Plastics Scare a Sign of Deeper Regulatory Problems

If you've been following health news recently you know that Health Canada (the Canadian health agency) is preparing to declare the chemical bisphenol-a, or BPA, toxic. This is the chemical used to create clear and virtually unbreakable polycarbonate, used in drinking bottles popularized by Nalgene but now used by many others manufacturers. BPA has been shown to disrupt the hormonal systems of animals. [Just today Nalgene announced it will stop using the plastic because of growing concern over BPA. Check out the New York Times article.]

A couple of years ago my wife and I made the shift to stainless steel drinking bottles, both for ourselves and for our kids. We use the brand Kleen Kanteen, which produces stainless steel bottles with a variety of interchangeable caps. My wife and I use the standard sports bottle cap while our younger kids use "sippy" caps. (I do have to admit that I still use standard plastic sport bottles -- the kind you can squeeze -- when I'm cycling, but I try not to let the water sit for long.)

If you use bottles made of hard polycarbonate plastics I'd recommend discarding them and looking at other alternatives. Also, if you haven't done so already, you'd be wise to get rid of insulated coffee/tea cups and mugs that have plastic liners. Look for all-steel varieties. Even though they might not contain BPA, all plastics leach some amount of petrochemicals. Also, I prefer stainless steel rather than aluminum since aluminum is often sealed with dangerous chemicals. Uncoated aluminum also has problems, as it breaks down over time.(Click here for an interesting article regarding research on aluminum drinking vessels.)

What I find most troubling, however, is the pattern of denial on the part of our own governmental agencies (the FDA, USDA and EPA, particularly) in the face of growing concerns about products or practices that might adversely impact industry. Two examples immediately come to mind. Several years ago Health Canada made an announcement about the dangers of Bovine Growth Hormon (rBGH) in milk. While rBGH has been banned in Europe and Canada for several years now, the FDA, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Agriculture continue to license the drug, and, as the result of industry pressure, rGBH milk (just like many genetically engineered foods) are NOT required to carry identifying labels.

The second example involves the use of Polytetraflouethylene (PFTE) and Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), chemicals used to create Teflon for non-stick cookware as well as stain resistant fabrics. After years of concerns, DuPont, the chief developer of these chemicals, agreed to a settlement with the EPA, admitting that it neglected to report health safety information about PFOA for 20 years.

As a result of our own agencies' foot dragging and industry coddling I would suggest you pay more attention to the announcements by Health Canada and other international health agencies. Why not err on the side of caution, particularly since there are clear alternatives?