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Just how harmful are plastics?

  2. DeliaTheArtist
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"First synthesized in 1891, bisphenol-A came into use as a synthetic estrogen in the 1930s. Later, chemists discovered that, combined with phosgene (used during World War I as a toxic gas) and other compounds, BPA yielded the clear, polycarbonate plastic of shatter-resistant headlights, eyeglass lenses, DVDs and baby bottles.

But during the manufacturing process, not all BPA gets locked into chemical bonds, explains Tim A. Osswald, an expert in polymer engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. That residual BPA can work itself free, especially when the plastic is heated, whether it’s a Nalgene bottle in the dishwasher, a food container in the microwave, or a test tube being sterilized in an autoclave.

In recent years dozens of scientists around the globe have linked BPA to myriad health effects in rodents: mammary and prostate cancer, genital defects in males, early onset of puberty in females, obesity and even behavior problems such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Although experts debate whether mice make good models for human effects, the crux of the argument over BPA is that experimental results have not been reproduced. A 2004 report from the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis found “no consistent affirmative evidence for low-dose BPA effects.” According to I. Glenn Sipes of the University of Arizona, a co-author of that paper, it is this inconsistency that bothers skeptics. “I’ve never had a problem saying that we can see biological effects in these low-dose studies,” he says. “But why are we seeing these studies that can’t be repeated?” A onetime result in a rodent model, Sipes argues, cannot be extrapolated to mean negative impacts for human health."

Much more at link, both sides of the story. What do you think?

DeliaTheArtist

21 responses // Just how harmful are plastics?

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    Everything causes Cancer. Don't leave your house. Oh crap, everything inside of your house causes Cancer too. I guess we're all SOL.

    phukitol
    2 responses to this
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    Yes...because a combination of synthetic estrogen and toxic gas could just be completely harmless to humans. Why don't we spend time and money testing whether or not fire can be harmful to humans as well?

    implosion_explosion
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    While I agree that there is no point in getting overly hysterical about stuff like this, I do think it is scary to think about the possible side-effects of plastic bottles, food wrappers, etc. We have just become so dependent on plastic that it is difficult to imagine a life without it!

    JanaPokana
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    My balls are screwed.

    Bbuff
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    maybe im in a bad mood, but some of these responses seem highly stupid. im sure glad I am not ignorant and closed minded

    mbeharry
    2 responses to this
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    Ok... so what should we be using then? I mean, bottled water is evidently no good, but do I really need to carry around a glass container from now on?

    Nettle
    2 responses to this
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    It's like there are no shades of gray here. It's not panic or apathy!
    We use plastic in ridiculous numbers everyday. If most of it is made with a potentially harmful chemical, that's very important for people to know!
    Nettle- they actually sell aluminum water bottles if you are actually concerned about it, many of which are made from recycled materials.

    DeliaTheArtist
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    Don't leave plastic water bottles in your car on hot days.
    Don't use throw away bottles, anyway.
    Get glass and reuse it.
    make sun tea, have a party.
    When you microwave clear plastic notice the food becomes one w/ the plastic and the plastic becomes discolored.It doesn't taste bad but some poisins don't.

    glabadabadoo
    1 response to this
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    back when they started to change from brown paper bags at the store to plastic bags I thought they where full of shit then and nothing has changed my mind

    tracyetheridge
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    i guess we'll see in a few years, when we get a little older, whether we go to the doctor with new forms of cancer or not

    elegua
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    I for one am not a slave of the latest fad. I use canning jars to drink out of and store things in the fridge. I just ordered glass containers for leftovers. But you all know the story of the Lemmings. Follow away if you must.

    sueathome
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    My mother was always anti-plastic... and still is... so I'm used to not using plastic anything. I used to think she was a little paranoid, but as the years pass, and I learn more and more... seems like maybe she was dead on.

    irishgirlforever
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    I fear that a whole generation is quietly barren because of all the chemicals we're exposed to on a daily basis. We just haven't realised yet, and think the Pill is extraordinarily effective.

    LindseyIndigo
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    The only problem I see is the time it takes for plastics to degrade in landfill. Plastics are awesome for recycling purposes. Package less, reuse more!

    matt512

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