Unsafe baby bottles?

Although the world is still buzzing with green gossip, today I thought I’d address a more relevant issue.  There’s been word traveling through the world about the dangers of Phthalates and BPA.  Companies including GreenCupboards.com are working tirelessly to offer products that are safe from these chemicals and others, but why?  I’d like a clear explanation.

What’s the big deal?  What are they?  What do they do?  Why should we care?  When someone picks up a water bottle and says, “It’s BPA free!” why do we get excited?

I want the facts.

And the facts are available.  Although, at times, they’re hidden in some exceptionally dry research.  To spare you the time and effort of muddling through the analysis of the National Toxicity Program to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, I’ll give you a little synopsis.

Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastics more flexible.  For over 25 years people have known that some Phthalates are dangerous to humans.  The basic risk with Phthalates is cancer, specifically in the reproductive organs of males who’ve been exposed to phthalates at a young age or as a fetus.  There are two categories of Phthalates.  “Active” Phthalates are the ones that are being referred to when people speak of dangerous Phthalates.  In studies with animals, specifically rats, these active Phthalates were the chemicals which induced cancerous tumors in the reproductive system.

BPA stands for Bisphenol A.   Bisphenol A is an industrial chemical found in most hard plastics.  In 2004 the Center for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study that showed noticeable levels of BPA in 93% of the 2500 people tested over the age of 6.  BPA is said to mimic estrogen in large doses and recent studies have linked high exposure to BPA to behavioral problems in adolescent girls.

Overall, the full effects of these chemicals are unknown.  The evidence shows that they have adverse effects on lab animals, and that high levels are apparent in the majority of the population.  No, we don’t know if they’ll cause physical damage, but our high exposure makes us very susceptible to any damage they may cause.

So here’s the big question: why do we care?

Well, I’m a bit more grateful to the industries that have chosen to exclude these chemicals in their production.  Dangerous chemicals have no place in the home, when the safety of one’s family is at stake.  Although I’m sure there’s no avoiding BPA or Phthalates completely, I plan to be more selective of the plastics I’m buying.

Sources:

http://www.fda.gov/newsevents/publichealthfocus/ucm064437.htm

http://www.hhs.gov/asl/testify/2008/06/t20080610a.html

http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/BisphenolA_FactSheet.html

Images:

http://www.knowabouthealth.com/high-bpa-levels-affect-male-fertility-by-hurting-sperm-quality/7004/

http://pregnancyandbaby.sheknows.com/pregnancy/baby/Teaching-your-breastfed-baby-to-take-a-bottle-6597.htm