Are toxic plastics lurking in your kitchen?
It’s a question many families are asking after reports last week that a chemical used to make baby bottles, water bottles and food containers is facing increasing scrutiny by health officials in Canada and the United States.
The substance is bisphenol-a, or BPA, widely used in the making of the hard, clear and nearly unbreakable plastic called polycarbonate. Studies and tests show that trace amounts of BPA are leaching from polycarbonate containers into foods and liquids.
While most of the focus is on products for children, including clear plastic bottles and canned infant formula, the chemical is also used in food-storage containers, some clear plastic pitchers used for filtered water, refillable water bottles and the lining of soft-drink and food cans.
While there is debate about how much of a health worry BPA really is, retailers including Wal-Mart have said they are withdrawing baby products made with it. Nalgene, the maker of a popular sports bottle, and the baby-products maker Playtex have announced they will stop using it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/22/health/22well.html?_r=1&ref=health&ore...
Health food stores market various sizes of water containers that do not leach this harmful chemical. They've had tham for years.
There are a lot of household products & items in your kitchen/household that leach carcinagens - thousands actually. From plastics to teflon pans, to household cleansers, cosmetics, shaving creams, etc., etc. - and yet - they blame most of the cancer caused deaths to smoking or shs. (and not just lung cancers). If I recall, I just read where the talc in baby powder was highly questionable as far as being a carcinagenic (and a few other J & J baby products). But the fear mongers love to hate smokers & shs so they blame the world's ills on us. The philopsophy is to 'create a sliver of fear' that the masses of lemmings swallow whole, & profit from that fear. Works very well.