Earth Day - “The Planet vs Plastics”
"The planet vs plastics" is the 2024 theme for Earth Day (today).
It has been barely 100 years since plastic was first commercialized, but plastic has already spread to every corner of our lives. Food packaging, clothes, products and equipment. We're just now learning about microplastics, sensitization reactions, and whether or not we can legally declare a plastic "skin safe".
We're learning that certain plastics like PFAS (Teflon and other fluoropolymers) cause all manner of birth issues and cancer. PFAS was considered inert since the 1940's, but it wasn’t until 2009 that the EPA put controls in place. Since then, several states have made additional restrictions on the use of PFAS in products. Patagonia has discontinued the use of PFAS in its clothing (well, it will by 2025)
BPA (which is usually associated with polycarbonate) has been known to cause birth defects, and possibly increased blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Three quarters of the BPA produced in the United States was used for the production of polycarbonate plastic. Polycarbonate has excellent mechanical and optical properties which made it a compelling choice for food and beverage containers... But the FDA didn't take action until 2012, when the use of polycarbonate was banned in baby bottles.
PVC, also known as Vinyl, is a common plastic used... almost everywhere. It contains Pthalates which is a chemical (plasticizer) added to increase the flexibility of the resin. Pthalates could cause infertility, obesity and cancer. Since 2017 there has been legislation banning the use of pthalates in childrens toys and child care articles, but more progress is desired…
At the end of the day, society still has lots to learn about the effect of plastics on our health. Individuals can’t be expected to learn about every type of plastic on their own (there are over 95,000 grades of plastic currently).
Here are some tips to stay safe as an individual:
Reduce / reuse / recycle. Spend less money.
Consider glass, metal or wood instead of plastic.
Don't use plastics with hot food or liquid unless you know what the plastic is. Don't use Teflon coated pans unless you know how to protect the coating.
Wash new clothes before wearing them.
And if you're using tools, try to make less dust.
Be safe out there