Some pretty major publicity for the plastics issue - a huge spread in last week's USA today on plastic, toxicity, and human health.
Women - new or expecting mothers especially - take note. Chemicals used in certain plastic products have been linked to reproductive abnormalities, and can have particularly damaging effects on young children. Research suggests that the timing of exposure is key; infants, fetuses, nursing children etc. are most susceptible.
So where do we find these chemicals?
Baby bottles, baby toys, even the lining in metal cans (yikes) contain Bisphenol A (BPA) one of the dangerous chemical that can act as an endocrine disrupter - see previous posts on BPA.
According to Frederick vom Saal, a leading researcher on endocrine disrupters, BPA is a phenomenally potent chemical that can alter human cells in the part per trillion range".
Parts per trillion may sound like an inconsequential amount, however when you consider vom Saal's finding:
"the amount that leaches out (of a liter bottle) is in the part per billion range, nanogram per milliliter of fluid..." Such that a baby drinking out of a liter bottle is taking in micrograms of BPA.
Sounds like enough to warrant serious concern.....
1 comment:
I absolutely believe that plastic can do real damage. I read awhile ago that young girls are getting periods earlier due to all the plastic food containers. Certain foods cause the plastic's to leach and in turn the plastic mimics estrogen. This can't be good to have more estrogen running through young women's bodies. I never microwave anything in plastic because I think you are just asking for the plastic to leach. Its scary out there. anna www.green-talk.com
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