Why must use GLASS around food ; NEVER Plastic

[Catya Sher]

From Women's Day, Sept 2, 2010 via YahooNews:

"Our homes are full of plastic, and the kitchen is no exception. The problem: Chemicals in plastic containers and other kitchenware may leach into the foods or drinks that they're holding. Scientific evidence suggests that some of these chemicals may be harmful to people, especially infants and children.

The two best-studied offenders are bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates. BPA mimics estrogen and has been shown to disrupt hormone and reproductive system function in animals. Research by the National Toxicology Program found a moderate level of concern about its "effects on the brain, behavior and prostate gland in fetuses, infants and children." Phthalates have been shown to disrupt the endocrine system and have led to malformations in the male reproductive system in animals. Studies in humans have found associations between high phthalate exposure and a variety of health concerns including low sperm quality, high waist circumference and insulin resistance.

Researchers are still debating whether phthalates and BPA actually cause these health problems and, if so, how much exposure is necessary to trigger them. While these issues are being figured out, some experts recommend taking a preventive approach: "Minimize contact of food with problematic plastics as a precautionary measure to protect your health," suggests Rolf Halden, PhD, adjunct associate professor of environmental health sciences at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Here are six simple tips for reducing your exposure to the potentially harmful chemicals in plastics.

1. Know the code. Look on the bottom of your plastic to find the recycling symbol (a number between 1 and 7 enclosed in a triangle of arrows). The code indicates the type of plastic you are using and can give you important clues about safety. "We generally say 1, 2, 4 and 5 are considered to be the safest," says Sonya Lunder, senior analyst at the Environmental Working Group. Try to avoid using plastics with 3 or 6, as these leach chemicals that may be harmful. Number 7 is an "other" category that includes BPA-containing plastics called polycarbonates. These plastics, which you should avoid, will have the letters PC printed underneath the 7.

2. Reconsider the microwave. Heat can increase the rate at which chemicals like BPA leach from plastic. Containers labeled "microwave safe" have been tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and found to leach extremely small amounts, which the FDA has determined to be safe. However, some experts advise people to keep plastic out of the microwave altogether. "I don't microwave anything in plastic," says Lunder. "It's really easy and fast to put my food into a ceramic or glass container and heat it that way." And never put plastic wrap on top of your food in the microwave, since it can melt. Use wax paper or a paper towel instead.

[my note: just throw out a microwave. It's terrible in every sense!]

3. Use it for its intended purpose. Plastics that are designed for single use should only be used once. "Plastic breaks down over time," Lunder explains. "Some aren't designed to withstand heating and cooling." Most plastics with recycling code number 1 are intended for single use, such as disposable water bottles. And that takeout container from six months ago? Toss it. In general they're fine for refrigerating leftovers, but aren't designed for heat exposure or long-term use.

4. Wash by hand. Only put plastics into the dishwasher if they have a dishwasher safe label. If you want to be extra-cautious, wash all plastics by hand or use only glass and ceramic plates and dishes. In the dishwasher, plastics are exposed to detergents and heat, which may accelerate the leaching of BPA from food containers.

5. Do not freeze. Only put plastics in the freezer if they have a freezer-safe label. Freezer temperatures can cause plastics to deteriorate, which increases the leaching of chemicals into the food when you take containers out of the freezer to thaw or reheat."

Kandaharis and everyone please take note of this!

[..]

Thank you for the knowledge behind plastics. I don't like them, and use plastic as little as possible. In Pakistan one person made fun of me because I didn't like them, as a matter of fact, one morning this person brought home a bunch of new plastic chairs shortly after I moved there. Everyone in the house was oohing and awing about them, and I thought "should I tell him how much I hate plastic?" I decided to hold back, but only managed to hold it in until evening. From that point on whenever I came into the courtyard, everyone else would be sitting on plastic chairs, and someone would run and get a wooden chair for me. LOL, but still I do not like plastics, and thanks to Catya I can at least give scientific reasons now.

[Catya Sher]

Good for you, Rabia, for knowing that already & holding out for your wooden chair !

People like scientific evidence or they sometimes discount what one says. So here's a start for all of us on the anti-plastic campaign!

Remember to avoid plastic forks, spoons, [I use chopsticks myself], and choose metal or wood.

Likewise, I recommend checking what you drink out of. It should not be a synthetic substance, but a more natural one.

I take my own Thermos everywhere - stainless steel, of course - and my own cup when I travel.

Sounds strange? Well, wait til the bus breaks down in the middle of nowhere and you have nice tea to get you through the often interminable wait for repairs !

At private homes, people never mind either, though they may be initially surprised.
That way you don't have to worry about politely refusing plastic cups or such.

As I mentioned on the soda thread, be sure never to accept Styrofoam cups which are ubiquitous here in the US.

[spogmai shaglay]

God Great..............we do have environment conscious people here......i am just loving it.....count me in for anti-plastic campaign........

and also let us share what do we do to increase the awareness not only about natural products but also other ways by which we can make our earth a better place to live....

In US case might be simpler...........here in India we strive to keep places clean... you will find garbage everywhere.... environment consciousness is hardly there........you will find people just throwing things here and there, spitting here and there and use of plastic.........its a booon....cheap substitute u see........the present generation is more sensitive i must here.......

[Catya Sher]

I'm glad there's so much interest!

If even some households change over to a plastic-less life [!], think how many families will be helped greatly. How many children will be raised right without all the plastic chemicals lodging in tissues.

I have long suspected that among other factors, the widespread use of plastic in food packaging is responsible for the long-term development of all sorts of abnormalities.

