Is BPA dangerous? You might want to avoid it!

What is it?
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical  used to make polycarbonate plastic resins, epoxy resins, and other products.

Is BPA dangerous to our health?
A growing body of scientific research has linked the weak estrogenic compound bisphenol-A (BPA) to a variety of health problems, such as infertility, prostate cancer, and breast cancer.

What contains BPA?
It is found in items or containers that come into contact with food or drink such as:

Polycarbonate Plastic - drinking vessels, baby bottles and plastic tableware

Synthetic Resins - coatings on the inside of almost all food and beverage cans

How do we identify if items contain BPA?

There are seven classes used to identify plastics used in packaging applications. It is the little number inside the recycle sign (plastic packaging resin identification code).

1. Type 7 is the worst one, it includes polycarbonate (sometimes identified with the letters "PC" near the recycling symbol) and synthetic resins.
2. Type 3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC, vinyl) can also contain bisphenol A as antioxidant in plasticisers.
3. Types 1 Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET, PETE), 2 High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), 4 Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), 5 (polypropylene), and 6 (polystyrene) do not use bisphenol A during polymerization or package forming.

How to avoid release of BPA into our food and drink?
Search for more info, read labels. Avoid plastic, use glass for storage and reheating. Heat, acid (avoid canned tomatoes, tomato-based soups, citrus products, and acidic beverages like cokes), alcohol (avoid canned beverages since acids and alcohols can exacerbate the leaching of BPA), harsh detergents, age, and microwaving can also activate the release of BPA. Filter your drinking water, since BPA was found in it. Bottled water are NOT tested for BPA! Skip the water cooler. Those hard plastic five-gallon jugs that many companies use to provide their employees and customers with “pure” water are usually made of BPA-containing polycarbonate. Opt for tap water instead.

Now it is up to you whether you want to avoid BPA, that might have some potentional health risk.. But whatever you decide, please think before you buy anything, check the back of it and try to choose products with the recycle sign and after you use the content, RECYCLE IT  please! We have only one planet... :)