Solo Mother

Are you panicking about plastics?

by christina on May 2nd, 2008

Baby bottles. Water bottles. Food storage. CD’s. Toys. Coffee pots. Water filters. Sippy cups. PVC pipes.

Look around you. How much of the stuff you see is plastic? It’s everywhere, and there’s a chemical in some of them that could make you very sick. Are you in a blind panic right now, tossing everything in sight? Are you in the category of people who assume that everything’s ok and there’s no reason to change your habits? Are you somewhere in the middle? How do we know what is ’safe’ and what needs to be replaced immediately?

I’ll try to boil it down for you, single mother: BPA’s are bad.The Washington Post recently published a big article on the dangers of plastics, and followed up with an online discussion with Caroline Baier-Anderson, health scientist and assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at the University of Maryland. The discussion is well worth reading, but here’s the question to which we all want the answer:

Long Beach, Ca.: Can we make this simple? Are you saying I should stop using plastic around food? Are there ANY safe plastics for use in food? If so, what is the number they are stamped with? Thanks

Caroline (Cal) Baier-Anderson: The plastics that are considered to be the best choices have the following numbers: 1, 2, 4 and 5.

I wish I could deliver a really simple message, but I cannot, because there is not enough scientific data to provide a basis for recommendations.

What I am saying is that in the face of this uncertainty, as consumers there are choices we can make to reduce our reliance on materials containing chemicals of concern.

But we need the government, and indsutry to step up to the plate and provide us with more information regarding what chemicals are being used, what safety data we have, and what additional testing we need.

There are alternatives to plastic. Sigg, the pioneer in trendy metal bottles, is a great choice. Primo can replace your Deer Park at the water cooler with a jug made of plants, not plastics. If you’re worried about your coffee pot, why not get a French press? You’ll never drink drip coffee again.

Never microwave food in plastic containers. Better yet, don’t use plastic containers to store food, either. How about a set of refrigerator bowls from Crate and Barrel? Or these great glass stacking containers? All well and good, you say, but what about packing lunches? What could possibly replace plastic Zip Lock bags and the plastic food storage containers we take for granted? Well, why not wrap sandwiches in tin foil (which can be recycled or used again), pack other items in wax paper bags? Or make your kid the coolest kid in the lunch room with a metal bento box.

There are ways around plastics, and as you go through your day, start thinking of how you can reduce this product in your home.

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