Is Melamine Safe?

A reader asked this as I was just looking into this myself. It looks like they are not the safest.  Another mom has also researched this.

You cannot heat melamine plates/bowls in a microwave, because that’s wear the melamine can break down and leach toxins. My question is, if I reheat something on this plate for 20 seconds, it does not get that hot, so why is it safe to put these in a dishwasher where I know for a fact it gets heated more than my microwave???

Melamine dishware is often a combination of melanine and formaldehyde. Melamine is also suspected to be what contaminated pet food and caused kidney failure in so many pets last year. So, it’s not looking so good for melamine. And formaldehyde?? Well, that’s just not good either.

Melamine has also been found in our food supply.  It is sometimes used as a protein source in food additives.  The FDA says melamine is safe, but they were surprised by the pet food contamination, we also know they claim the safety of BPA, which we now know is not safe. So, in my opinion, they are not exactly a reliable source these days.

Looks like I will be looking for new dishware, as we do use melamine plates for our 2 year old. *sigh* It just never ends. I likely will just get a few small Corelle plates — all glass and hard to break. Plus you can run them through the dishwasher, microwave, etc. Or I will get the plastic ware from IKEA, but from a non-toxic standpoint, Corelle gets my vote.

Related articles:

2 comments May 8, 2008

Bisphenol-A, BPA Cheatsheet

The Environmental Working Group posted a great little cheat sheet with helpful links to more information.

Their key points in limiting exposure are:

  • Limit canned foods. BPA leaches into canned food from the lining. When possible, and especially when pregnant or breastfeeding, limit the amount of canned food your family eats. Particularly avoid canned soup, pasta, and infant formula.
  • Avoid polycarbonate plastic. Hard, translucent plastic marked #7 is probably polycarbonate, which leaches BPA, especially when heated. Ditch your polycarbonate water bottles in favor of a stainless steel bottle. Don’t microwave plastic — use ceramic or glass instead.
  • If you’re formula feeding your infant, consider using powdered formulas packaged in non-steel cans. Also, choose baby bottles made from glass or specially-marked plastics that don’t leach BPA (like polypropylene or polyethylene).

Related articles:

4 comments April 29, 2008

BPA free dishes for kids

The Soft Landing has a great guide for kid-friendly dishware that is BPA free. And more suggestions may be found here.

SafeMama also did a review of Bambu dishware. It looks like a cool set, though since it’s wood/bamboo, you can’t run it through the dishwasher.

Of course, you can also let your kids use your regular dishes, but that can be dangerous to those with toddlers who like to drop, er throw, things. We’ve stopped our daughter from throwing her plate, but she still uses her own for fear of an accident. I think I will get a few of the Ikea plates for her.

Related articles:

Add comment April 28, 2008

Toys ‘R’ Us to phase out bisphenol A baby bottles

Great move for the baby giant!

“All baby bottles containing the controversial chemical bisphenol A will be pulled of Toys “R” Us shelves by the end of the year, the retailer said Monday.

The company’s move to phase out products with the chemical follows Friday’s federal government announcement that Canada will ban the import and sale of polycarbonate baby bottles containing bisphenol A (BPA). If the ban proceeds, Canada will be the first country in the world to limit BPA.”

Read More…

Related articles:

4 comments April 25, 2008

Wal-Mart to ban BPA in stores; Nalgene to ditch BPA

Applause for Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, they are not phasing out BPA-containing baby bottles until 2009, but at least it’s something. Canadians should already see Wal-Mart has removed products with BPA from store shelves. I am disapointed Wal-Mart is not removing these products from all stores right away. If it’s toxic, it’s toxic.

“Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, announced today, that it was immediately removing baby bottles and other products made with bisphenol A (BPA) from its Canadian stores presently, and baby bottles containing BPA from its U.S. stores next year, coupled with Nalgene’s announced plans to phase out all BPA bottles was applauded by environmental health organizations.” Read more….

Related articles:

2 comments April 24, 2008

Canada bans BPA in baby bottles

Friday, Canada officially declared BPA a toxic substance and is banning all polycarbonate baby bottles from being sold in Canada.

