A Mini-Guide to Plastic Bottles

Plastics have become such a pervasive part of our daily lives that it can be difficult to do without them, even when we are concerned about their safety. But most of the plastic bottles and containers we use carry a recycling symbol that can be a help in deciding how to use them.

A Mini-Guide to Plastic Bottles

You’ve been hearing all kinds of bad news reports about toxic chemicals leaching from plastic bottles and containers. If you heat these bottles or re-use them, you might be increasing your exposure to hormone mimics or any of a number of other chemicals.But plastic is all around us, and not all of it is hazardous to your family’s health. How do you know which types of plastics are worse, and which are not as bad? One clue is the number inside the recycling symbol on the bottom of the bottles or containers. The numbers indicate which are accepted by recyclers, but they also indicate the class of plastic and its chemical characteristics:

No. 1 PETE or PET (polyethylene terephthalate)

No. 2 HDPE (high density polyethylene)

No. 3. V (vinyl) or PVC

No. 4. LDPE (low density polyethylene)

No. 5. PP (polypropylene)

No. 6. PS (polystyrene)

No. 7. Other or miscellanous

To sum up, if the bottle has the number 1, 2, 4, or 5 on the bottom, it’s made from one of the safer plastics. If the number says 3, 6, or 7, there is a greater likelihood that the bottle will be leaving a chemical residue in your beverage. Category No. 3, PVC or polyvinyl chloride, is the worst, followed by No. 7, which may contain polycarbonates (bisphenol-A).

Another rule of thumb is that the softer the plastic the more likely that leaching can occur. You can also use your nose. If you sniff a hint of plastic, find another container. Of course, your best bet is to avoid plastics for food and beverage altogether, and use glass, metal, or ceramic refillable containers whenever possible.

Sources:

Children’s Health Environmental Coalition

The Green Guide

Use Caution With Baby Rice

As if young mothers didn’t have enough to be concerned about. A new study has shown that baby rice can be contaminated by arsenic, a known carcinogen. A third of commercial brands tested higher for arsenic than is allowed in public drinking water supplies. More study is needed to determine the health threat, but there are precautions that mothers can take now.

Weaning Your Baby From Breast Milk or Formula to . . . Arsenic?

A leading environmental chemist has recently published a study indicating that baby rice—a precooked, dried, and milled rice product that is a staple for weaning infants—may contain unsafe levels of arsenic. Dr. Andrew Meharg found high levels of arsenic in more than a third of commercial rice milk brands available in the United Kingdom. A child eating three servings a day of the rice with the highest levels would consume up to six times the maximum safe level of inorganic arsenic in drinking water under EU regulations.

Long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water causes cancer of the skin, lungs, bladder, and kidney. Increased risk of lung and bladder cancer has been observed at drinking-water concentrations of less than 0.05 mg/L. That’s why arsenic contamination of water supplies is closely regulated. Now some scientists and authorities are recommending arsenic testing for foods as well. Food products are not required to be tested for arsenic in the United States or the EU.

For now, not all authorities agree that these findings constitute a health hazard, but parents can take steps to ensure the safety of their young children until the issue is settled. Shopping for organically grown rice, which contains much less arsenic than rice grown by conventional methods, can help to reduce exposure. Oatmeal is another popular food for weaning infants. You can also vary your infant’s diet by alternating rice or oatmeal with purees of fruits and vegetables. Starting your baby on fruits and vegetables provides her with a wide variety of important natural nutrients early in life.

