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Thursday, August 9, 2007

Who You Gonna Believe?

posted by on August 9 at 13:54 PM

Last week a group of independent scientists writing in a peer-reviewed journal said that a chemical used in making plastic bottles—baby bottles, water bottles—poses a significant threat to human health. But yesterday a government-appointed panel says it ain’t so, and that the chemical—bisphenol A—is safe and there’s nothing to worry about. Drink up, kids!

That contrasts with the group of scientists, chosen for their expertise on bisphenol A, who last week concluded that a wide range of health problems caused by small doses of the chemical in lab animals “is a great cause for concern with regard to the potential for similar adverse effects in humans.”

In 95 percent of people tested, bisphenol A is detected at levels that could be harmful, the scientists said.

When experts disagree, it’s hard for people to know what to do.

Because, really, who you gonna believe? Independent scientists with some expertise writing for a peer-reviewed journal? Or scientists appointed by our government—you know, the same government that has been manipulating, burying, and fabricating evidence about global warming, air quality, sexual health, and on and on, for the last six years?

RSS icon Comments

1

crap.

Posted by arduous | August 9, 2007 2:07 PM
2

Bisphenol A is an ingredient in hard, glasslike polycarbonate plastic that's used for some kinds of baby and sports bottles. It's used in the plastic resin that lines tin cans. It's also found in plastic food containers, CDs, dental sealants and toys.

I have had a lifelong aversion to drinking out of plastic cups. My reasoning goes... if I can taste plastic, I must be eating it.

I had no idea cans had plastic inside. I guess I can give up canned green beans. I suppose I will also stop eating my cds. I will have a hard time giving up my water bottle, though.

Posted by Diana | August 9, 2007 2:10 PM
3

We all die someday. Worrying about every little thing we do is a waste of time. A vegetarian can get hit by a bus. An athlete can die from a heart attack. Enjoy life, y'all!

Posted by Shaniqua Jackson | August 9, 2007 2:11 PM
4

I'm gonna believe the scientists.

Posted by Michigan Matt | August 9, 2007 2:15 PM
5

Some things, Shaniqua, are more worthy of our worry than others. For instance, government-sanctioned poisoning.

Posted by Matt from Denver | August 9, 2007 2:15 PM
6

The *independent* scientists.

Posted by Michigan Matt | August 9, 2007 2:16 PM
7

Well, you have to keep in mind that scientists are doing the work of the devil, while our government is doing the work of God.

So are you going to believe God or Satan? Huh?

Posted by Dianna | August 9, 2007 2:17 PM
8

From the articles I've read, this seems to mainly affect plastics with the recycling symbol 7. The flexible plastic containers and such that I have are mostly 2 or 4, so I guess they're OK.

I'm gonna wait and see, regardless. I still remember a few years back when I got all worried about a study that showed a link between tofu and Alzheimer's, only to find out later that other studies had showed no effect or even a beneficial one. These kinds of studies contradict each other all the time, so it's best not to get too worked up about any single one.

Posted by Orv | August 9, 2007 2:18 PM
9

And then what. Most likely bisphenol A with MANY other things are going to be bad for us. It's not like it's asbestos. And so if bisphenol A is so bad for us, then we have to find an alternative, right? That takes time. It's not like all 7 billion human beings are going to stop what they are doing, find the solution, then move on with their lives.

Would be pretty cool huh ... imagine with every single little crisis that human beings faced we can all just stop what we are doing assemble like the thunder cats, do what we need to do, then move on with our lives.

Posted by OR Matt | August 9, 2007 2:21 PM
10

Oh, yeah, there's good info at the end of that article about which plastics don't have bisphenol A.

The tap water I poured into my Dasani water bottle, which also had tap water in it when purchased new, is a 1, so it's safe. For now.

Posted by Diana | August 9, 2007 2:21 PM
11

i will not stop eating my cds. i don't care what science says.

