fair game for thIs possibility. Made in USA is the only thing we get on the labeling but the reality is the ingredients are coming from all kinds of other places. Which ingredients are coming from these places? We have absolutely no idea so we can’t avoid it. You ask places like Kellogg’s, PEPSICo, General Mills–they own most of our food supply through all the conventional and organic brands the own–to please tell you where each of the ingredients are from in your favorite product they will refuse to tell you citing proprietary info–none of your business–stop asking questions just eat up. Check out www dot newsforyourfamily.blogspot.com click on corporate responses on the right hand side of the page. I was shocked beyond belief when I learned about all of that. Try calling the companies yourself. They will try to trick you with their first response “we are proud that all of our products are Made in the USA! Don’t be fooled. Say” No, that is not what I asked. Where are the actually ingredients I am putting in my body from?” They will then probably put you on hold for a minute or two and then they will come back with something like, “Sorry, that’s proprietary information. We can’t tell you that.” Call them yourself. See what you get.
Hi, great article, thank you. Here’s another HUGE issue to consider. The nuclear industry has tons and tons of radioactive waste material siting at each and every one of our our 100 nuclear reactors that can cause cancer, birth defects, etc at every single nuclear power plant around the country. The gov is allowing the nuclear industry to mix that stuff it what the industry considers “trace amounts” with supposedly “no ill health effects” into things made with metal from belt buckles, to forks, knives, and spoons, to who knows what else. Could even be the water bottles and the inside of our new fancy dishwashers too! It is insane that the gov would support this but it is going on. Stainless steel should not be radioactive. Stainless steel should be certified nuclear free.
I am struggling to find a way to transport my kids’ food as I don’t think school food is that great. Any suggestions? I do think that glass is best but is it not practical for little kids.
Hi. I’m looking for a sprouting system, but most are plastic. Would a hemp bag leach any chemicals?
I’m not very familiar with sprouting but I would think a hemp bag would be safe as long as it’s organic and GMO free.
I am new to this quest to go plastic-free and I am having trouble with finding what I really want to know….Where do people go to get their drinking (and bathing?) water that hasn’t already been exposed to alot of plastic before it even hits their water bottle? everyone is so concerned with the vessel that they drink from.. but what about the delivery system? Our plumbing is PVC… they plumbing at the Watermill Express (reverse osmosis station) is all plastic and the storage tanks are polyethylene.. and here in florida that whole station is exposed to alot of heat… You can’t really water at the market in glass bottles (except a a scant few and very expensive european waters but those only come in single serving sizes, not practical at all) and even if you did, where was it before it got put into the bottle? Does this come down to me having to have my own reverse osmosis at home and if I did that, does that guarantee no fluoride, other toxins including plastic, antibiotics, pesticides and the like? I am looking for more info but it seems to be hard to find…. As I said, everyone is so focused on the actual cup or bottle that they put to their lips and by the time you put your water into THAT glass or stainless vessel it may have already had plenty of plastic leached into it…. ?? Any input on that?
Apparently, Eastman is now suing PlastiPure and CertiChem for saying that Tritan produces estrogenic activity. To me, it feels like a David and Goliath type of case. See what you think: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/07/08/lawsuit-filed-against-two-labs-founded-ut-austin-professor-raises-questions-conflict
I had twins 2 years ago–preemies–and I’ve become more and more aware of the plastics in our environment since then. I just realized that our DISHWASHER tub is entirely plastic, and God only knows what’s in that! I wish there was some sort of home testing kit to test for plastic chemical residue. I don’t know if my non-plastic items are being coated with chemicals with every wash or if it’s not something to worry about. Ugh.
The dishwasher is definitely a consideration. Ours is completely plastic inside too. We still use it… we don’t have kids and have decided that we just can’t worry about exposure to every bit of plastic. We’re not buying new plastic but still using the plastic we already have. But your mileage may vary. You may want to hand wash. I actually use plain baking soda for the dishes that I do hand wash. It works great.
A great alternative to plastic water filter pitchers: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zachallia/soma-beautifully-innovative-all-natural-water-filt
Using a stainless steel or aluminium bottle is worse for the environment when you consider the mining and processing that goes into securing and converting the raw materials, take a look at this article here: http://www.greenlifestylemag.com.au/features/2436/plastic-vs-stainless-steel-vs-aluminium-reusable-water-bottles
Drink out of plastic if you’re not concerned about chemicals leaching out. I will use the same safe stainless steel water bottle and travel mug for the rest of my life… assuming I don’t lose them!
Using a stainless steel aluminium bottle is worse for the environment when you consider the mining and processing that goes into securing and converting the raw materials, take a look at this article here: http://www.greenlifestylemag.com.au/features/2436/plastic-vs-stainless-steel-vs-aluminium-reusable-water-bottles
Beth, have you seen this– what do you think?
http://www.waterbobble.com/
BPA-free but safe?
Thanks!
Raychelle, I wouldn’t touch that with a ten foot pole for all the reasons I listed in this post. And more. Plus, it’s not eliminating plastic bottle waste — just slowing down the process.
