This is a bit off-topic for Down to Earth, but it is an issue of concern to parents. My question — should it be? I honestly don’t know and want our favorite science geek’s — Sara’s — feedback.

There’s been a lot of media commentary lately about possible dangers from plastic softeners called pthalates, which include chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA) and diisononyl phthalate (DINP). They are often used in children’s toys and in baby bottles. Lick a rubber duckie — isn’t it nasty? To us maybe, but not so much to teething babies. And imagine my alarm — both my children were primarily breast fed, but we used our fair share of plastic bottles as well (heated in the microwave!! So shoot a working mother!!). Not to mention those delightful drooling years of watching a newly-minted crawler cruise around with something — anything — plastic and soothing in their teething mouths.

Below are links to two articles on this topic. One is the lead piece in today’s Washington Post, which lays out one side of the issue very well. “The Plastics Revolution: It Changed Our World, But Are We Trading Convenience for Safety?” According to this article, “independent panels sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Food and Drug Administration examined the data on plastics safety and drew conflicting conclusions.” It then goes into a veritable “he said, she said” of industry, activists and scientists on both sides essentially calling the other side morally bankrupt.

The other is by the founder and former leader of Greenpeace, Patrick Moore, using the BPA issue as an example of “why he left Greenpeace.” Moore (who, admittedly, many dismiss as a corporate shill) says it’s the lack of respect for science in the enviro community that drove him away from Greenpeace. He cites the furor over plastic softeners as a case in point. He quotes the Consumer Product Safety Commission saying “If DINP is to be replaced in children’s products . . . the potential risks of substitutes must be considered. Weaker or more brittle plastics might break and result in a choking hazard. Other plasticizers might not be as well studied as DINP.”

Anyway — we may not be eating DINP and BPA, but our babies and toddlers are. (And we are too, because they are included tupperware and the trays in frozen food entrees and just about everything else.)

Sara — science geek — help a troubled mom!

Update: There’s a new article on threats from plastics in the New York Times.

TAGS: plastics

1. Jill in Atlanta Says:
   April 23rd, 2008 at 5:59am

   Agreed. Mine walked around with the world in their mouths and I only worried if it was wooden and might cause splinters. Then I’d substitute “safe!” plastic. I’ve quit putting foods for my family in plastic in the microwave, but the kids still eat from plastic plates and cups. Yes, we may find that they’ve ingested some poisons, but what’s done is done.

   Plus, its been said that even saliva can lead to death… but only if swallowed in small quantities over an extended period of time.



2. suzannabanana23 Says:
   April 23rd, 2008 at 3:06pm

   Thanks, Jill, for your comment! I simply cannot wean myself from plastic dishes in the microwave. How can I possibly make dinner with plastic dishes in the microwave? Ye Gods! That said, I think the two years of toddler teething rubber ducky in mouth would be more harmful than than heating tupperware… or not? What’s a mom to do?



3. Sara Says:
   April 24th, 2008 at 11:11am

   I wish I could ride in on my scientifically-sound horse and save you from your dilemmas. Suzanna and Jill both touch on a basic dilemma of the medical and biotech fields (and the FDA). We often trade one type of risk for another whenever we introduce new techonogies.

   We touched on this subject in one of our earliest posts “Beef and Early Puberty“. Those nasty phthalates were implicated as a contributing cause for early puberty in girls, backed by some pretty good research. Concerns are also out relative to breast cancer and even pet health, and a myriad of others.

   So, where to go and what to do? . Some tips;
   avoid number 7 plastics
   breastfeed or use powdered formula if formula feeding
   avoid using scratched plastic containers (a really good microbiological food safety tip, too)
   minimize canned foods
   and, sorry Suzanna, do no not use plastics in the microwave.

   Enviroblog has good articles on general questions about BP and limiting BPA exposure

   I even found a link (thanks to GreenMomFinds) to an all-natural rubber duckie! And Nalgene’s new BPA free drinking bottles
   
   Just keep in mind that alternatives have their downfalls too (like the splinters from wood). In my web-cruising, I found mention of concern of toxins leaking from the metal water bottles now being touted as alternatives to those nasty plastics!



4. suzannabanana23 Says:
   April 24th, 2008 at 1:35pm

   Awesome response, Sara!