Studies aiming to prove this will likely be scarce, as huge concerns like Du Pont have such interests in selling their plastics that any findings would be either quashed or derided.

So we have to think for OURSELVES and be really smart ! And above all, intuitive !

I believe when one feels a reluctance or hesitation about something, it's a warning and should be followed through on. Too many times logic gets in the way and makes the person shrug off that instinct with a "Oh well, I guess I'm being overly picky here".
No! It's YOUR life and your family or friends or associates at the office that can be improved by following through.

About the environment, I asked the local dept which handles Recycling about plastic. The woman explained well that plastic breaks down very badly, emitting horrible chemicals into the soil. Those can get into the water system.

So, for those people who live drinking from plastic bottles, be sure to recycle them rather than put in the trash.

However! Glass breaks down naturally and does not release chemicals.

This is evidence right here that no human should be using much plastic around food or drink.

Sometimes it's unavoidable. Here's an idea that I do:

as soon as I get, for example, my Acai Pomegranate juice home, I transfer it from plastic to -- GLASS.
I keep jars around ready and clean for that purpose.

I don't fill up all the way due to water's expansion.
And put into freezer!
I trust freezers. I am leery of refrigerators, because the temperature varies too much and things can spoil especially in summer.
[Does this make me part Kandahari ?]

[Catya Sher]

No, I believe that it's the opposite: not investigated enough!

This is the first article I have come across to recommend checking to avoid more dangerous types of plastic.

The author does not advocate skipping plastic altogether, because it goes against the grain. People are brought up with plastic everything these days.

I predict much LATER, there will be cries about the long term effects of plastic.

Remember, it has not been around so long that much questioning or investigation has been made.

That's what I mean about recommending not to sit around and wait for scientific studies. You might be waiting for decades !

Use common sense and develop intuitive faculties to guide your decisions.

This article was rather revolutionary, I think, outside of perhaps Natural Health magazines.
Even there, I haven't seen any special warnings about the risks of eating from plastic.

I think people are a bit reluctant to hear the bad news.

Modern society is so conditioned to using it due to convenience.

It's good you don't use it. A picnic or two won't make a difference. But I know people who can't wake up without a - plastic bottle - of Coca Cola in their hand. I'm sure we all see people like this.
The widespread 'addiction' to such beverages in plastic keeps huge soft drink industries alive.
They export to countries all around the world to maximize profits.

But what are they are doing to damage health?

[Catya Sher]

[Don't know why the paragraphing doesn't work here. Oh well.] Thanks, Shlombay! That's it about science. In some way who can believe "studies" anyway. Notice how they change their minds from day to day. Today abc is good for you...Tomorrow abc is bad, but def is recommended...! We can't live our lives around what science or the medical profession say. We have to do what makes sense. Until this last century, there were hardly any "chemicals". At least compared with what we commonly use in this epoch. So when one thinks that people's immune systems and livers are designed to attack normal poisons found in nature, one realizes that this overload of plastic has probably overwhelmed the usual defenses. Is it any surprise that humans especially in the Western world, have succumbed to all sorts of unusual symptoms often not well understood by medical practitioners? I believe there's a link. Hence, to sum up: The Pickier The Better Always Works Best ! One of my mottos. Congratulations on being a fellow choosy type. It's the only way today especially. A more polite term is "discerning"... The only key is to know what to carefully avoid and which things or ideas to trust. So I may write more threads to help give some pointers on some of these subjects, but warning: lackadaisical people will not like hearing such picky ideas...!

[spogmai shaglay]

Use of plastic has more of indirect impact on health. the life of plastic products are much less than that of wood, metal and glass products….hence when disposed off adds burden to the environment if not treated well….

There two plastic thermoplastics which are reheated and remoulded and can be reused…..
But thermosetting plastics when once moulded and solidified can’t be remoulded…hence when discarded it adds burden to the environment…..unless we have clean and efficient plants…(which is a myth in India atleast)

[Catya Sher]

Well thank you Jasmine - and, too, everyone else who has encouraged me.

Are you all being polite or really mean it?

Just want to make sure before I start in that it's not like Persian "taarof" - politesse.

I always tell outsiders that Afghans/Pashtuns speak very directly, usually saying what they mean straightforwardly. It's a lovely characteristic, by the way.
And refreshing.

However, there could be some politeness factor here at work !

I actually DO have a lot on various subjects revolving around how to live life on a better plane than taking in all the ideas foisted on us all by popular, mainstream media and patterns promoted by such.

So if people are interested, I will as time goes on.

[spogmai shaglay]

Plastic is just so cheap.

Plastic was a boon sometimes back when it replaced nearly everything in the household....but we realize now that its a curse.........

[Catya Sher]

Well said, Spogmai.

I actually saw a society without any plastic. That was Kashgar, in East Turkestan.

They had hardly seen any Western tourists, as the KKH had not opened at that time.

The Uighur people were really nice, and didn't know what to do to bother visitors. They just smiled and sold their wares.

Notably, there were NO plastic bags in the whole place.

It was remarkable.

Within a few years, plastic had descended on the poor city. If they haven't already figured out its drawbacks, I'm sure they will.

The main thing is that at least we can all make sure not to put plastic in regular trash but take the trouble to - if available - put in recycling.

The other problem is that so many metal parts are replaced by plastic. For example, cars used to be all metal and much safer in event of running into anything.
However, today that flimsy plastic-y synthetic which makes up most of the cars frames seems so shabby. It's billed as safer from the point of view of any pedestrians run into, God Forbid!, because it flexes and gives Hence less injury.

But not very safe for a road problem.