Reducing our exposure to toxins found in plastics

Welcome to the January Carnival of Natural Parenting: Experiments in Natural Family Living
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have reported on weeklong trials to make their lives a little greener and gentler. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.


What a great time of year to make changes towards more natural family living!  2011 was a year of change for our family, and I’d like take more positive steps in this fresh new year.  This month’s Carnival theme was a perfect opportunity for our family to clear out some clutter from the kitchen.  Our targets: melamine plates and plastic drinking cups. 

Toxic plastic and melamine tableware

For the last 2 weeks we have been making some minor adjustments to our tableware in favour of greener and less toxic alternatives, and I’ll tell you why...

Melamine plates

Why would I want to throw out these cute melamine plates and bowls which have accumulated over the years?  They have such bright, fun patterns which the boys adore, and best of all they don’t smash when dropped (or let’s face it, thrown) on the floor by a toddler. 

I have actually been meaning to discard these items of tableware for some time, since I first read of the dangers of melamine during the awful melamine scandal in China^[1].  Quite honestly, there are so many things we would like to change/do better/do without, that this had slipped down my list of priorities.   I had wanted to indulge in a little research first, and after a few minutes reading some articles online, I now wish I had acted a lot sooner.  This is one experiment in natural family living that I want to make sure becomes a permanent change!

Melamine is a chemical compound which forms a white crystalline powder, but can be mixed with formaldehyde to produce a hard plastic, known as melamine resin.  It is this resin that is used to make, among other things, the children’s plates we have been ignorantly using for the past few years.  Melamine resin is not microwave safe, and can degrade when exposed to high temperatures.  As the plates are worn down or damaged, the melamine resin breaks down to its component parts.  In both cases, this can cause exposure to both melamine and formaldehyde which is a known carcinogen^[2].

It wasn’t hard to push the melamine to the back of the cupboard for now, and swap it for porcelain tableware for the children.  Porcelain and other ceramics certainly don’t show signs of wear as quickly as melamine, and can cope with high temperatures without leaching toxins.   We already had plenty of porcelain, but these sorts of ceramic plates are easy and cheap to purchase (especially second hand!). The only downside is that they are of course rather breakable.  It’s currently not a problem in our family since our twins are now 4 and don’t generally fling things from the table, and our 10 month old feeds himself straight off his wooden high chair tray.  Our twin’s verdict on the new plates?  They didn’t even notice until I asked them, and simply shrugged like teenage boys.   However, they did take far more notice of our next change...

Plastic cups and cutlery

The banished melamine plates and bowls have been joined by plastic cups and cutlery.  Our boys have been rather attached to their old colourful plastic sippy cups!  As much as we had tried to offer drinks in normal glass cups, they still often asked for their clever-cup-with-a-lid.  Sadly for them, I now realise that they probably contain bisphenol-A (BPA) and other nasty chemicals. 

Bisphenol-A is commonly abbreviated to BPA, and is a chemical used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics.  It is part of a group of chemicals which exhibit similar effects to oestrogen, thus disrupting the body’s hormone system.  Oestrogen (estrogen) itself is a natural hormone found in animals and some insects, which has wide ranging functions, from regulating aspects of the reproductive system to affecting fat deposition and even mental health ^[3]. 

BPA’s oestrogenic activity has been studied for decades.  There is a huge amount of compelling research out there, and I wish I had the time to break it all down!  Just a few examples of its effects on the body include:

• Hyperactivity, attention deficits and a heightened sensitivity to drugs of abuse ^[4]
• An increase in the risk of breast cancer ^[5,6] and induced cancerous growth in the lab^[7]
• Problems with the development of the reproductive system, female fertility^[8] and male sexual dysfunction^[9]
• Reduced brain function related to regulation of moods and formation of memories^[10]

The body’s hormonal system is highly sensitive, and low doses of this oestrogen-mimicking chemical have been found to cause serious health problems.  There is a consensus among many experts that the average level of BPA found in humans is greater than the levels found to cause harm in laboratory studies. As you can imagine, the effects of BPA will be greater in developing babies and children.  BPA can leach out of polycarbonate plastics when they are heated, scratched, cleaned using harsh detergents, exposed to UV light, and as they naturally degrade over time.   BPA was banned from infant feeding bottles and cups in Europe over a year ago^[11], but some of our cups were bought before the ban came into force. 