Raychelle, we looked at the Bobble Bottle, but from memory it is PET plastic – so it would be the same as reusing any bottled water bottle you buy off the supermarket shelf. We have been looking into bottles a lot, and I mean A LOT!
While we want to cut down on plastic in the environment and obviously avoid any health issues, we also struggle with the steel and aluminium bottles as they have such a heavy environmental foot print in the production process (and some still contain BPA https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/science-public/metal-water-bottles-may-leach-bpa.
That doesn’t give you much of a solution but I suppose some other factors to consider.
@lukeyg Yes aluminum is problematic because it, like metal food cans, always contains some kind of plastic lining. Stainless steel and glass are safe and make up for the impacts off production if you keep them and reuse them enough times.
@Beth Terry thanks, do you have any stats on how many times stainless steel bottles need to be reused to balance their production footprint?
This is such important info – thank you for sharing!
Beth,
Yes, babies need to suck. It’s part of their development. Some older infants are fed by spoon or cup and this is often done in orphanages in the developing world because it’s harder to come by baby bottles with nipples. But for little babies it’s a complete mess. For babies who need to be bottle-fed for whatever reason, it’s not all that hard to use glass bottles (I’m doing it now) and silicone or rubber nipples.
But it’s true…we don’t need all those plastic sippy cups. This would be a great blog post BTW: disposable sippy cups. Just go to a big baby store and take some pictures. Some companies like Kleen Kanteen have come out with plastic sippy spouts for their small bottles. Too bad the spout has to be plastic of course, but at least the liquid is sitting in stainless steel.
Thank you for this great summary Beth! I’m printing out the Texas study and putting it my file as well as your blog. And @Laura — I’m printing that one out too, thanks for linking us to it. BTW, I’ve got the PPC hooked up with a section or 2 of writing students in the fall–the students will be creating an electronic toolkit to for university student activists. Maybe you could talk to them some time over Adobe Connect or Skype? Thank you again (and again!) for everything you do — your voice is an inspiration to all of us! <3 Jennifer
Beth,
You are a great citizen of earth. I love you and really appreciate the time that you take to craft intriguing, content full and informative blog posts.
Thank you<3
Dianna
Thanks for the feedback. I know the scientific articles are out there, just find accessing them online to be a pain since most are not free. Interesting article coming out in the New Republic:
Thank you for reading the study in its entirety. I posted a bit on how to avoid BPA and steps we’ve taken as a family to avoid plastic in general (see link below). Personally, I wish there were a safe durable plastic alternative (with all ingredients disclosed and no crazy additives that has undergone rigorous testing) for when one absolutely cannot find a viable alternative. For now, I’m just trying to use less plastic.
Thank goodness for scientific proof. All of my colleagues have been looking at me like I’m a nut when I say that I don’t microwave plastics or put them in the dishwasher. It will be nice to be able to cite a study instead of just telling them that I don’t trust plastics to not leach icky things into my food.
Thank you for clearing up my confusion about which bottles are lined with plastic. Your blog is such a wealth of information and inspiration. So glad you’re here.
Great post as always! Thanks for all your hard work, Beth. Srsly.
Thank you for this, I wouldn’t have been able to get through the whole article myself with my two kiddos! Plus it makes it easier to share with others.
Klean Kanteen has listened to consumers questions and suggestions and now offers a bottle with a bamboo lid.
I think avoiding pacifiers altogether is a good idea. Studies show They have and can have a detrimental effect on vocal as in language development.
As for baby bottles: Obvious first choice should be breast. Next is human milk fed with a spoon or a cup…Why would formula need a bottle? SIppy cups? No point really- have no clue why they are believed to be necessary. Plastic teethers ?? Again most stuff marketed to parents for babes and children is this plastic crap that truly is unnecessary. I am not really blaming here the parents- We all grew up with this stuff and it is so very ingrained. I am just kind of weird and have never liked having lots of stuff except books, so it has been easier for me to continue to pare down some things – Some things I have not- Wish I could find alternatives…
Debe, you’re right. For those who don’t know about Klean Kanteen’s new plastic-free lid, I wrote about it here:
http://myplasticfreelife.com/2011/01/klean-kanteen-introduces-new-reflect-plastic-free-stainless-steel-water-bottle/
But the new Reflect bamboo cap doesn’t solve the problem for people who insist on having a sports cap with a spout to suck on. You and I don’t need that, but there are those who wouldn’t use a non-plastic bottle without one.
I’ve never heard of feeding an infant with a spoon or cup. Is that something that’s done? I don’t have kids, so I don’t know, but I thought that the action of sucking was a natural instinct for newborn babies.
Jenny, I totally agree with you, and that’s my concern… that there are other harmful chemicals besides those with Estrogenic Activity that we have to be careful of. BUt I’m glad that at least this research is being done because most industry research focuses on proving how safe something is rather than how harmful it is. Yes, these guys obviously have a vested interest, but I think their interest, in this case, is also our interest.
