| ©The Star (Used by permission)
by Winnie Yeoh GEORGE TOWN: Polycarbonate water bottles are harmful and the use of them may be linked to many health abnormalities, says the Consumer Association of Penang.
Its president S.M. Mohamed Idris said that polycarbonate-made water bottles will leach out bisphenol A (BPA), a potent hormone disruptor which can have a detrimental effect on future generations.
“BPA is a synthetic chemical that is also known as ‘environmental hormones.’ It can disrupt the hormone-secreting glands that form a network known as the endocrine system that includes the thyroid, pituitary, pancreas, thymus, adrenal, ovaries and testical glands.
“The chemical could lead to impairment of the reproductive organs, has an adverse effect on tumours and on prostate development by reducing sperm count, and also has adverse influence on breast cancer tissue development,” he said during a press conference on Tuesday.
He said that such bottles can be identified by a number seven inside a triangle with the letters PC next to it. (Many do not even have such labels, I noticed when buying household wares. Laws, anyone?)
“The bottles are being sold everywhere and people think they are safe as they can withstand high temperature liquids.
“But researchers have found out that BPA can leach into the bottle’s contents through normal wear and tear, exposure to heat and cleaning agents,” he said.
Mohamed Idris claimed that a study conducted by the University of Missouri found that the chemical can even leach into liquids at room temperature.
“This finding is alarming and I urge the Education Ministry and parents to ban the use of the bottles in schools and for the people to restrain from using polycarbonate or any other plastic bottles,” he said.
He said that steel or glass bottles are preferred and cost about the same as the polycarbonate bottle at around RM12.
Note: From Non-Toxic Kids
Avoid: Plastics labeled #3, #6, #7
Safer Plastics (notice I didn't say safe-): #1, #2, #4, #5
Never microwave plastic, limit putting it in the dishwasher
Don't use plastic cling wrap, or if you do, don't let it touch your food. |
5 comments:
O my goodness!All these years of ignorance on the usage of plastic bottles and microwaving plastic containers and clingwrap memang selalu touch the food!
Haritu Walla dah britahu sikit2 about the dangers of plastic bottles..ni 2nd reminder yang bertambah detailed!
Got to just hand down info to our children then.For me,I have made most of the mistakes!Boohoo boohooohoooo!
mamasita,
yang kita dok tapau lauk2 panas kat mamak, kat gerai2 dalam plastic bag kecik and styro tu belum kira lagi...
sebab tu kita banyak yang "plastic" kot in terms of perangai...heheh
I read about this several years ago, Tehsin. Looks like the warning is re-surfacing.
I think it is worse when we re-use the bottles. Or so I read somewhere.
I bought myself a fruit drink and now drink water out of its glass bottle :)
Tupperware advertised that it is the safe option. But I don't know how true that is - and whether it is just a gimmick to increase the sales of that so-expensive plastic product.
But you're right about the heat part. Plastic and heat -> a no-no!
Easy to remember that way :)
What a world we live in, eh? sigh
Pat
CAP is doing a good job. I've always wondered why SMMI is not the president of Fomca. He really talks sense and I always pay attention to his letters in the papers.
Real dilemma here. Use plastics, we get sick and degrade the environment. Use paper, we destroy forests.
If I'm not mistaken BPA is also used to line food tins.
Now maybe I'll bring my own koleh (no lead paint) to the mamak stall - at least until we regulars persuade him to use glasses made of glass - when I have my regular kopi.
marhaban ya tabibi!
melamine is another widespread poison.
we eat off it at every gerai and restaurant.
Qatar surprisingly has a very strong campaign for food safety and has banned imports and use of the cheaper melamineware which contains urea formaldehyde and is also going to bans use of plastic bag, and plastic plates. Plastic cups were the first to go.
I wonder when our authorities will take these issues seriously, because the future generations will also be affected by the genetic effect of these poisons. We can't eliminate all, but we can definitely reduce the impact if we have the will.
My cousin Anwar Fazal was one of the founders of CAP and a leading activist in consumer issues. Still is.
Hamdan was very vocal heading Fomca. Wonder why he clammed up....
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