Wallace Integrated Health Centre
Newsletter – Summer 2010
Plastic and our health
This Month’s Theme
As I was pondering the theme for this month’s newsletter, I remembered an incident that happened at the grocery store this morning. I reached for my one of my favourite salad dressing bottles (yes, I occasionally use prepared salad dressing, when I don’t have time to make my own), and discovered that the company has switched from glass to plastic bottles. Upon questioning the manager of that department, he agreed that “the world was turning into plastic” and told me that he could no longer get that particular brand in glass bottles. I decided that since plastic is everywhere, this would be a good time to address it.
New Developments
• Sara Inch, R.M.T. has recently graduated from Nipissing University with her Teaching Certificate. Although we’re not sure what she has planned for the fall, for this summer she is now available for more hours, and we are thrilled to have her back. Congratulations Sara!
Upcoming Events
• Kelly Wallace, N.D., will be hosting another Healthy & Active information session sometime this summer. The date has not yet been set, and is dependent on interest. If you are interested in attending this session, please call 474-2727.
Articles
Many of you may remember a few short years ago, when the Canadian government made headlines as one of the first to ban the chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, from baby bottles. This popular chemical, added to many plastics, had been shown to be a hormone disruptor, which could possibly increase the risks of breast cancer and many other hormone-related conditions. While the Canadian government should be applauded for taking this step, there is still a long way to go. BPA is still found in many plastic adult products, and in some unlikely places, such as the lining inside canned foods. There are also many other chemical compounds in various plastics that are just as dangerous to our health. A few of the worst are listed below.
Phthalates are commonly used as softeners in plastics. They also find their way into personal care products (listed as “fragrance”) and their bottles (shampoo, soaps…), children’s toys, PVC piping, and many more places. These chemicals are known hormone disruptors and possible carcinogens. PVC (#3 plastics) children’s toys (and pet toys too) may also contain lead and/or cadmium, both of which are heavy metals with neurotoxic effects. When you think about what most children (and pets) do with their toys (i.e. put them in their mouths and chew or suck on them), this becomes an even bigger concern for developing brains.
“Plastics” with a number 6 recycling sign, also known as Styrofoam, often contain benzene, a well-known carcinogen.
From an environmental point of view, plastic is a nightmare. It does not break down or biodegrade well at all. Many communities are very limited in the plastics that they recycle, so many of them end up in the landfills. There are a few newer types, that are being used for garbage bags and the like, made from corn or soy, that are somewhat better, but by and large, the plastic that we use today will still be around 100 years from now. We already have problems in our oceans, with large (think the size of Texas) areas of plastic trash floating around together, collected by the currents. Those handy plastic rings that keep your beer bottles attached together often kill birds, turtles and fish, which are strangled by the rings. Other fish and birds end up swallowing pieces of plastic, which eventually kills them, since they can’t digest it.
All of the above add up to reasons why we should try to decrease our use of plastics, and when we must use it, dispose of it properly. See the health tip below for some ideas.
Health Tip
- Start to phase plastics out of your home . Replace your plastic “Tupperware” containers with glass ones. Replace plastic water bottles with stainless steel, and replace plastic dishes with china ones. Try to buy food packaged in glass bottles or jars, rather than plastics. If you must buy or store food in plastics, look for the “recycling number” on the bottom, and choose #1, #2, #4, #5, (avoid #3, #6 and #7), which are less likely to leach contaminants into your food. Never, ever microwave any food in a plastic container. Don’t use the small disposable plastic water bottles at all if you can help it, if you must, definitely don’t let them sit in a hot car, or freeze and then drink the water. Talk to, or write letters to your City Council, urging them to start recycling more types of plastic (especially if you live in North Bay, where our efforts at recycling are a bit of an embarrassment).
Must Read
- “Ecoholic, ” by Adria Vasil.
- Adria Vasil, a popular environmental columnist in NOW Magazine, goes through a very detailed list of dangerous products, chemicals and practices that can harm both our health and the environment. She covers everything from personal care products, to cleaning supplies, to furniture and transportation. She then goes through better options and where to find them in Canada, or online, detailing both low and high budget ideas.
