What's the Problem with Plastic?

• For more than 50 years, an estrogen-like chemical called Bisphenol A (BPA) has been used in a variety of products, including most plastic bottles, making them clear and shatterproof. Some have questioned this chemical's safety. Studies conclude BPA leaches into the fluids we drink and causes health problems in animals. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says the levels of BPA found in plastic baby and water bottles are safe for humans -- although they do say more research should be done on the chemical.
  
  

Naysayers

• However, the science on BPA is far from conclusive. No human safety tests have been conducted, and many scientists believe past BPA studies were flawed. The National Institutes of Health admits it funded many BPA research projects that were poorly designed. Roselyne Bachelot, the French Minister for Health, sums up the skeptics' response: "There are reliable studies which conclude with current scientific data, that baby bottles containing this chemical compound are innocuous. These studies are confirmed by all major health agencies."
  
  

How to Know if It's BPA

• Especially with baby bottles, manufacturers often mark their products as "BPA free." However, not all non-BPA plastic bottles are marked this way. How can you know if the product contains BPA? Look for numbers stamped on the bottom of the bottle, in the recycling symbol. Anything marked with a 3 or 6 contains BPA. Bottles marked with a 7 may or may not contain BPA. The 7 is a "catch all" number and includes products that mix non-BPA plastics together.
  
  

How to Reduce Your Family's Exposure

• Aside from choosing only plastic products that don't contain BPA, there are other ways to reduce your family's exposure. These include using glass or metal containers for drinking fluids, avoiding canned foods (whose containers are often lined with BPA) and not microwaving BPA plastics.
  
  

Precautions and Other Options

• If you switch to glass baby bottles, you must examine the bottles carefully before each use. If there are any chips or cracks, throw the bottle away immediately; it could contain small pieces of hazardous glass.
  Reusable metal water cups are useful for adults; however, they may still contain BPA plastic and will be too hot to touch if you live in certain climates. A better choice might be a product like IceBox water, which is spring water in a recyclable cardboard container made from sustainable forests.