A friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and after having a successful surgery is now cancer free. Since then she's gone about ridding her life of as many toxic chemicals as she can. She's also taken to...gently... encouraging those around her to do the same. One of her biggest targets was the chemical BPA.
I thought she was overreacting and continued to drink from my Nalgene bottle and eat my lunch out of a plastic container.
So now it looks like she was right.
From today's New York Times:
Story
OTTAWA — The Canadian government is said to be ready to declare as toxic a chemical widely used in plastics for baby bottles, beverage and food containers as well as linings in food cans.
The major retailers, everyone from Mountain Equiptment Company to Wal-Mart Canada, are removing these products from the shelf. Baby bottles, plastic water bottles, some tin cans...it's everywhere! But the science is so convincing that the companies are taking it upon themselves to remove these products. One company is even offering a dollar for every one of their bottles that are returned to their store! Canadian Tire alone has 100 products they are in the process of removing.
The evidence suggests that the chemical simulates estrogen, resulting in increase risk of breast cancer for women and early onset of puberty for girls. I've been hearing from friends for a few year now that their daughters are having their period as early as 10 years old! Doctors, they told them, said it was from better nutrition than in previous generations.
So today I'm reading up a bit more about the impending Health Canada announcement and looking over list of products that are no longer available and figuring out which I have to throw out. What do I find? That Canada is going to be the first..and likely the only...country to look at banning these products. How could that be?
How could Wal-Mart Canada pull items from their shelves because of health concerns and leave them on the shelves south of the border? Why isn't this a bigger story?
I recommend for everyone who's concerned about chemicals in what they eat/drink to read up on bpa. THis is particularly important for women and people with small children.
From what I've been reading the worst are the clear plastic, shaterproof bottles and containers. Most are marked with the number 7.
Anyone else trying to rid themselves of this thing?