Posted by rob | August 9, 2007 2:25 PM
12

I dunno. I would imagine a group of independent scientists with some expertise writing for a peer-reviewed journal would go out of their way (be extreme, fabricate, etc) to report findings like these so they may become scientists who work for our government. (Scientists that make money.)

I'd be lying if I said I cared, though. Cigarettes, alcohol, pot, red meat, coffee, pop, the Stranger: I enjoy all of these things. They are killing me. Or my brain cells. But I enjoy them. So I don't care.

Actually...I do need to quit smoking. Again.

Posted by Mr. Poe | August 9, 2007 2:29 PM
13

That's kind of ignorant to dismiss one group of scientists because they work directly for government agencies. Their work is also published in peer review journals.

If you look at the acknowledgments in the articles appearing in Reproductive Toxicology, the independent scientists had a lot of funding coming from the big government agencies.

But regardless, so much disposable plastic is just bad in general, too much waste.

Posted by MC | August 9, 2007 2:29 PM
14

I'm moving to the mountains and growing all my own food.

Posted by monkey | August 9, 2007 2:31 PM
15

@10 - apparently #1 plastics have some other chemical. So look for 4, 5 & 2 plastics.

Heres a good article on whats safe:
http://leas.ca/On-the-Trail-of-Water-Bottle-Toxins.htm

I've been drinking out of nalgene bottles for years, every day. I'm doomed.

Posted by ky | August 9, 2007 2:31 PM
16

I'm waiting for Inhofe to call bisphenol A the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people and then cash a check from Nalgene.

Posted by Gitai | August 9, 2007 2:40 PM
17

(@8)

Dianna, I love your comments

Posted by mr. ryan | August 9, 2007 2:49 PM
18

This is a topic of some controversy among scientists, and, unlike global warming, there is no clear consensus. The biggest problem lies in how to interpret the animal studies, which are the ones that indicate that BPA may be harmful in doses small enough to be reasonably exposed to.

As a scientist, I'm not especially worried, but if I had small children, I might try to minimize their exposure. That's because most of the nasty things BPA is supposed to do are a result of its ability to mimic estrogen, which would be more significant in small children, IMHO

Posted by F | August 9, 2007 3:04 PM
19

What is unrealistic about these studies is that they almost always focus on one chemical. We are exposed to numerous chemicals in plastics, building materials, clothes, food, toothpastes, skin creams, medicines, vehicle exhaust, etc. A better approach would be to test typical chemicals we're exposed to all at the same time. That takes into account real world exposure, and if there are any multiplier effects from exposure to multiple chemicals. If there's a problem, you can then work backwards by eliminating one chemical at a time to see if that one is contributing to the health danger.


On a side note: the danger from lead and other chemicals in products such as computers doesn't come from eating your laptop or keyboard (though I wouldn't recommended that). It's when those products degrade and become part of the dust in your house or workplace, and you breathe it in. If you can minimize exposure to these products, it seems prudent. Not easy, I know.

Posted by Ebenezer | August 9, 2007 3:10 PM
20

Diana, I'm so with you. Drinking out of plastic cups, especially the kind that look like they've been hanging out since the late seventies, is so gross. The best time is when the lip has been slightly destroyed and has little bits of pokey-plastic. And the smell. And the opaque abyss. Grim.

BUT put enough vodka in the juice and pretty soon you forget about it.

Posted by n | August 9, 2007 3:21 PM
21

I'm with Mr. Poe @ 12.

...There's no cure, there's no answer
Everything gives you cancer...

PS: Quit smoking with the assistance of the patch a year and a half ago. Not that it makes the rarefied air at a mile high any easier to breathe. But at least my hair doesn't stink anymore.

Posted by OddlyEnough | August 9, 2007 4:07 PM
22

@21

I tried the patch. Funny thing: it makes me vomit. My doc questioned if I used more than one, how often I swapped them, or if I smoked while wearing one (or two). I said all of the above. WOOT!

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23

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24

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