Just when you think you’re doing everything right . . . .
This morning, as I was packing my kids’ lunches in our environmentally-friendly, re-usable, recyclable, non-BPA-containing plastic containers, this story came over the radio from NPR. A recent study found that even non-BPA plastics can release BPA into food and beverages — apparently these “safe” plastics can undergo undesirable chemical changes during manufacture and/or when they come into contact with heat, food or beverages.
LA Weekly, reporting on the same study, summarizes:
. . . researchers purchased about 450 plastic items from stores including Whole Foods and Walmart, specifically choosing products that come in contact with food, such as deli packaging and baby bottles. Testing showed that “almost all”–more than 95 percent–of the products released estrogenic chemicals, especially when exposed to “stressors” like dishwashers and microwave ovens. In fact, in some cases plastics labeled BPA-free released more chemicals having estrogenic activity than products containing BPA.
There is good news, however. The study’s sponsor, PlastiPure, has made use of more than $1 million in small-business grants from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation to come up with cost-effective ways of creating plastics that won’t contaminate food. It hopes to grow its new business by selling this knowledge to manufacturers, provided there’s a large enough market for safe plastics.
I can promise them at least one very eager customer here in Houston.
Karen says
Mr. McGuire: I just want to say one word to you – just one word.
Ben: Yes sir.
Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Ben: Yes I am.
Mr. McGuire: ‘Plastics.’
Ben: Exactly how do you mean?
Mr. McGuire: There’s a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it?
Ben: Yes I will.
Mr. McGuire: Shh! Enough said. That’s a deal.
“The Graduate” came out in 1967. Just imagine all the contamination we’ve been living with since then. Boggles the mind. Makes me want to throw out every plastic or plastic lined item in my kitchen, and all the food that’s touched plastic. Which would leave me with some dishes, flatware, drinking glasses, pots and a few glass jars. Not much food.
Bettina Elias Siegel says
Kudos to you for the Graduate quote! And I agree – when you think how all-pervasive plastics are in our lives, our food system, etc., it’s really daunting. I’m going to look into glass storage for home and metal tins for lunch boxes.
Renee says
Does this mean that the plastics are dangerous even just for the short time that lunch may be in them? I’d heard a while ago that it was a bad idea to heat food up in plastic containers, but I thought the problem was during the heating?
Bettina Elias Siegel says
Renee: I’m certainly no expert, but it sounded from this report like even manipulation of “safe” plastic could lead to BPA release, and putting the plastic in the D/W, which I do all the time, is also a bad idea, apparently.
Shira says
I’ve been doing waste free lunches for a couple of years now. I don’t even buy ziplocs any more…
Just was online checking out the details for my son’s new day camp – and in the parent handbook it details that the lunches must be all disposable, juice boxes, paper bags, etc. I was so upset – nothing like moving backwards!!
Bettina Elias Siegel says
Shira: that is annoying! I wonder why they won’t allow washable stuff?