Canada is the first govenment to make this declaration.

Read the full NY Times article.

3 comments April 19, 2008

BPA in Mott’s applesauce containers

Flip over one of Mott’s single-serve applesauce containers and you may find the dreaded #7. I just called Mott’s and they confirmed they do use #7 polycarbonate for some applesauce containers including those in the organic line, but that #1 is also used. #7 of course is polycarbonate, containing bisphenol-a or BPA, a toxic substance known to cause cancer and other serious health problems (see below under “What is Bisphenol A?”.

Mott’s maintains the FDA says #7 is safe, but we know better, don’t we! So, my advice is to either avoid Mott’s (and possibly all single serve applesauce and fruit) or check the bottom each and every time you make a purchase to make sure you are not selecting a #7 container. Sure is frustrating, but hopefully the FDA will come to their senses soon and ban this toxic substance.

I have seen Whole Foods Kids single-serve applesauce in #5 and #7 containers, so it’s an issue apparently not limited to Mott’s. Earth’s Best may also pose the same dilemma.

What is Bisphenol A?
Bisphenol A is a harmful chemical found in polycarbonate plastic which is used to make many popular baby bottles and sippy cups, among other things. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that mimics the action of the human hormone estrogen, which alters our body’s natural pattern. BPA can leach from polycarbonate plastic, usually a hard, clear plastic that is common of many products we use everyday. Effects at even low BPA exposure include prostate cancer, breast cancer, early puberty onset, alterations in gender-specific behavior, decreased sperm count, affects on fertility, behavioral effects including hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, impaired learning and other changes in behavior, and other problems.

Many companies use this chemical in their packaging including cans, soda cans, and plastic food containers. There is a risk of absorbing this chemical through the use of containing foods and liquids but can also leech into our water systems through landfills.

Many leading experts argue that the use of Bisphenol is safe to the human public but research may begin to further prove otherwise. No level of BPA has been deemed as safe by independent research.

Related articles:

3 comments April 17, 2008

US Government says BPA is harmful

So it is not just concerned parents, half of the US state governments and Canada, now a federal health panel for the US government, Department of Health and Human Services’ National Toxicology Program, is stepping up saying BPA may in fact cause cancer and other serious disorders.

This article also points out the FDA is under-funded. That really is not good news. With all the food and drug-recalls and now research showing BPA is harmful while the FDA is still claiming its safety – well, that really is not the best news I heard today.

The folks in the plastic industry maintain BPA is safe, but really, don’t they have something to gain by saying so? Kinda reminds me of when the tobacco industry said smoking was good for your health… We now know better.

While the FDA is pointing to studies showing the safety of BPA it is worthy to note that the studies were funded by the plastic industry.

There are numerous independent studies that show BPA is harmful. Why can’t the plastic industry folks just fess up and remove this toxic chemical from its production line, and while they are at it, they can stop the production of #3 (polyvinyl chloride containing phthalates) and #6 (styrofoam containing polystyrene). These all have been shown to threaten human and animal health, and the environment.

There are many articles in the news today talking about the federal health panel’s stance on BPA.

Safety of Water Bottles, Baby Bottles Questioned, ABC News
Reusable plastic water bottles may be good for the environment, but a new study shows they might be bad for your health.  There’s a possibility that the chemical found in plastic water bottles, baby bottles and the lining of many food, drink and baby formula cans could be linked to health problems, including prostate cancer, breast cancer and early-onset puberty, according to a chemical evaluation released Monday night by the Department of Health and Human Services’ National Toxicology Program.

US Government says BPA may cause cancer, Mom Houston
U.S. Cites Fears on Chemical In Plastics, Washington Post
A federal health panel Tuesday for the first time acknowledged concerns that a chemical found in thousands of everyday products such as baby bottles and compact discs may cause cancer and other serious disorders.

Chemical in plastic may harm human growth, LA Times
A controversial, estrogen-like chemical in plastic could be harming the development of children’s brains and reproductive organs, a federal health agency concluded in a report released Tuesday.

