Plastic Products Require Thoughtful Use
Amy Brandon
Child Care Program
Newspapers, magazines, and other media from around the country recently featured startling information about the potential hazards of chemicals in plastic baby bottles leaching into liquids. What many don’t know, however, is that these hazards may also exist in more than just baby bottles. The plastic wrap we use, canned foods we eat, and water bottles we drink out of may contain these same chemicals and risks.
Bisphenol A (BPA) is most commonly used in the production of clear polycarbonate plastic for consumer products, such as baby bottles, cups and containers, and is used to line the inside of food and formula cans. Through use, this plastic breaks down and leaches BPA into liquids and food contacting it. BPA, a synthetic sex hormone that mimics estrogen, can be harmful, especially to babies and children, by disrupting development.
Baby Bottles
While a research study examining nine national brands of baby bottles found major concerns, many U.S. health and environmental authorities have questioned the need for alarm. Although legislation has been proposed in several U.S. states to limit or ban BPA use, and some stores have pulled polycarbonate baby bottles from their shelves, the debate continues. Authorities put the safe level of daily BPA exposure at more than 25 times the levels found in baby bottles and cite that when humans (versus test animals) ingest the compound, it is quickly excreted through the urine without enough time inside the body to cause significant damage.
Other Products
If there are questions about using polycarbonate plastic safely, why does it continue to be manufactured and used? One reason is that it’s functional. Hard, shatterproof, lightweight, and clear—it is in a wide range of products from water bottles and food storage containers, to CDs, DVDs, and eyeglasses. While not all of these products have a ready substitute, parents can protect their babies and consumers can protect themselves from the potential risks of polycarbonate plastic by using alternatives like glass and other plastics. In addition, making informed choices when buying and using plastic food containers can reduce risks.
PRODUCTS TO AVOID:
- Plastic food containers with polycarbonate or PVC labeled with #7 or #3 recycling code, listed on the bottom of the product
- Canned foods
- Foods wrapped in plastic
- Plastic baby bottles
SAFER PRODUCTS TO CHOOSE:
- Plastic food containers labeled with #1, #2, #4, or #5 recycling code, listed on the bottom of the product
- Glass
- Ceramic, metal, or enamel plates and feeding utensils
If you use plastic containers:
- Never heat food or beverages in plastic bottles or containers
- Don’t let milk sit in plastic baby bottles for long periods
- Don’t use harsh detergents or hot water when washing plastics; never put them in the dishwasher
- Throw away plastic bottles that look scratched or hazy
With a lack of quality studies testing BPA’s effects in humans, proof may only lie in the future. For more information, visit environmentcalifornia.org/environmental-health, chej.org/BPA_Website.htm and healthobservatory.org.