BPA: Is plastic poisoning our food?
Meanwhile, BPA is still widely produced and used around the world. Global production capacity was more than 5 million metric tons in 2008, but since companies don't have to disclose whether their products contain it, consumers are often left in the dark. Items labeled "BPA-free" sometimes aren't — as demonstrated recently by SIGG and Gaiam water bottles — and most plastic products don't mention it on their packaging at all. Even some cash-register receipts are loaded with BPA that may rub off onto people's skin.
While BPA can do damage to full-grown lab rats — and might have similar effects on adult humans — it only stays in the body for a few hours, and the effects don't necessarily linger. The greatest area of concern right now is for young people, especially developing children and fetuses.
Where is it coming from?
The No. 7 recycling symbol — representing the coding system's "Other" category — includes polycarbonate, which makes it the main symbol to avoid for BPA-conscious consumers. Items bearing the 3 and 6 symbols, while not necessarily brimming with BPA, are also often listed as plastics to avoid since they contain phthalates, a family of napthalene derivatives that are also believed to have hormone-disrupting abilities. Items with the 1, 2, 4 and 5 symbols are generally considered the "safe plastics."For more about BPA, and for more tips on avoiding potential health risks, check out the links and the video below:
- Linking BPA and breast cancer
- 232 toxic chemicals found in 10 newborns
- BPA exposure causes sexual dysfunction in men
- Study shows BPA may be linked to aggression in little girls
- New study shows dangers in low levels of BPA
- Hormone experts worried about BPA
- Movement afoot to silence BPA concerns
- BPA in cash register receipts?
- SIGG faces class action backlash
- Ask Vanessa: How can I avoid BPA?



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Comments(15)
Posted By Manuel - Fri, Dec 11 2009 at 10:40 PM ESTBPA = poison. BAN NOW!
to Hugh: There are lots of industry-funded studies out there that (surprise, surprise) determine that BPA is safe. Reporters from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigated this and revealed that the federal government's assurances that BPA is safe were "based on outdated, incomplete government studies and research heavily funded by the chemical industry." PBS did a special on this. .... More
Posted By Ruben Freely - Thu, Dec 10 2009 at 3:25 PM ESTEven if...
Good or bad, I'm not so sure I want these things in my food.
Posted By Bob Blabla - Wed, Dec 09 2009 at 10:02 PM ESTBPA: Is plastic poisoning our food?
Like MSNBC is an credible scientific research organization. When you look at the literature, and I have, you will see the levels are in the parts per BILLION range. Babies and infants are at some risk (based on scientific risk assessment methods) but it is not a problem beyond those age groups.
Posted By Blue - Wed, Dec 09 2009 at 9:34 PM ESTCoffee makers?
So if heating up plastic exposes you to estrogen mimickers then what about the typical american coffee maker that is made entirely out of plastic and heats up water in it? Is this why caffeine has been loosely associated w/ cancer?
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Dec 09 2009 at 6:53 PM ESTPET again
And usually these polymer products are perfectly safe to use as long as they are not heated. That's why you shouldn't heat up your chinese food in those flimsy styrofoam containers- USE A PLATE! Also, some plastics are not dish washer safe, so make sure you know what can and cannot go into the dishwasher. If you don't want to take chances, just wash it by hand.
Before I get bashed, I'm a student at an engineering school currently studying polymers and other materials.
Posted By Mark Peebles - Thu, Dec 10 2009 at 2:32 PM ESTthat's probably the biggest problem
People wash tupperware, water bottles, etc. in the dishwasher...and that's the problem...
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Dec 09 2009 at 6:50 PM ESTPET
PET is Polyethylene Teraphthalate. Not polyethylene, which is just plain PE.
Posted By Tom - Wed, Dec 09 2009 at 5:33 PM ESTFDA & EPA = Idiots
You've got to be kidding me! So this thing is causing terrible damage to rats, but the feds are allowing it until they figure out what it does to humans! Am I reading this right?
How about the feds grow a pair and ban it until we figure out whether it is safe or not?
Also, how many other "safe" substances are in the wild, while we have no clue of their effects on humans?
Posted By jennyli59 - Wed, Dec 09 2009 at 4:48 PM ESTFrom the reality world...
Plastics are fine, it's just what's in some of them that's a problem.
Polypropylene is pretty inert for a plastic. And that's probably why most bottles are made of it. Then you've got Polyethylene which most new fuel tanks and water bottles are made of. Neat stuff. Now food grade plastics, that's another story. Polycarbonate isn't really necessary for food items, but you'd be surprised how many food containers are made of it. Polycarbonate isn't really recyclable and often contains some.... More
Posted By Jill Poole - Wed, Dec 09 2009 at 4:47 PM ESTforget it
Everything is linked to cancer these days. I got a tumor just by reading this article.
Posted By Anonymous - Wed, Dec 09 2009 at 4:44 PM ESTI'm getting too old for this....
These things always go in waves....at first, everything is "perfectly safe...no need to worry...." then warnings begin to emerge "well, perfectly safe, as long as you don't heat it too much" and then "perfectly safe but please don't use it outside" and things become more & more ludicrious until finally a report comes out that we must ban the offending substance. And then we start all over again....
Posted By Melissa - Wed, Dec 09 2009 at 4:40 PM ESTNo Wonder
I have been extra cranky for years, now I can blame it on all the plastic in my body. I feel so fake! How can they get the plastic to pad the bra area, so we don't need operations.
Posted By Hugh - Wed, Dec 09 2009 at 10:58 AM ESTadditional BPA study
Comments on a new study show no BPA impact in rats when compared to birth control hormones
http://stats.org/stories/2009/breaking_news_bpa_oct30_09.html
Here's the paper itself
.... More


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You can check fot BPA yourself
Hi,
You're right BPA is dangerous, but not all plastic contain it and so you can also begin by screening for it by yourself. Mainly only polycarbonate (recycling ID code 7) and PVC (recycling ID code 3) plastics are the ones that are susceptible to having BPA in them.
There's also a website that gives you a DIY detection for BPA and other hazardous chemicals - check it out: www.home-health-chemistry.com
Keep