Ignore self-serving industry studies and ban plastics chemical, Mercury News
That day in 1998 in Patricia Hunt’s Washington State University research lab started like any other: scientists hard at work, searching for causes of human pregnancy failure. But then the data suddenly went haywire. Eggs from normal female mice - the controls - began exhibiting striking abnormalities. Hunt had a mystery on her hands. Weeks of reviewing internal protocols finally gave Hunt her answer. The culprit was bisphenol A.

Related articles:

Add comment April 16, 2008

Get reports on BPA-free products right on your mobile

So you are on your quest to find BPA-free sippies, bottles, pacifiers and feeding tools, but once at the store, you are overwhelmed with options and completely forget which items are safe from what company. Z Recommends has come to the rescue with a wonderful service. Just send them a text from your mobile phone and they will send you a report! Genius! Best part is that it is free (aside from your standard texting fees).

Read more about how to use this service on Z Rec’s website.

Here is how the service works:

How It Works
Text “zrecs” plus a company name and/or a product category to 69866. You’ll get a text back (or occasionally two) providing the BPA status of products by that company and/or in that category. Current categories are bottles, sippys, pacifiers, and tableware.

Requirements: Every request sent to this service requires the first word to be “zrecs” to access our BPA database, and must be sent to the number 69866.

Charges/Access fees: This service is currently offered free of any charge except whatever it costs you to send and receive text messages (based on your cell phone plan). This free service is made possible by a partnership between Z Recommends and Mobile Commons, a company that designs and serves mobile applications. We’ll invite you to contribute to this project at the foot of this post.

Here are some specific ways you can access our BPA info through this service.

Check all of one company’s products: Text “zrecs” and then the company name. Example: “zrecs boon” returns, at the time of this writing:

Reported BPA-Free: Fluid, Benders, Modware, Catch Bowl, Groovy, Snack Ball. W/BPA: Squirt. More at zrecs.com | StdOthrChrgsMayApply. Powered by mCommons

Product category status and recommendations: For this text service products are covered in the following categories:

bottles
sippys
pacifiers
tableware

You can check on a company’s products in a particular category by texting “zrecs” + company name + category (no plusses!). Example: “zrecs avent pacifiers” returns, at the time of this writing:

All current Avent pacifiers have BPA. Alternatives: txt pacifier. More at zrecs.com | StdOthrChrgsMayApply. Powered by mCommons

Whenever we find a company’s BPA-free offerings in a product area lacking, we’ll point you to the alternative: requesting info for the product category overall. In the above case, we wanted to remind you that you can text “zrecs pacifiers,” which will return:

BPA-Free pacifiers: all First Years+Playtex, some Evenflo (txt company name + pacifier for specs). More at zrecs.com | StdOthrChrgsMayApply. Powered by mCommons

As we add new companies to the Z Report, you’ll see more companies’ products popping up in some of these categories. We have very few listings that run into two messages, and if we run out of space we are more likely to drop companies which are unlikely to be seen in brick-and-mortar stores; when you’re shopping online, just check the Z Report.

Get general recommendations or info: There are a few other texts you can send.

  • zrecs BPAFree: Basic instructions for checking on companies, plus a list of recommended BPA-Free companies from the Z Report.
  • zrecs info: Reminds you that we canvassed companies, rather than lab-testing, to get the information in our report.
  • zrecs disclaimer: We do our best, all the time.

Related Articles:

  • Pregnant women told to avoid BPA
  • US Government says BPA is harmful
  • Today Show report on BPA & plastic safety
  • BPA may lead to health problems such as obesity and ADD/ADHD
  • Whole Foods private label canned food contain BPA
  • Canned foods and BPA
  • BPA is found in infant formula
  • Gerber baby food containers
  • BPA and other plastic safety
  • Z Recommends: The Z Report on BPA In Infant Care Products, Third Edition
  • Environmental Working Group: Guide to Baby Safe Bottles & Formula
  • Environmental Working Groups Report on BPA in Baby Formula

    • Add comment April 11, 2008

    BPA free bottles and sippy cups

    This is a great “cheat sheet” that was compiled by SafeMama. It’s a very extensive list, so I wanted to share. If you are aware of a BPA-free bottle or sippy that is not on the list, please let me know and I will add it. That said, this may not be a comprehensive list as new products are released all the time. Additionally, please be aware that Avent, Dr. Brown’s, Nuby and others do have products made of polycarbonate plastics, so please choose wisely. I hope this relieves some concerns or helps you select products that are considered safe.

