Comments on: Thanks to the Early BPA Pioneers http://organicmania.com/2008/04/15/thanks-to-the-early-bpa-pioneers/ Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:53:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Kristen http://organicmania.com/2008/04/15/thanks-to-the-early-bpa-pioneers/#comment-1089 Kristen Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:47:43 +0000 http://organicmania.com/2008/04/15/thanks-to-the-early-bpa-pioneers/#comment-1089 I see Johnny Lucid's point and concur that to a certain degree, we must accept that otherwise harmful chemicals, both natural and man-made, are simply part of life, and that better detection has made us more aware of what has always been there anyway. However, I think that one of the larger points of the BPA issue, as well as the rise of consciousness about this and other health-related issues, is the increased use of harmful chemicals in the products we use and the food we eat. For example, in the past more people used safer, glass baby bottles, as opposed to the plastic ones now so common. Pesticides and other toxic chemicals applied to crops were not used to nearly the same degree as they are today. Moreover, those pesticides are getter stronger in order to keep up with bugs that are evolving into stronger creatures to avoid death by pesticide. And on and on. While any of these or the myriad other examples of chemicals in our lives may not, individually, pose a significant risk to our health, the overall daily bombardment of newer, stronger, faster, better, etc., products comprised of those chemicals certainly deserves a bit of cautionary scrutiny and an ounce of vigilance, particularly where babies' tiny, immature brains and bodies are concerned. Kristen, thank you so much for sharing this thoughtful response. Very well put. -- Lynn I see Johnny Lucid’s point and concur that to a certain degree, we must accept that otherwise harmful chemicals, both natural and man-made, are simply part of life, and that better detection has made us more aware of what has always been there anyway.

However, I think that one of the larger points of the BPA issue, as well as the rise of consciousness about this and other health-related issues, is the increased use of harmful chemicals in the products we use and the food we eat. For example, in the past more people used safer, glass baby bottles, as opposed to the plastic ones now so common. Pesticides and other toxic chemicals applied to crops were not used to nearly the same degree as they are today. Moreover, those pesticides are getter stronger in order to keep up with bugs that are evolving into stronger creatures to avoid death by pesticide. And on and on.

While any of these or the myriad other examples of chemicals in our lives may not, individually, pose a significant risk to our health, the overall daily bombardment of newer, stronger, faster, better, etc., products comprised of those chemicals certainly deserves a bit of cautionary scrutiny and an ounce of vigilance, particularly where babies’ tiny, immature brains and bodies are concerned.

Kristen, thank you so much for sharing this thoughtful response. Very well put. — Lynn

]]> By: Jason http://organicmania.com/2008/04/15/thanks-to-the-early-bpa-pioneers/#comment-1073 Jason Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:27:47 +0000 http://organicmania.com/2008/04/15/thanks-to-the-early-bpa-pioneers/#comment-1073 I actually have this on my slate of topics to talk about. Is bisephnol-a worse than pthalates that leach from other plastics? Nalgene water bottles are so popular these days - why do none of these articles mention them? They only talk about baby bottles. We never used baby bottles, so I wasn't aware that they were made from polycarbonate, but I guess some of them are...who knew? BPA leaching is more prevalent when you put warm liquids in the bottles - so that makes sense for baby bottles. -Jason http://www.screamtobegreen.com I actually have this on my slate of topics to talk about. Is bisephnol-a worse than pthalates that leach from other plastics? Nalgene water bottles are so popular these days - why do none of these articles mention them? They only talk about baby bottles. We never used baby bottles, so I wasn’t aware that they were made from polycarbonate, but I guess some of them are…who knew? BPA leaching is more prevalent when you put warm liquids in the bottles - so that makes sense for baby bottles.

-Jason
http://www.screamtobegreen.com

]]> By: Johnny Lucid http://organicmania.com/2008/04/15/thanks-to-the-early-bpa-pioneers/#comment-1072 Johnny Lucid Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:13:29 +0000 http://organicmania.com/2008/04/15/thanks-to-the-early-bpa-pioneers/#comment-1072 "Precautionary principle? "Never play it too safe? So one ought to opt out of vaccinations for diptheria, measles, mumps, pertussis? That's ludicrous, not to mention highly irresponsible. As to the toxicity of BPA, a goodly part of the furor has to do with the fact that our tools for detection and measurement have become quite powerful - 20 years ago, parts per billion (ppb) was derived by calculation not actual physical measurement. And if Fred vom Saal's hypothesis (using BPA) is correct , why has no one else been able to repeat his results? The fact of the matter is, the basic rule of toxicology ("the dose makes the poison") has not been overturned for a new one. Further, just because it, BPA, is present, it does not follow that it poses a hazard and an unacceptable risk. The world is full of potentially toxic compounds we use everyday: life itself is CHEMICAL - get over it! Hey always good to get another perspective - I have never endorsed opting out of vaccinations. -- Lynn “Precautionary principle? “Never play it too safe? So one ought to opt out of vaccinations for diptheria, measles, mumps, pertussis? That’s ludicrous, not to mention highly irresponsible.

As to the toxicity of BPA, a goodly part of the furor has to do with the fact that our tools for detection and measurement have become quite powerful - 20 years ago, parts per billion (ppb) was derived by calculation not actual physical measurement.

And if Fred vom Saal’s hypothesis (using BPA) is correct , why has no one else been able to repeat his results?

The fact of the matter is, the basic rule of toxicology (”the dose makes the poison”) has not been overturned for a new one. Further, just because it, BPA, is present, it does not follow that it poses a hazard and an unacceptable risk. The world is full of potentially toxic compounds we use everyday: life itself is CHEMICAL - get over it!

Hey always good to get another perspective - I have never endorsed opting out of vaccinations. — Lynn

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