Written by Jenny Catton
Plastic – it’s everywhere. A substance used in many of the time-saving and practical items that we use every day. From the moment we wake up to the minute we go to sleep, we are constantly coming into contact with items made from plastic. We brush our teeth, pick up the shampoo bottle and take a vitamin from a plastic bottle before even leaving the house. Then at work, we type on a plastic keyboard, answer the phone and drink from a plastic bottle. In the evening we might play with plastic computer consoles or tuck into a ready meal cooked in a plastic container. In the modern world there really is no avoiding plastic – it’s something most of us encounter hundreds of times each day.
But as a relatively new invention, how safe are man-made plastics and what impact does all this usage have on our health? This is a question that many scientists and consumers are beginning to ask. And recently, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) warned that pregnant women should try and minimise their exposure to food packaged in plastic containers as the molecules found in some plastics are thought to be harmful to foetal development.
Experts are also asking how safe one particular chemical used in plastic production – bisphenol A (BPA) is. This chemical has been used to make some plastics since the 1960s but many are now questioning how safe this substance is as it has been linked to prostate and breast cancer as well as heart disease. It is classed as safe in low levels but in response to concerns, manufacturers are now creating consumer items such as reusable drinks bottles which are BPA free.
And of course, plastic is not just potentially harmful to our own health but is causing significant harm to the natural environment too. In some parts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, waste patches exist that are made up of 80 per cent plastic. This is harming sea life which can become entangled in the plastic or ingest it. In response, Janez Potocnik, the European Commissioner for the Environment has said that all plastic should be fully recyclable and that we should avoid excessive plastic production where possible.
The negative health and environmental impact of plastic has led to a rise in the number of people known as ‘plasticarians’ who aim to cut plastic out of their lives completely.
So what can you do if you want to reduce your exposure to plastic and BPAs? Well, you could of course seek out non-plastic alternatives to everyday products, although this isn’t always easy. So rather than trying to cut all plastic out of your life instantly, perhaps start by replacing just a few items in your home with non-plastic alternatives. Or you may want to start by avoiding plastic in your food and drink consumption. Some experts recommend decanting food from plastic containers into glass or porcelain or stainless steel before heating as it is thought that the heating process can cause chemicals from plastic to leach into foods. You can also replace plastic drinks bottles with aluminium ones when out and about and use glass rather than plastic when at home.
For more information about current environmental issues, visit: www.foe.co.uk
