How to Reduce Exposure to BPA
Earlier this week, we talked about BPA. Short for bisphenol A, BPA is a chemical compound that is linked to cancer, infertility, and other health problems. Unfortunately, it’s all around us. In hard plastic bottles, dental sealants, canned food and drinks, and more.
Considering its ubiquity, you’re unlikely to eliminate your exposure to BPA. Here’s what the average person can do to at least reduce exposure:
- Buy fewer canned goods
Buy fresh or frozen vegetables. Buy beans from the bulk bin. Acidic foods like tomatoes tend to leach more BPA from can liners, so buy them in glass jars or cardboard boxes. (Try Pomi-brand tomatoes from Parmalat.) Buy soda in glass bottles. (Or drink less soda!) Avoid canned infant formula. Powdered infant formula containers may contain a bit of BPA, but less than the cans. - Avoid drinking from clear, hard plastics
The Klean Kanteen is stainless steel and works as a great sports bottle. Nalgene is working to phase out BPA, but we can’t recommend them until they do. Use glass baby bottles, now available from Evenflo and Dr. Brown’s. Playtex offers BPA-free plastic sippy cups (look for opaque plastic). A detailed list of BPA-free bottles and sippy cups can be found at: http://safemama.com/2007/11/22/bpa-free-bottle-and-sippy-cup-cheat-sheet/
- Ask your dentist and health care providers about BPA
Consumer demand will pressure providers to offer BPA-free alternatives. - Tell manufacturers and elected leaders you don’t like being exposed to BPA
Again, public pressure is the only way to force change. Canada is moving to ban BPA from baby products. San Francisco recently banned BPA from baby bottles, sippy cups, and other children’s products. California is considering similar legislation. There’s little action on removing BPA from can liners, however, so let your leaders know that you want it eliminated there, too.
More resources:
Simple Steps to Avoid BPA from the Natural Resource Defense Council
http://www.simplesteps.org/content/view//4708/37?gclid=CPGwsYbZ8pQCFRwvagodSnwFqg
BPA in Your Body from Enviroblog
http://www.enviroblog.org/2007/09/bisphenol-a-in-your-body.htm?gclid=CLGzz-DY8pQCFRIuagodakPgpw
January 27th, 2010 at 11:14 am
Parmalat also uses BPA in the lining of their shelf-stable boxes, so that is not a good alternative, as suggested in this article. I am desperate to find jarred tomatoes that are BPA free, but so far no luck. Do we all have to go back to canning stuff ourselves? Or is some savvy company going to realize it is worth the extra cost to sell their products in BPA free containers?
February 24th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
Hey there, what a great site you have. I found it on yahoo while searching for some baby information. Thanks and good luck
March 21st, 2010 at 7:36 pm
We really love reading your posts, i just used this website Swap my Seeds, as a way of giving away my unused seeds. Anyone know what I can sell them for? I have maybe 150 begonia seeds left.
November 16th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
You have some pretty, great, about this same truthfully
December 8th, 2010 at 7:11 am
Thanks for that! My mother recently harvested her garden full of tomatoes , and I found myself the proud owner of two or five buckets worth! Of course I couldnt eat them all like that, but I did find a website full of loads more tomato recipes at that site. A whole website dedicated the topic!! Crazy what you can find on the internet nowadays!!