Are plastic products coated in peril?

Are plastic products coated in peril?

Frederick vom Saal is a respected American biology professor who keeps a running tally of the scientific literature investigating the health effects of bisphenol A, a chemical used in one of the world's most widely used plastics. By his count, 130 papers have been published on the effects of low-dose exposures to the chemical. Dr. vom Saal, a professor at the University of Missouri, found that more than 90 per cent of the government-financed studies noted adverse effects from the chemical, but not one of the 11 industry-backed ones.

The subject is of more than just passing academic interest because practically everyone is exposed to bisphenol A — or BPA, for short — on a daily basis. It is used to make a range of things, from tinted Nalgene bottles, to dental sealants for children's teeth, to coatings on compact discs and the sealants on the inside of most tin cans.

The widespread use of BPA wouldn't be a problem, except that the chemical doesn't stay put in products. It leaches out and gets into people, and trace amounts are now found in almost everyone. This worries many researchers because BPA, besides being good for making plastic, is a chemical that mimics the female estrogen hormone.

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This doesn't look good. If you don't know about this issue...you should.

See also, Chemical in plastics is tied to prostate cancer.

The evidence keeps rolling in...

So what threat would plastic cups you commonly fine hold? I drink out of those all the times?

I want more info too. What is leaching what? Should we be not using plastic at all? Is a simple cup of water sitting in a plactic cup (daily) be cause for concern?

What about storing in tupperware? Is plastic always leaching something no matter what the circumstances? I have stopped microwaving anything in plastic by now as it's too iffy with the concerns about the heat, etc. But everything I use on a daily basis comes packaged in plastic. Are all my best supplements being contaminated just by nature of their packaging?

We need answers!

Originally posted by Relentless
But everything I use on a daily basis comes packaged in plastic. Are all my best supplements being contaminated just by nature of their packaging?

We need answers!

*nods* Awful isnt it. I heard that its the stuff they coat on the inside of the plastic packaging, so the food/product doesnt stick to it when you open it.

Its possible that we may need to get back to using glass, fabrics and wax paper until we understand plastic and its effect on us digesting it.