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Ban
Plastic From The Kitchen
Author: ©Richard Killey
The modern kitchen is full of plastic. What would we do without
plastic containers, plastic cling wrap, plastic utensils for our
parties, plastic dishes, plastic cups, plastic spatulas, and more?
The
problem with all this plastic is that it is made with chemicals.
Chemicals that can leach into our beverages and our food. Chemicals
that end up in our bodies, where it accumulates and causes health
problems. Chemicals that end up in our unborn children.
Some
of the suspected health hazards include reproductive defects,
premature delivery (which are up 23% since 1980), lowered sperm
counts (these are down 40% since 1945), and early onset puberty.
As part of a program to bring her health back to where it should
be, one woman who was interviewed for this article said that she
was told by her Naturopath to get rid of plastic containers.
Two
of the most common "bad boys" of the plastic industry
are PVC (polyvinyl chloride - a hard plastic) and phthalates,
a group of substances added to PVC to make it softer and more
pliable. In fact, phthalates are among the most common contaminants
found in the human body. Another common chemical found in the
kitchen is bisphenol-A, which is the main ingredient in hard plastic
used in baby bottles, drinking water bottles, and plastic storage
containers. Bisphenol-A is in the list of the top 50 chemicals,
measured by production volume.
Here
are some steps that you can take to decrease your family's exposure
to these chemicals.
-
never heat foods or beverages in plastic containers; it is so
easy to put a "microwaveable" plastic container into
the microwave; don't do it
-
avoid plastic cling wrap products; most have phthalates in them
-
avoid containers with PVC in them; if there is a "3"
in the recycling triangle, get rid of it
-
use glass or stainless steel drinking containers
-
use ceramic or enamel plates
-
use metal feeding utensils and metal kitchen tools
-
do not store food or beverages in plastic containers, especially
if the food item is acidic
-
if you must use plastic, do not wash it in a dishwasher or use
harsh detergents on it
It
is interesting to note that in 2005 the European Union banned
some commonly used chemicals of the phthalate family from use
in toys. One commissioner was quoted as saying, "Toxic chemicals
have no place in children's toys". Yet we continue to allow
them in our food and beverage containers.
In
North America, San Francisco instituted a ban in December 2006,
although implementation has been delayed by a law suit. The ban
covers biphenol-A and certain phthalates. This is commendable,
but society needs more than city wide bans.
While
we wait for our governments to realize the dangers, consider a
personal ban. Can you make your kitchen plastic free?
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