BPA-free plastic is not necessarily safe either.   For years the manufacturer’s defended their use of this chemical, until they were forced to withdraw it.  I wonder how many other chemicals in plastics pose health risks?  In March 2011, a US research team examined over 450 BPA-free products to determine if other potentially damaging chemicals were released during use^[12].  They exposed commonly available plastic products to general wear from heat, UV light and microwaving and found that almost all plastics leached out chemicals which had oestrogenic activity.  In fact, some of these chemicals in BPA-free plastics had more oestrogenic activity than BPA itself.  The true health effects of many of these chemicals are unknown, and not widely publicised like those of BPA.

Even though the oestrogenic activity and health effects of BPA are well known, this chemical is still found in a whole host of plastics which commonly come into contact with our food and drink.  I was surprised to read that it is used in the lining of cans ^[13], thermal paper of till receipts ^[14], and even in the epoxy resins used to reline old water pipes ^[15]!   It seems hard to completely avoid exposure, which makes it especially important to switch our children’s drinking cups to a more suitable alternative. 

Painted ceramic mugs

We may buy some smaller drinking glasses for the children, but for now they have been very happy to drink out of some ceramic mugs that we all painted together this week.  These were actually one of their Christmas gifts, and we all enjoyed splashing some paint on the outside and setting it in the oven.  For days out and about, we bought some great stainless steel drinks containers which seem really tough and easy to clean.  

  

Stainless steel flasks - BPA free

It hasn’t been hard to stop using plastics and melamine, and we will definitely continue trying to eliminate chemicals in the kitchen to protect our health.  I haven't even gone into the environmental concerns about plastic!  These tainted items are currently sitting at the back of the cupboard, waiting for me to work out the best way to reuse or be rid of them.  Any ideas?

The next thing to go is the non-stick cookware...

References

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_protein_adulteration

[2] http://forum.endowmentmed.org/index.php?topic=92.0

[3] Lasiuk, G.C.; Hegadoren, K.M. (2007). "The Effects of Estradiol on Central Serotonergic Systems and Its Relationship to Mood in Women". Biological Research for Nursing (2007),9 (2): 147–160

[4] Jones, D.; Miller, G. (2008). "The effects of environmental neurotoxicants on the dopaminergic system: A possible role in drug addiction". Biochemical pharmacology 76 (5): 569–581.

[5] Brisken, C. (2008). "Endocrine Disruptors and Breast Cancer". CHIMIA International Journal for Chemistry 62(5): 406–409

[6] Soto, A.; Vandenberg, L.; Maffini, M.; Sonnenschein, C. (2008). "Does breast cancer start in the womb?". Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology 102 (2): 125–133

[7] Fernandez, S. V.; Russo, J. (2009). "Estrogen and Xenoestrogens in Breast Cancer". Toxicologic Pathology 38 (1): 110.

[8] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/07021514

[9] Li, D.; Zhou, Z.; Qing, D.; He, Y.; Wu, T.; Miao, M.; Wang, J.; Weng, X. et al. (2009). "Occupational exposure to bisphenol-A (BPA) and the risk of Self-Reported Male Sexual Dysfunction". Human Reproduction 25 (2): 519–527

[10] http://news.yale.edu/2008/09/03/more-evidence-bpa-found-clear-plastics-impairs-brain-function

[11] EU bans BPA from babies’ bottles  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11843820

[12] Yang, C.Z.; Yaniger, S.I.; Jordan, V.C.; Klein, D.J.; Bittner, G.D. (2011). Most Plastic Products Release Estrogenic Chemicals: A Potential Health Problem That Can Be Solved. Environ Health Perspect 119:989-996.  http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:doi/10.1289/ehp.1003220 

