UrbanX
| | Joined: 10/26/2006
Msg: 1 | |
| | Bisphenol health risks?Page 1 of 1 | Today's Globe and Mail has a lengthy article about the health risks of bisphenol-a, which is found in hard plastics used in plastic baby bottles, polycarbonate water bottles and the lining of tin cans. According to independent studies it is inherently toxic even in trace amounts, not following the normal rule of the dose making the toxin. Some scientists say that it is a likely candidate for the shifts in hormonal development and breast cancer over the past few decades. Urine testing shows that 95% of people in the US have been exposed, and similar studies are starting in Canada.
This is controversial however. According to the article, plastics industry funded studies find no toxicity, while 90% of independent studies find significant toxicity.
If your bottles have a 7 in a triangle on the bottom, they apparently contain bisphenol.
Is this truly harmful? Any privileged knowledge out there that can follow the science?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070406.wbisphenolA0407/BNStory/Front/home
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A
Cheers(?)
Mike (and I'd virtuously given up on buying bottled water, bringing it in polycarbonate bottle instead) | |
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| Bisphenol health risks?
Posted: 4/7/2007 9:27:46 AM | See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A
The industry responded by setting up an information website and list-serv to combat adverse publicity in what appears to be a relatively objective approach:
http://www.bisphenol-a.org/index.html
The conditions on which bis-phenol leaches from polycarbonate surfaces:
High fat or lipid content (a solubility issue, the lipids serve as a more attractive phase for migration of the unbound (unreacted) chemical from the plastic polymer complex).
Highly acidic liquids appear to cause very small but detectable amounts of the chemical to migrate from plastic matrix. Very acidic liquids also have a tendency to acid etch the plastic itself, which suggests direct chemical attack on the polymer, which may cause additional release of bisphenol.
Very hot liquids. Polycarbonate complex micro-contaminants, normally insoluble and therefore, immobile within the polymer matrix, also are found to migrate under thermal conditions.
I would NOT put either not tea or hot coffee in one of these containers. And I would rethink putting very acidic soda pop in them as well. | |
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| Bisphenol health risks?
Posted: 4/7/2007 12:40:32 PM | Avoid plastic altogether and use non-leaded glass. I did this for my son's bottles when he was nursing and have noticed that he is less likely to catch any of the bugs of childhood compared to my nephew and other children born at the same time and raised on plastic bottles. However it is near impossible to find glass baby bottles these days. For bottle nipples I used the special designed leather ones. Lamb skin actually, treated with animal oils only. Vegans do not fare well in my home...
I have severe chemical sensitivities, to the point where I cannot drink or bathe in treated water. Hard well water has no noticeable ill effect on me (other than hard water scale on my kettle.) As chemical sensitivities are common in my family, to the point where breathing in the air in certain industrial centres can cause my brother to be ill for months, I was not going to risk the same being true for my son. I grow my own produce and meat, just to be certain of what is going into my body, and into my family's digestive systems too.
Generally I avoid anything bottled in plastic or in aluminum cans. I learned this from my parents who are also incredibly healthy compared to most others their age with only nominal exercise of walks and canoe trips. Admittedly I do not know the science behind it, but by observation is enough. I am healthier than my siblings who do not follow the same lifestyle as I, or our parents do, who were equally healthy while in our parental home. I would even hazard to estimate that my brothers pursue exercise more than I do myself, but their eating habits are vastly different, negating any health benefits of an hour at the gym a few times a week.
Much of this seems to tie in with the presumed effects of Bisphenol on the body. I did not read anywhere about possible immune inhibitors related to Bisphenol in the above cited articles posted in MSG 2. Interesting. I think I'll keep my lifestyle as it is. Though maybe I should curb my consumption of coffee, even if I do tell myself that my equal addiction to blueberries counters it...lol | |
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| Bisphenol health risks?
Posted: 4/9/2007 1:00:23 AM | I grow aquatic aroid plants of the genus Cryptocoryne and there's a few of us that do this.
One fellow grows them cheap and cheefully in 2 litre soda bottles and has for more than a decade. He noticed a few years back that no matter what he did his plants were suffering. It got worse over time, but when moved (with the same media as in the plastic) to glass they got better. This was without exception - anything in plastic for 10 years or so would eventually die. He no longer uses any plastic anywhere near the plants. He is a retired plant biologist.
I distrust plastic in relation to food (or living things) and always use glass. I don't care what they say a plastic water bottle smells like plastic to me and I instinctiively do not want to ingest it.
Tough world today though, trying to avoid plastic... | |
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| Bisphenol health risks?
Posted: 4/9/2007 5:13:30 AM | From my background of knowing what UV light can do to everyday objects, I avoid reusing any plastic bottle more than once. I stick with the long term safe stuff but even there I have my suspicions and doubts even about them.
Industries do not tend to pick what is best for the consumer for packaging, they tend to pick what is cheaper for them to use because it maximizes their profits.
The reason UV light is so critical is because this is the difference between good plastic and cheaper plastic. There are similar issues with wood finishes, the new polyurethane finishes need serious UV inhibitors in order to have any kind of serious real life span. Polyurethane finishes which are in virtually ALL varnishes these days, I still prefer the old natural ALKYD varnish and refinished my red oak floors with it. UV light is in all sunlight.
Every plastic sees sunlight. I feel it starts to decay then but the longer the exposure the worse the decay, the chemical breakdown, likely is.
I'll try to read the links later. The above is more of my instinctual gut reaction based on the science of the incredible power of UV. You doubt me go buy a 15 watt Phillips SteriLamp bulb and put it into an undercabinet fixture light, because it will fit. Now set it anyplace and see what happens to your belongings,
http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/search1/searchresults.jhtml?_DARGS=/us/en/include/standardheader1.jhtml.13
Don't blind yourself or give yourself cancer in the process. You will never need to buy a paint stripper ever again! This technology is also being used to purify water now in some of the larger cities water supplies. Anyway, UV is the enemy of plastic. | |
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Suju
| | Joined: 11/8/2006
Msg: 6 | |
| Bisphenol health risks?
Posted: 4/9/2007 1:51:38 PM | I've often wondered about safety issues in relation to plastics.
For instance, microwavable plastic containers & margarine containers have a # 5 in their triangle. Is it truly safe? Does anyone know?
So many products are put forth with so little testing nowadays it makes me wonder & ... occasionally shudder. | |
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| Bisphenol health risks?
Posted: 4/9/2007 9:39:24 PM |
The reason UV light is so critical is because this is the difference between good plastic and cheaper plastic. There are similar issues with wood finishes, the new polyurethane finishes need serious UV inhibitors in order to have any kind of serious real life span. Polyurethane finishes which are in virtually ALL varnishes these days, I still prefer the old natural ALKYD varnish and refinished my red oak floors with it. UV light is in all sunlight.
I may be a little dense but could you explain this a bit more please? What's wrong with polyurethane? Are you saying it breaks down more or faster than alkyd does?
What we have learned about cars is that suntan lotion works as well as if not better than armour all in terms of protecting plastic - it's the UV that does the plastic in. | |
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