Sources:

Inorganic arsenic levels in rice milk exceed EU and US drinking water standards, Meharg, AA, et al, Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 10:428-31. 2008

Market Basket Survey Shows Elevated Levels of As in South Central U.S. Processed Rice Compared to California: Consequences for Human Dietary Exposure, Williams, PN, et al, Environmental Science & Technology, 41:2178-2183. 2007

Arsenic in drinking water, http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs210/en/index.html, World Health Organization (Accessed 05/05/08)

Fluoride Could Affect Child’s Development

The tap water of 66 percent of the population of the United States and Australia, 40 percent of the population in Canada, and 10 percent of the population of the United Kingdom is treated with compounds of fluoride with the intended purpose of reducing tooth decay. Only 2 percent of the population in Mexico receives fluoridated water, but table salt in Mexico is treated with compounds of fluoride with the intended purpose of reducing tooth decay. However, intake of excessive amounts of fluoride can have negative effects on bone and teeth. According to recent studies of populations in China, exposure to high levels of fluoride may also alter brain development. Young children are the most vulnerable to the neurodevelopmental effects of excessive fluoride.

Fluoride in water associated with low IQ scores in children

The results from a 2007 study in China’s Shanxi province show that excess fluoride exposure can result in lower scores in intelligence tests. A total of 524 children were examined for intellectual functioning and growth. One group of children was exposed to naturally occurring high concentrations of fluoride in well water while a control group of children was from nearby villages with low concentrations of fluoride in well water. In the group drinking high fluoride well water there were lower overall IQ scores, a greater number of lower scores, and fewer high scores. The test result differences were enough to negatively affect a child’s ability to perform in school. This report corroborates the results of a 2003 study performed in Jiangsu province warning that drinking water with fluoride levels greater than 1.0 mg/L may adversely affect the development of children’s intelligence.

The levels of fluoride in well water in this study are likely well above concentrations in U.S. drinking water supplies. However, at this time the total intake of fluoride by the average child—from drinking water, soft drinks, bottled water, toothpaste, mouth rinses—is unknown. Additional studies are needed to measure overall fluoride exposure in children to prevent potential neurodevelopmental deficits, as well as fluorosis, an abnormal condition caused by excessive intake of fluorides, characterised in children by discolouration and pitting of the teeth and in adults by pathological bone changes.

Sources:

Arsenic and Fluoride in Drinking Water: Children’s IQ and Growth in Shanyin County, Shanxi Province, China, Wang, SX, et al, Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(4): 643-7.2007

Effect of Fluoride in Drinking Water on Children’s Intelligence, Xiang, Q, et al, Fluoride 36(2):84-94. 2003

Keep Your Baby Safe from Toxins in Baby Bottles

We are constantly being exposed to numerous toxic compounds from air, water, and consumer products. Young children are especially vulnerable to toxins because they have immature organ systems, high metabolic rates and are going through rapid physical development. A recent study shows that infants in the U.S. may be exposed to toxic chemicals even from their baby bottles.

Toxic Bisphenol A Leaches from Popular Baby Bottles

Two recent reports have found that six major brands of popular baby bottles leach bisphenol A, a hormone-disrupting chemical used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic. Bisphenol A is used to make numerous plastic products soft and flexible and is also used in the linings of metal food cans. It is a developmental, neural, and reproductive toxicant that mimics estrogen and can interfere with healthy growth and body function.

The brands of baby bottles tested included products made by Evenflo, Gerber, Dr. Brown’s, and Playtex, and were purchased at major retailers such as Babies R Us, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart. Laboratory testing showed that 5-8 ng/ml (parts per billion) of bisphenol A leached from all the bottles when heated to 80 degrees C (176 degrees F.). Scientific studies have shown that bisphenol A levels as low as parts per trillion may alter cell function. Heating bottles, pouring hot liquids into them, or using them to give babies acidic or basic beverages have all been shown to increase the rate of bisphenol A leaching from bottles. The use of bisphenol A in the manufacture of baby bottles should be phased out immediately.

Sources:

Baby’s Toxic Bottle: Bisphenol A Leaching from Popular Brands of Baby Bottles, The Work Group for Safe Markets, 2008

Toxic Baby Bottles: Scientific study finds leaching chemicals in clear plastic baby bottles, Gibson, R.L, Environment California Research & Policy Center, 2007

Health First: Notes from Dr. Wentz

The first step in leading a healthy lifestyle is awareness of the latest health information, which can allow you to make informed decisions.

USANA Founder Dr. Myron Wentz shares his expertise on the latest research to help you put your health first.