 |
By Laurel Hopwood
I well remember the one-liner in the 1967 movie The Graduate. A
businessman offered advice to a young man who was considering his career
options - "Just one word ... Plastics." Without debate, plastics
have provided many benefits, such as the use of intravenous tubing, which
has saved lives.
So what's the brooha? In the past few decades, the planet has become
awash in plastics. Residues have become ubiquitous in the environment
and in our bodies. Scientific studies reveal that chemicals which
end up being stored in a pregnant woman's body can transfer via
cord blood into the developing fetal brain and cause irreversible
effects, such as learning and behavioral problems. Even extremely
small doses at parts per trillion can have notable impacts!
In 1992, I attended a seminar in Washington DC and met Dr. Anna
Soto, a researcher from Tufts University. She had just devised
a test for estrogenicity, which is the ability of a chemical
to mimic and thereby change our normal hormone levels. There
is evidence that estrogenicity is linked with numerous health
problems, such as the development of breast cancer. Dr. Soto
told me that her test is accurate, inexpensive, and easy to use.
She expected the regulatory agencies to require testing for estrogenicity
within the year. That was 16 years ago! Unfortunately, the politics
of the American Plastics Council prevailed. There is still no
requirement to test chemicals for estrogenicity.
Most recently there have been news reports of the effects of bisphenol-A
(BPA) on children. Pediatricians are advising parents to steer
their children away from plastic bottles and teething devices.
Yet BPA goes into a broad range of products, such as plastic
foodware and liners in food cans. BPA also serves as the basis
of dental sealants, which are resins applied to the teeth of
children to protect their teeth from cavities. How about brushing
and flossing regularly and eating healthy foods?
Dr. Frederick S. vom Saal, a University of Missouri biologist,
has been probing the toxicology of some plastics for the past
two decades. He believes that exposures are enough of a concern
for the regulatory agencies to take action now! In the absence
of regulations, he advises consumers to stop unnecessary exposures
to plasticizers, such as avoiding plastics when microwaving.
Purchase food products packaged in glass, rather than plastic,
in an attempt to move the market. Store foods in glass and/or
ceramics.
Change is slow and sometimes stepping outside the box of comfort
can be painful. How about stopping the purchase of bottled water
and carrying a stainless steel thermos instead? You might google "stainless
steel thermos" to find the huge selection that's on the
market. Put the money into to a piggy bank that you'd use to
purchase bottled water and see how much you've saved over a year's
time. Then go out to dinner to celebrate!
|
|
