We literally have become a plastic society. We eat, drink, breathe, touch and wear plastics.
There is a growing movement towards ridding our everyday products of the chemical bisphenol-A, better known as BPA, and the equally unsafe alternatives. Let’s hone in on some of the dangers so that we can try to avoid them.
In 1891 Russian chemist Aleksandr Dianin synthesized BPA in a laboratory. BPA made its debut in the 1950s when it was used to produce resilient and transparent plastics. In the 1960s the FDA approved the use of BPA in consumer products, including water bottles, baby bottles, food containers and epoxy linings for metal-based food and beverage cans.
Throughout the decades there were various studies surrounding the safety of BPA, but it wasn’t until medical doctor David Feldman, a professor at Stanford University, made a discovery about BPA in 1992 that the course of discussion regarding it changed from then on.
Feldman and his team identified a molecule leaching out of the plastic that, due to its estrogenic hormone-like properties, showed to be potentially dangerous to people who ate food out of containers made of this type of plastic.
There are BPA-Free products on store shelves that contain replacement chemicals to keep plastics soft and resilient. When a product states “BPA-Free” on the label, it would seem to be a good thing, but what is BPA being replaced with? This is not stated on the labels.
The dilemma here is that these alternative chemicals are not only just as harmful as BPA, but can be even more toxic. BPA and substitutes BPS (Bisphenol S) and BPF (Bisphenol F) are all near identical compounds.
In evaluating the risks of BPS and BPF, researchers conclude that they both are as hormonally active as BPA. These endocrine disruptors work by mimicking hormones that occur naturally in the human body. This can produce a negative overload of hormonal activity.
Our endocrine system is instrumental in regulating mood, growth and development, tissue function, metabolism, sexual function and reproductive processes. So, it is not surprising that BPA and related chemicals are associated with a great number of health conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
Research from Canada demonstrates that the human body does not safely metabolize or excrete BPA, BPS or BPF. In 2016, Ella Atlas, Ph.D, of Health Canada (Canada’s federal health agency), and her team published an article in Endocrinology that addressed how exposure to bisphenol S (BPS), a replacement for bisphenol A (BPA), can encourage the formation of fat cells.
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences conducted research that reveals that these endocrine disruptors carry the greatest risk when humans are exposed during prenatal and early childhood development, and that these chemicals can cross the placental barrier, increasing the toxic load on a growing fetus.
Despite extremely strong scientific evidence that BPA has a very negative effect on health, by 2013 BPA was valued at over $13 billion and higher as the years went by. So, today this family of chemicals is found in a countless number of products. From the lining in food cans to bottle caps and lids, plastic food wraps, to bottled water and soda, to personal care products. BPA is abundant along with its related chemicals in register and ATM receipts.
As Little Anthony (and The Imperials) sang, “I Think I’m Going Out of My Head.”
Until manufacturers place a higher value on our health than on profits — as consumers we can take steps to reduce our exposure to plastics and toxic chemicals of all kinds. Seek out Earth-friendly, animal-friendly products.
Eat whole foods. Processed foods are a common source of these chemicals. Go with sustainable, certified organic and GMO-free products. Always try to buy and store foods in glass.
The FDA banned BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups, but again what is it being replaced with? So use baby bottles made of glass rather than plastic. When purchasing toys for kids, avoid plastics by choosing natural materials. With summer upon us, teach your kids not to drink from garden hoses. Teflon-coated and other non-stick cookware, if heated to high temperatures, are acutely toxic to birds and can kill them, according to the Environmental Working Group and other organizations, so take heed of this warning.
Microwaved food tends to increase the amount of chemicals that are leached out from the plastics. Don’t drink hot beverages from plastic cups. Try not to use, or at least limit your use of plastic utensils and plastic coated plates.
Ask store managers to replace the new register receipts with plain paper as we had years ago, not plastic coated. When at the dentist, verify what dental sealants are used. Bite down on sealants free of BPA, BPS and BPF.
Look for “green,” toxic-free personal care products, household cleansers (white vinegar and baking soda works well) and other products including mattresses and carpets. Replace vinyl shower curtains with fabric. Feminine hygiene products can have undisclosed ingredients. Tests suggest they may contain dioxins and petrochemical additives.
There are more natural products in the marketplace. Also, opt for fragrance-free products. Those great smelling fragrances contain dozens of toxic chemicals. This also includes scented candles.
A mindful, and toxic-free people give birth to a healthier generation that also cherishes their first mother – Mother Earth. Stay safe.
Gary Feldman
garyteach1@gmail.com
Gary Feldman was an innovator in the nutritional supplement retail field with a first-of- -its-kind catalog of all vegetarian name-brand supplements and cruelty-free personal care products, and did extensive research for customers. Queens Library System Green Initiative. Continuing Ed Instructor: Great Neck Adult Program, Queensborough Community College, Port Washington Public Schools. Contributing columnist: Litmor Publications, Anton Community Newspapers, The Island Now. Local Hero: Great Neck Patch. NYS Assembly Citation.
