BPA

Top 10 Ways to Avoid BPA

We’ve posted about the harms of BPA (Bisphenol-A) here, here and here. The estrogen-mimicking chemical has been banned in bottles in Europe, Canada and China while remaining legal here in the U.S. Until the laws change or businesses figure out BPA-free is competitive advantage, we’ve put together a list of 10 ways you can avoid BPA and cut down on your exposure.

  1. Cut down on the plastic in your food and beverage choices and choose glass, ceramic or metal (non-coated) whenever possible.
  2. For your next cookout, use paper-based plates instead of plastic or plastic-coated plates.
  3. Buy your milk in a cardboard carton instead of a plastic gallon.
  4. Choose fresh or frozen foods (in cardboard box, not the plastic steam-in-a-bag variety) over canned foods. This past winter, Consumer Reports found alarming levels of BPA in the lining of most canned foods in our grocery stores.
  5. Choose glass instead of plastic for storing leftover foods.
  6. Avoid microwave-ready, plastic wrapped foods. Instead choose a make-ahead meal and store it in portable glass container that can go from the fridge to the microwave.
  7. If you see a number “7” on our plastic products, it more than likely contains BPA; send it to the recycling bin.
  8. If you have a baby and you’re using formula, choose powder over pre-made. You’ll save money and avoid the bottles for pre-made which contain BPA.
  9. If you do have plastics, always hand wash even when it says “dishwasher safe.” The heat from the dishwasher can break down the plastic making it easier to leach chemicals into your food or beverage and therefore into you.
  10. And for your daily water, choose a reusable glass water bottle over plastic water bottles.

 What tips would you add?

Top 10 Ways to Avoid BPA Read More »

Video: Breast Cancer and the Link to Plastics

Once again, the links between plastics and our health are making headlines. In a recent article in Slate magazine shared:

Recent studies show that some pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and plastic additives appear to change when and how the mammary gland develops. Even low doses, close to what average Americans are exposed to currently, have been linked to altered development, cell growth, and gene expression in animal mammary glands. The chemicals include the notorious baby-bottle chemical bisphenol A, dioxin (a by-product from burning plastic and a common food contaminant), phthalates (plastic additives), atrazine (a top-selling herbicide in the United States, now banned in Europe), flame retardants, and stain repellants. PFOA, a common chemical used to make Teflon, appears to delay puberty in animal pups and reduce the size of the mammary gland, while chemicals that mimic estrogen may accelerate puberty.

Just reading that one paragraph, reminded of this great TED talk from Jeanne Rizzo, the CEO of Breast Cancer Fund:

What do you think?

Video: Breast Cancer and the Link to Plastics Read More »

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop
    Scroll to Top