Is Plastic Safe?

I have become very curious about the safety of plastic since the launch of the new film documentary Plastic Planet. Is plastic safe or could it really be dangerous? We handle a multitude of products made of plastic on a daily basis. We package our food in plastic wrap, sandwich bags, plastic Tupperware- the list goes on. Plastic comes into bodily contact with most of us every day through the use of plastic utensils, baby bottles and baby food containers, you’re morning cup of coffee and much more. Our world is so riddled with plastic that much of it even washes up on the shores of every beach on this planet. Chances are that this is probably not very healthy for Mother Earth. Can exposure to plastic take its toll on the human body?

The answer is yes. You may wonder why you never knew of anyone dying or becoming ill as the direct result of exposure to plastic. This is most likely because the chemicals that are found in some plastics eat away at us little by little and can lead to other health problems that are attributed to us becoming ill. Many of the chemicals found in the most toxic plastics act like natural estrogen. These "foreign estrogens" can disrupt hormonal balance and facilitate the growth and development of tumors in the breast and prostate and can also contribute to uterine cancer. They can also increase a child’s risk of getting cancer as adult.

Three notorious types of plastic that contain toxic chemicals are Polyvinyl Chloride, Polystyrene and Polycarbonate. These words may sound like a foreign language, but these plastics can be found in many items around your house and they can be very harmful to your health. It wouldn’t be a bad time for a good house cleaning as many of us have this material in our houses right now. Let's make a fresh start to the New Year and take a vow to stay healthy by keeping our houses free of toxins! The following are descriptions of the most dangerous plastics and why we should get them out of our houses immediately and become more aware of the products we buy.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

PVC is the third most commonly produced plastic. It can be found in clothing with plastic decorations, baby changing mats, teething rings, baby pools, toys, medical products such as catheters and blood bags and much more. One of the many products made of PVC is your standard garden hose. You can imagine how lovely this is to think about as I was one of many children who used to drink from the hose all summer! Chances are the pipes in your homes are also made of PVC which makes drinking bottled water all the more appetizing. The first time I thought about PVC is when I went to the store to buy a shower curtain liner and the package read "PVC free". What would be the risk had I chosen the cheaper shower curtain?

PVC contains a chemical compound or "organotin" known as DBT. According to sciencedaily.com, high doses of "organotins have been shown to damage the reproductive and central nervous systems, bone structure, the liver and immune system in mammals". PVC is a known carcinogen that can contribute to prostate cancer, breast cancer, heart disease and infertility.

Look under your plastic products for a recycling symbol formed into a triangular shape with the number 3 in the middle and letter V beneath it. Throw it away when you find it.

Polystyrene

Those of you as addicted as I am to that quick morning cup of coffee from the drive through will have a hard time with this one. Polystyrene is found in your typical disposable coffee cup as well as in containers for take-out food. It can be found in the packaging of your meat, cheese, eggs, yogurt, and more. One type of polystyrene is better known as Styrofoam but it is also available in more durable forms like in containers for baked goods.

A Japanese study concluded that polystyrene found in the packaging of instant food can make its way into the food when heated and can cause an increase in thyroid hormone levels. World Health Organization listed styrene as a "possible carcinogen" and The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers styrene to be "a suspected carcinogen" and "a suspected toxin to the gastrointestinal, kidney, and respiratory systems, among others." Somehow it still remains one of the most popular forms of plastic.

Check your plastic containers for the same triangular recycling symbol but with the number 6 and letters PS beneath it.

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonates contain BPA, or bisphenol A, and are used to create very hard plastics that are almost unbreakable. They can be found in the bottles of sports drinks, 5 gallon water bottles, coffee makers, sunglasses, toys, luggage and more. Minnesota is the only state in America bold enough to legislate against the use of products containing such a toxin. The European Union and Canada have already banned it from most of their plastic products.

I noticed a study of baby bottles containing polycarbonates and their effects on mice on webmd.com. According to Patricia A. Hunt, PhD of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, "As these products get reused, they start to leach BPA. The part that will make your hair stand on end is baby bottles. They are made of polycarbonate plastic. People who use them say that after just washing them in the dishwasher they see these same changes in the bottles. When we see bottles start to turn cloudy, they are leaching. And when they get sticky, they are giving off a lot of this stuff." There was a correlation between polycarbonates and miscarriages, birth defects and mental retardation in the mice that drank from the plastic baby bottles.

Use BPA free baby bottles! Look through the house for plastic products containing polycarbonates. They bear the same triangular recycling symbol with the number 7 in the middle and the word Other beneath it.

I hope these three examples have helped you become more aware of the danger posed by certain types of plastics. Keep your eyes open for the upcoming film Plastic Planet by Werner Boote. Something tells me there's a lot more to be learned about plastic and its effects on us and the environment.

"And Man created the plastic bag and the tin and aluminum can and the cellophane wrapper and the paper plate, and this was good because Man could then take his automobile and buy all his food in one place and He could save that which was good to eat in the refrigerator and throw away that which had no further use. And soon the earth was covered with plastic bags and aluminum cans and paper plates and disposable bottles and there was nowhere to sit down or walk, and Man shook his head and cried: "Look at this Godawful mess." ~Art Buchwald, 1970

By: Michelle Lee Rodriguez