Is plastic a silent killer?

How many plastic bottles of water or soft drinks do you purchase every month? Or every week or every year?!

There is a lot of talk about reducing plastic as it continues to end up in our oceans and rivers, but there isn’t too much talk about the possible harmful effects that plastic might have on our own health!

I do not want to scare anyone or become a “conspiracy theorist” but many scientists have investigated plastic and the harmful chemicals it can release in liquids and food, so I am only here to give you the facts and you can make your own decision....

A report from https://www.consumerreports.org/  states that researchers analysed 34 everyday plastic products made of eight types of plastic to see how common toxicity might be. 74% of the products they tested were toxic in some way. 

It is fair for us Joe Soaps to think that if plastic is being used to package our food and drink, that it must be safe, that if it was not safe, it would not be used!

The reality is that plastic is made out of many different chemicals and it is known to leach into our food and liquids. This is in fact quite horrifying!

While not all chemicals are harmful to human health, the exposure to small amounts of chemicals over a long period of time can result in fertility problems, developmental disorders, asthma, and increased allergic reactions. 

Phthalates chemicals have been banned from cosmetics in the European Union, and some were banned from children’s toys in the U.S. in 2008. Unfortunately, phthalates are still so commonly used that studies show that these chemicals are present in the urine of 99% of people tested in USA!

The most famous toxic chemical in plastic is Bisphenol-A, which is a hormone disruptor linked to a whole host of health problems. The good news is that the FDA banned its use in baby bottles and children’s sippy cups in 2012. But if they are not good for children why the hell are they ok for adult use?!

When plastic is heated it can release chemicals even faster, liquids stored in plastic bottles that are subject to heat and sunlight passed chemicals into the liquids. Acidic foods like tomatoes can also absorb chemicals from the linings of food cans.

The question is - with all the studies done to date and the information we have, why are plastic bottles and containers not banned from our supply chain?

Why do we still see fruit, veg, meat, pasta, soft drinks and many other items wrapped in plastic?

I am sure many products, particularly non perishables like soft drinks, spend days and days probably months! Inside warehouses in storage. Are they air conditioned units by any chance? Is anyone monitoring the temperatures they are kept at before they are put on shop's shelves? I highly doubt it....

I guess like so many other aspects of life, it is up to ourselves and ourselves alone, to make our own decisions and abolish plastic as much as possible from our food and drink. 

I would like to think that our governments are there to protect us and they will ban all toxic plastics from the food chain, but that simply does not seem to be the case.

So here are a few tips to reduce plastic from your life - remember every step that you take, however small, could have a positive impact on your health:

• Opt for glass bottles as much as possible when buying drinks, or stainless steel or cans.
• Where possible - don't choose to buy products that are stored in plastic.
• Try not to heat food in plastic containers, store your left overs in glass or ceramic bowls.
• Give up bottled water, contrary to general perception bottled water is NOT healthier than tap water!
• Be aware of juice cartons, they are normally coated with plastic inside.
• Carry a keep cup to avoid plastic take away cups for tea/coffee, remember this is hot liquid that will increase the risk of chemicals leaching into it.
• Buy veg and fruit loose as much as possible, even if it means a trip to a farmers market!

Raquel