[13] http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/22/bpa-lurks-in-canned-soups-and-drinks/

[14] http://www.nomorebpa.org.uk/

[15] http://www.endseurope.com/27810/europe-urged-to-act-on-bpa-in-water-pipes

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Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• Make your own moisturizer! — Megan at boho mama whips up a winter skin-friendly moisturizer.
• Cold Water Only — Brittany at The Pistachio Project talks about how you do not need hot water to wash laundry.
• Family Cloth... Really?? — After lots of forethought and consideration, Momma Jorje finally decides to take the plunge with family cloth.
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle : 5-5-5 Things A Day — Luschka from Diary of a First Child writes about decluttering her home in an attempt to create a gentler living space. She takes on a new project where she sets a goal of reducing, reusing and recycling every day.
• Pros and cons of family cloth — Lauren at Hobo Mama would love to continue replacing paper products with family cloth … if she could only get over how damp she feels.
• Craftily Parenting — Kellie at Our Mindful Life finds that crafting makes her a better parent.
• Changes — Laura at Pug in the Kitchen couldn't choose just one area to experiment with, so she wrote a long post about all the fun changes initiated in her life!
• Life without Internet: Not all it's Cracked up to Be — Adrienne at Mommying My Way tries to go a week without the Internet, only to realize a healthy dose of Internet usage really helps keep this stay-at-home mom connected.
• My Progression to Raw Milk — Kerry at City Kids Homeschooling shares her natural parenting progression all the way to trying raw milk.
• mama's new little friend. — Sarah at Bitty Bird tries a menstrual cup to "green her period," and is pleasantly surprised when she falls in love with the product!
• Before you throw it out, try homemade laundry soap! — Jennifer at Practical OH Mommy shows visual proof that homemade laundry soap is cheaper, easier, and works better than the store-bought chemicals!
• Oil, Oil, No Toil, No Trouble — K from Very Simple Secret talks about her foray into the oil-cleansing method.
• I Need a Hobby — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro couldn't decide which experiment to run, so she did them all.
• 7 days of macrobiotics for a balanced family — The Stones make a [successful] attempt to release the "holiday junking" with 7 days of macrobiotic meals to balance their bodies and souls. Elisabeth at Manic Mrs. Stone includes an explanation of macrobiotics.
• Chemical Free Beauty Challenge — Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction turned to natural alternatives for her daily beauty and cleaning routine, with great results.
• Greening my Armpits!? My Green Resolution — Shannon at The Artful Mama talks about how she decided to give up her traditional antiperspirant and make the switch over to crystal deodorants and definitely isn't looking back!
• Going Raw (for a while) — Jenny at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom shares her family's experience with raw food.
• Do we get to eat gluten today? — Sheila at A Gift Universe has been trying to figure out if her son does better with or without gluten in his diet … but it's really hard to tell for sure.
• Hippies Can Smell and Look Fabulous Too! — Arpita of Up, Down And Natural details her experience of going shampoo-free and overhauling her cosmetics to find the balance between feeling beautifully fabulous and honoring her inner hippie.
• Our cupboards are full...but there's nothing to eat — Lucy at Dreaming Aloud takes on the challenge of chomping through the contents of her storecupboard rather than going shopping — but there's something that she just can't bring herself to do …
• Elimination Experiment 3.0 — MudpieMama recounts the messy adventures of her baby daughter trying to be diaper free.
• Family Cloth Trial — Amyables at Toddler in Tow talks about making and using family cloth wipes in the bathroom for the first time.
• Taking a Hiatus — Amy at Peace 4 Parents shares how her experience of much less internet interaction affected her family and how it will change her approach in the future.
• Trying Out the Menstrual Cup — Lindsey at an unschooling adventure ditches the tampons and gives menstrual cups a try.
• Managing Food Waste in Our Home — Tired of the holiday waste, Robbie at Going Green Mama takes a weeklong focus on reducing food waste in her home, and learns some lessons that can take her through the new year.
• Going Offline, Cloth Tissues, and Simplicity — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama muses over her time away from blogging and social networking. In addition, she shares her newfound love of cloth tissues and simplicity.

