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Plastics - the DOs & DON'Ts. Health Canada's Ban on Bisphenol A

It looks like Health Canada is close to regulating bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in some plastics. Major retailers like the Hudson's Bay Company, Canadian Tire, Forzani Group (which operates Sport Chek, Athlete's World and Coast Mountain Sports), Lululemon & Mountain Equipment Co-op have pulled products containing bpa off its shelves. BPA is the main component in polycarbonate, a shatter-proof plastic that is used in food and drink containers. It is also found in household items like CDs, electronic products & baby bottles. It is also used to line the inside of metal food and soda cans. Acidic substances such as tomatoes, citrus fruits & sodas release the BPA.

Bisphenol A is an endocrine disruptor, meaning that it can mimic or wreak havoc on the hormones in your body. Bpa is linked to breast & prostate cancer, obesity, early puberty attention deficit disorder and a host of other developmental problems.

The general rule of thumb for plastics is that it should not be heated or come in contact with hot foods or drinks. That includes leaving your water bottle in the car during the hot summer months.

Have you ever bought bottled water and stored it away from the sun and heat sources? I have and in a few months time, this water had an odd taste to it. I assumed that something was leeching out of the plastic into the water. I'd be curious to know if any tests/studies have been done on this?

Some plastics don't contain BPA and are considered microwave/dishwasher safe, but this naturopath's opinion is that nothing should be microwaved in plastic. Stick with glass!

There are times when glass isn't as convenient to carry like when you're hiking on a trail so you can use stainless steel water bottles which I've seen at Walmart & Mountain Equipment Co-op.

If you have trouble finding glass baby bottles, here's a Canadian web company to help you out: http://www.justbabybottles.com

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