More Bad News About Plastics

[DeviLFisH]

The case again the material mounts as new research about its hazards to human health appears
By Molika Ashford Posted 10.03.2008 at 12:44 pm
Plastic. It’s the spring in your tennis shoes, the sheath on your burrito, the skin of your air mattress . . . And, unfortunately, it could also be the hormone disruptor in your endocrine system. This is just one potential danger highlighted in the most recent issue of the journal Environmental Research, which includes a special section showcasing six new studies of the effects of plastics and plastic ingredients on the body and the earth.
The culprits—some of which have already been circulating in the news recently—are phthalates, which can disrupt testosterone, Bisphenol-A, which mimics estrogen, and PBDE’s (Polybrominated diphenyl ethers), a class of flame ......ants, which interfere with thyroid hormone.
The six studies look at everything from the concentration of plastics in the ocean, to the similarities in the way humans and rodents respond to phthalates. Two articles give some evidence that fetal exposure to Phthalates might affect human male genital development the same way it does developing rat—shortening the distance between the genitals and the anus, while others look at the effect of some of these chemicals on the rodent brain.
So far there is less evidence that these plastics harm adult humans, but much more that they could be harmful for fetuses, infants and children. Canada banned the use of Bisphenol-A in baby bottles earlier this year, and while the United States has not banned the substance, the FDA has recognized it as being of “some concern” to developing children. Phthalates, used to soften PVC plastic are restricted in some states. And PBDE’s have been banned in California and several other states.
This research reiterates that plastics are all over us—filling the Pacific Ocean, and lingering in the blood of ordinary people, and remind that the door has not been closed on assessing and revealing the potential dangers of these compounds, which have become so ubiquitous on this earth.
Via PhysOrg

More Bad News About Plastics | Popular Science

 

[Kimmiegrif]

How about metal cartridges that you just refill, no plastic...

 

[sanneke]

WOW, it's a wonder even one person is alive anymore on this planet these days anyway........

 

[SQNY]

well, it's common knowledge that water is a universal dissolvent. so don't drink bottled water that's been made a while ago because you'll find bits of dissolved plastic in the water itself.

 

[Tumbleweed4829]

Geez we stop smoking analog cigs and start getting ....?

 

[TropicalBob]

That was a low blow. DevilFish found an article relevant to the mouthpiece you suck on all day! To the cartridges that store your liquid. That's hardly trivial. Nor is the ruination of the oceans. Cynicism is not called for. Thanks for sharing, DevilFish.

 

[DeviLFisH]

thanks bob ,

ya...altought the plastics part is not so hot while connected to the atomiser

but heat travel ...to cold place ..

 

[edisme518123]

Could always fabricate the pieces we use that are plastic out of metals instead. Stainless steel would be nice. Aluminum has been found to release harmful chemicals in some situations when heated, however, I don't believe our devices produce heat in those temperature ranges.

 

[LittlePixie]

well this girl has first hand knowlage about the "dreaded" Bisphenol-A for she works for an Engineering company that deals mainly with plastics.

First it is integrated into the structure of the plastic and can NOT be removed by any conventional way what so ever. Just as much of the Bisphenol-A will be in a said plastic water bottle in 1000 years as there is now.

And lets say for a second it could leach into water and such (which it can't) the amounts in each plastic product is so minuscule that one would need hundreds of thousands of the said bottles to get enough to cause any potential adverse effects.