• The Oil Cleansing Method — Erica at ChildOrganics explores an easy, organic and natural way to tackle skin care.
• Experiments in Natural Family Living - Natural Toys! — Lani at Boobie Time enjoys the silence of natural toys and being more present with her son.
• Discovering a New City and Organic Foods — Amy at A Secure Base describes her family's switch to and search for organic foods for one week.
• My Experiment in Homemade Bread — Crunchy Con Mommy tried — and loved — baking her own homemade bread.
• Menu Planning: Stop the Excuses — Gaby at Tmuffin stopped the excuses and started planning her weekly meals, drastically cutting her grocery budget and stress level and improving the quality of foods she fed her family.
• My First Menstrual Cup — Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children was pleasantly surprised with her first experience using a menstrual cup.
• My Natural Beauty Regime — Christine at African Babies Don’t Cry shares the results of banishing cleanser and soaps from her bathroom, as well as a couple of natural homemade recipes that have worked well on her skin.
• Unplugging and Creating a Rhythm: Our Experiment in Natural Family Living — Dionna at Code Name: Mama focused less on gadgets and spent more time with her family to create a healthy rhythm for the new year.
• Experiments in Natural Family Living: 5 First Steps Toward Preparing for a Natural Birth — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama discusses how she tackled the pressing matter of how to begin preparing for a natural birth.
• All you need is...vinegar! — Kristen at My Semi-Crunchy Life learns that one household product can replace all the cleaners in her cabinet.
• Nope Nada Ixnay Negative Pass Decline — Zoie at TouchstoneZ finds out what shakes loose if she says, "YES!!" to anything anyone asks of her over the space of 10 days.
• Reducing our exposure to toxins found in plastics — Syenna at Gently Parenting Twins throws out the melamine and BPA plastics which have been hanging around the kitchen for too long.
• Duh! — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment shares how she began the process of helping her 2-year-old son stop physically acting out.
• Experiments in Natural Parenting: Starting, Stopping, and Gaining Perspective — Melissa at Vibrant Wanderings explains how pregnancy brain interfered with her attempts to complete an experiment, but how she gained some interesting perspective as she started and stopped several.
• From Experiment to Lifestyle — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter shares her experience avoiding processed foods for a month, and deciding to make it a permanent lifestyle change.
• From Disposable Paper to Reusable Cloth – AGAIN! — Terri at Child of the Nature Isle stops flushing trees down the toilet and switches to the softest ever butt-wiping material: cloth.
• Extra! Extra! Water Heater Turned Down, Mom Doesn't Notice! — Thomasin at Propson Palingenesis finds an energy-saving experiment that's so easy she didn't even realize it was happening.
• Worm Tea — CatholicMommy isn't sure how successful her worm bin will be, but she's having fun anyway.
• Miles to Go ... — Rachael at The Variegated Life learns that when it comes to sleep debt, she's in real deep.
• My Month With Water Kefir — Paige at Baby Dust Diaries experiments with a new fermented probiotic drink homemade in her own kitchen.
• OMG Mom is Home... All Day Everyday: A Week-Long Experiment in Connecting — What a difference a week makes! Ana at Pandamoly is afforded a week off from work and takes the chance to reconnect and reattach with her 16-month-old son through an experiment in simply being there.
• Creating Healthy Family Recipes — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares her experiment with healthy, gluten-free recipes and a chocolate muffin recipe that was created during the experiment.
• Adventures in Alternative Haircare: No 'Poo — This guest post at Natural Parents Network from Amy at Anktangle chronicles a months-long journey into the world of no 'poo.
• My Experiment in Natural Family Living: Natural Family Planning — Birth control options are seriously limited for those of us trying to live a little closer to the earth, so Mama Psalmist experiments with natural family planning.