Eating Ourselves To Death! Plastic Poisoning

FLORIDA — PROBLEMS WITH PLASTIC: In the past few decades more than 5,000 papers have been published on whether or not BPA from plastic is harmful for people's health. One study by the U.S. National Toxicology Program in 2008 found that BPA may in fact have negative effects on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland development in fetuses, infants, and children. In fact, fish and mollusks living in rivers that have been polluted with BPA have been known to change their sex because of the hormonal effects the chemical can have. Even more problematic are phthalates, which have been shown to cause birth defects and sexual development problems in mice. However, exactly how harmful plastic really is continues to be a debated topic. (Source: www.dailymail.co.uk)

PLASTIC, PLASTIC EVERYWHERE: One of the more concerning aspects of the plastic debate is that plastic is everywhere. Although several kinds of phthalates have been banned from being used in the production of children's toys and some food packaging, there are still 25 different kinds of phthalates, most of which are still legal to use in many products used every day. Several different organizations are making moves to ban BPA and other phthalates in food storage, but it could be a while before these hopes are recognized. (Source: www.dailymail.co.uk)

TIPS TO AVOID PLASTIC POISONING: Although it may be difficult for some people to cut plastic out of their lives entirely, there are some steps that can be taken to lower the risk of being poisoned by plastic. One way to avoid plastic poisoning is to use BPA-free products, but be careful because not all products say they have BPA even if they do. In general, steel bottles and cans are BPA-free while aluminum cans traditionally do contain the chemical. Another tip: avoid heating up anything in plastic because higher temperatures cause BPA to leach even more into whatever it contains. So don't put plastic containers in the microwave, don't drink out of water bottles left in a hot car, and don't wash plastic containers and utensils in the dishwasher. (Source: www.mayoclinic.com)

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