Hey Laura,
A 2009 study done in China found a link between BPA exposure and Erectile Dysfunction in men.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/11/bpa.erectile.dysfunction/
Since many plastics and additives contain estrogen-mimicking chemicals, it wouldn’t surprise me if other plastics had similar effects.
If that won’t get him on board, nothing will! :~)
Thank you for your excellent summary. I plan to share this. I worry, though, when I see an author-researcher of a scientific study with a vested interest, as this author working for PlastiPure seems to have. Scientific research, as we’ve all learned, is objective only in its finest moments. I also wonder if these particular researchers are purposely overlooking other groups of harmful plastics additives, focusing only on the EA’s simply because this will bring their products to market more quickly. It’s a start, but only helpful to consumers as an early step toward possible future safety when food and plastics must mingle; not a definitive last word.
Wow! Thanks for writing such a succinct and powerful entry.
I am going to link this article to my site and send it out to my clients.
This backs up my assertion that no plastic is safe.
My scientific friends always said that plastic has plasticizers and plasticizers are all probably endocrine disrupting.
If we woke up tomorrow and there were no plastics:
Local goods would be most affordable.
Goods from far away would be expensive and treasured.
Packaging would be precious.
And the reduction in brain damage, cancers and immune diseases would change our schools, our health care, our lives.
I mail things in glass containers daily.
It costs more, breaks more often.
That’s why my mission is primarily to teach people how to make their own stuff locally.
For me it’s been worth it in every way to give up new plastic.
Thanks always, Beth, Tracey
time to fire those husbands as the head of the family science department. if you don’t look you won’t find any articles! but there is a whole world of scientific research dedicated to the topic of endocrine disruptors, from every angle, including looking at the effects (proving they exist), and documenting the mechanisms. bottom line is, this is real, it’s not a fairy tale, and there are tons of references available. NUMEROUS entire scientific journals devoted to this- ecotoxicology, etc. speaking of which, pesticides and herbicides are another excellent example of endocrine disruptors, (check that link and you can find info on DDT, atrazine, lindane etc.) as well as flame retardants, so eating organic, wearing organic cotton/hemp etc., and buying organic mattresses to sleep on would all be a good idea. 🙂
thanks for the great article!
A great alternative to plastic pacifiers are Natursutten all natural rubber pacifiers. The are made in one piece, so no plastic. The rubber comes from the tree Hevea Brasiliensis, so it is renewable and sustainable. And they are made in Italy. They are available at major retailers including Amazom and many baby boutiques across the US.
Another excellent post! I am heartened that this sort of study is finally being done.
It always makes me wonder… am I the only person who can taste this stuff? Seriously, I can’t stand bottled water because it just tastes like toxic soup to me. Makes me wonder if I’ve just got extra sensitive taste buds or if the rest of the world just isn’t paying attention.
Excellent article Beth! I forwarded widely and hope my Nalgene bottle addicted daughter will finally believe me! She warns her friends about BPA but insists that her Nalgene is safe. next time when I visit her she may accept my glass water bottle gift! Great job as usual Beth! Thanks! Lisa
Hi Laura. The journal Environmental Health Perspectives publishes a lot of studies on chemicals in plastics. However, it is a scientific journal and so the articles are not written for the general public. You can also look at the Environmental Working Group’s web site.
Kathryn, stainless steel is not lined with plastic. Aluminum is. So make sure your bottles are made from stainless steel and not aluminum. (Most Sigg bottles are aluminum and have been lined with BPA. Sigg says they aren’t anymore, but they are definitely lined with something.)
Question: Aren’t some stainless steel containers lined with plastic? How do we know which ones?
Thank you for your tireless efforts.
Um, there’s that John Muir quote about everything being attached… While I have long minimized personal use of plastics, I recognize that one positive point that has magnified its use in packaging is its weight. Lighter weight reduces shipping costs, as in taking less fuel to transport, thus lowering the pollution associated with distribution.
While I hope we have the sanity to bring back regional growing of food and production of some products, I think there will probably be a need for some kinds of production to be concentrated. I agree that we should see if plastic can be made safe, for the benefits it does confer.
The link above it on this subject with regard to baby products. I’m with you on just trying not to use the plastics because of the EA of the chemicals they are made of.
Hi Laura,
I have a husband that feels the same way as your husband. I’m sure we are not alone. I think if those of us try our best it will make a difference. We can’t make it perfect but we can make it better.
Thanks for summarizing a long paper!
Just keep up the good work! Keep us inspired to stay away from Plastics … there was once a day when we didn’t use them …
My husband is somewhat resistant to my efforts to reduce our use of plastic (and most of my other efforts to live a more environmentally conscious lifestyle). He is not one to believe that one’s individual efforts can really have much difference. He agrees with the environmental argument, but not enough to significantly change his behavior. As for the leaching of chemicals into our food and the potential negative health consequences, especially for our young children, he wants actual scientific proof. Can you suggest more articles for me to share with him?