BPA-free plastic not enough

Plastic is the one material that cannot be mixed with food. One can see from these new findings that even BPA-free plastic still contains other chemicals that leach onto the food, and into our bodies. The thing is, researchers have known this for a long time... but in a country where corporations rule, the info just does not get out there unless you really look for it. I've been told, for example, how horrible Saran Wrap is- think about its elasticity, and what on earth goes into the product in order to make it so stretchy and sticky; and then think about those chemicals ''glued'' to your food that you put into your body, or worse yet, that of your own kids (growing bodies absorb more of everything). If even China is banning BPA, while the US does nothing about it, it might be a good idea not to rely on ''government safety standards'' when it comes to your own health versus corporate interests.

The one good thing is... since there is more awareness these days, it is easier to find non-plastic containers of all types and sizes, both online and in local stores (for more info, check the ''products'' page on the blog). The important thing is to remember is... when it comes to food... no plastic. Especially for children and infants.

China to Ban BPA Even as BPA-Free Plastic Poses Risks

March 14th, 2011 - Jill Ettinger

The Chinese Ministry of Health announced earlier this month that it has decided to pursue approving a ban of BPA (bisephenol A) from children’s products, particularly in infant bottles.

BPA leaching can come from a variety of products, predominantly found in all sorts of plastics including those used in making baby bottles, the linings of canned food products and even in the silky paper common in store register receipts. Once in the body, BPA, an endocrine disruptor, mimics estrogen and has been connected with serious illnesses including several types of cancer, metabolic changes, hormonal issues such as fertility challenges in women, and young girls starting their periods before the normal puberty age, and slowed or impaired brain development among infants and small children and those in utero.

China will be joining a recently passed European Union ban on BPA containing products and other countries, including Canada and the United Arab Emirates also have banned BPA. It is still unregulated in the United States.

And despite the worldwide moves to reduce BPA exposure, a new study published in the scientific journal, Environmental Health Perspectives, revealed that virtually all commercially available plastic products sampled by the research team leached chemicals “having reliably-detectable EA [endocrine activity], including those advertised as BPA-free,” as reported by the team of scientists led by University of Texas neurobiologist, George Bittner. The study appeared in a recent TIME Magazine article revealing startling facts about plastic including, “In some cases, BPA-free products released chemicals having more EA than BPA-containing products.”