Lorax Community

How many of your plastic kitchen tools and other everyday items of convenience are free of Bisphenol-a (aka "BPA")?

Recent studies are now revealing just how harmful plastics can be to our health. BPA has been proven to leech out of plastic containers (bottles, etc.) into drinking water and food, eventually finding its way into our bodies and biological environment. Exposure to heat causes these chemicals to leech into contents at an even faster rate, thus creating more of a health hazard when these containers are exposed to sun or high temperatures whilst in transit or when heated for consumption. Cutting boards are even more harmful, as chopping can easily damage the cutting surface and incorporate tiny fragments of toxic chemicals (including BPA) into food.

As such, BPA free products have been gaining much popularity due to the release of evidence that BPA can lead to many health issues including reproductive health problems and several types of cancer.
However, is elimination of BPA really going to solve any of the most harrowing issues in relation to production of plastics and their long-term effects on the ecosystem in general?
Please take a moment to consider other important factors:

•  What other potentially toxic and environmentally destructive chemicals may be lurking within the compounds of plastic, even after BPA has been eliminated from the manufacturing process? One company is going to trial over this matter, as others are sure to follow.
• Where will these products end up after they are no longer useful to us? 
• Even when recycled, there are various barriers which prevent the vast majority of plastics from being reused indefinitely - Will they then be cast into the abyss of refuse?
• Most "biodegradable" & "compostable" plastic items widely available on the market at present are made from GM corn, which is also detrimental to biological & environmental health. 

Fact of the matter remains that plastic of any kind is a compound of chemicals which is not only damaging to biological health, but also completely NON-biodegradable. As such, these items will likely end up in landfills for an eternity, or (more likely) toxifying our oceans and wildlife. There are also many sanitation departments which still make practice of burning non-biodegradable trash, which also releases toxins into the environment thus polluting the air we must breathe. Any way you slice it, plastics are damaging to our ecosystem and manufacturing of such should be greatly reduced - or eliminated entirely.

Consumers have the power to make positive changes to current systems, thus making things better for our environment and future generations. Please consider some of the numerous alternatives available for those of us who truly care enough to make responsible choices. Many alternatives could easily become mainstream (and very affordable to everyone) if enough consumers were to make demands for such.
- For kitchen use (and ongoing re-use), we recommend glass bottles/jars, storage containers, drinking straws, cutting boards, etc. in lieu of plastics. Silicone can also be used as a lightweight, non-breakable option for those of us who may be concerned about breakage.
- For commercial use, hemp & coconut packaging are readily available resources, and could easily be incorporated into production methods for many pre-packaged items and various everyday commodities.

Freedom of choice can be a marvellous thing, especially when those of us who excercise this freedom are willing to do so mindfully - and with care.


We thank you for having taken the time to read and acknowledge these imperatively vital issues, and ask that you please share this post widely. 



Additional references: 

1. Care2 - "How Safe Are BPA-Free Plastics?"
2. Science Daily - Plastic Bottles Release Potentially Harmful Chemicals After Contact With Hot Liquids
3. MedicineNet - Plastic Types, Dangers of Bisphenol-A and Recycling Plastics
4. Natural Society - Bottled Water Leeches 24,000 Chemicals into Your Body, Study Finds