plastic toxics

In a study whose findings were made public on October 4th, it was found that the negative effects of endocrine disruptor bisphenol A actually begin as soon as BPA has broken down inside the body. Alan Mc Stravick of redOrbit News writes that researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that the chemical mimics another chemical found in the body, inhibiting estrogen transmission. He states:

In response to the United States Food and Drug Administration's recent ban on the chemical bisphenol-A, a geneticist at Washington State University has declared that this ban gives the false impression that plastic bottles are now safe. The truth of the matter, says Patricia Hunt, is that a number of other endocrine disrupting chemicals are often used in lieu of BPA, and can be equally dangerous to individual health. Writes reporter Dave Cotton:

An article on the Green Prophet states that bisphenol A is only one of many endocrine disrupting hormones that plague the human body today. The article discusses the prolific nature of BPA, and states that while an effort has been made to suggest that BPA is not harmful, a wealth of studies now support the evidence that even small doses of BPA can be harmful. While BPA is a problem, contributor Tinamarie Bernard suggests that this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to hormone mimicking chemicals in plastic. Bernard writes that

In an article run by the Green Prophet today, Plastic Pollution Coalition's Executive Director Daniella Dimitrova Russo, writes about the prolific nature of chemicals and toxic substances in everyday items. A growing body of scientific research suggests that the chemicals commonly found in plastics are now being seen to have harmful effects on the human body. She writes:

By Michelle Maisto, Forbes

In late February, French lawmakers voted to ban the use of Bisphenol-A (BPA) in all food packaging. It was a gutsy move, putting the health of Europeans ahead of big-business interests. Better still, it may give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the nudge it needs to likewise vote to keep BPA away from Americans’ food and drinks.

By Bill Chameides, Huffington Post

New findings, new concerns about two common chemicals: BPA and PFOA. Of all the persistent environmental contaminants running amok in the chemical marketplace, BPA or bisphenol A has to be one of the more notorious. (I've written about it several ... Read More.

By Tilde Herrera, Greenbiz

The Breast Cancer Fund tested BPA levels in seven products that frequently make their way to the Thanksgiving table, finding 43 percent had levels higher than the amount associated with disrupting in utero brain development in lab studies. Read More.

The synthetic chemical, BPA — found in everything from plastic bottles to cash register receipts — is a potent, estrogen-mimicking compound. In an interview with Yale Environment 360, biologist Frederick vom Saal harshly criticizes U.S. corporations and government regulators for covering up — or ignoring — the many health risks of BPA. Read the interview here.