    BPA Free Bottle Products

    • Adiri Natural Nursers
    • Avent “Via” disposable bottles
    • BornFree - All bottles and cups BPA free *see note
    • EvenFlo Glass bottles
    • Playtex Opaque Soft Bottle, Playtex Drop in liners
    • Gerber: Gerber Clearview, Fashion Tints (also called “Plastic Pastels”), Gerber GentleFlow
    • Medela: All bottles
    • Sassy MAM bottles (UltiVent), Baby Food Nurser Kit
    • Green to Grow Bottles **see note
    • Sassy Baby Food Nurser Kit
    • ThinkBaby Bottles
    • Momo Glass Bottles
    • Nuby: Standard Neck Non-Drip Bottle, Wide-Neck Non-Drip Bottle, Wide-Neck Bottle with Handles and Non-Drip Nipple, Standard Neck Bottle with Handles and Non-Drip Nipple, 3-Stage Wide Neck Easy Grip Feeding System with Non-Drip Nipple.
    • Nuture Pure Glass bottles
    • Babisil Silbottles
    • Weego Glass Bottles
    • Siliskin Glass Bottles
    • Dr Brown’s: Glass Bottles (all vent system pieces BPA Free), Dr. Browns Polypropylene bottles (due in store’s April 15th)

    BPA Free Sippy Cups

    • Avent Magic Cups
    • Playtex: Coolster Tumbler, Insulator, Einstein Training Cup, Sipster, Create My Own, Quick Straw, Insulator Sport, Sip and Discover, First Sipster
    • Gerber: Sip & Smile Spill-proof Cup, Easy Grip Insulated Soft Straw Cup, Insulated Cool Cup, Fun Grips Color Change Spill-proof Cup, Grins & Giggles Spill-proof Cup (source)
    • BornFree sippy/drinking cups
    • Kleen Kanteen
    • Thermos Foogo Sippy Cups, and drinking bottle with straw
    • SIGG Toddler Water Bottles
    • Kid Basix The Safe Sippy
    • Boon Sippy
    • GrowPure Multi-Stage Feeder and Sippy Cup
    • iPlay Aqua Bottle
    • ThinkBaby Training Cup
    • Sassy Snack Time Infa-Trainer Cup
    • Munchkin: Cupsicle, Cupsicle Straw Cup, Big Kid Sippy Cup, Mighty Grip Flip Straw Cup, Mighty Grip Trainer Cup, licensed character Sports Bottles, Re-usable Straw Cups, Re-usable Spill-proof Cups
    • Nuby: No-Spill Sports Sipper, Insulated Soft Silicone Spout Cup, Soft Spout Easy Grip Cup, Gripper Cup with Soft Silicone Spout, 2-Handle Cup, Tinted Mega Sipper
    • The First Years: Take & Toss, Spill-proof Cup, Insulated Cup, Licensed character sippy cups, Insulated Spill-proof Cup, 2 Handled Cups

    BPA Free Milkand Food Storage

    • Avent Via 8-oz. Nurser Kit
    • Avent Snack Cup / Formula Dispenser
    • Mother’s Milkmate Storage bottles
    • Medela Milk Storage bottles and breastpump accessories
    • Playtex Breastmilk storage kit
    • Lansinoh® Breastmilk Storage Bags
    • Lansinoh® Breastmilk Storage Bottles
    • Gerber Breastmilk Storage Bags
    • So Easy Fresh Baby Food Kit
    • Baby Cubes
    • Laptop Lunch System

    *If you are currently using Dr. Browns polycarbonate bottles and would like to switch, the Dr. brown’s venting system (the internal pieces) are BPA Free and are made of polypropylene plastic. Also, they FIT and work with BornFree bottles which could be a little bit of a money saver.

    ** Dr Browns bottle nipples fit with Green to Grow bottles. As we know once a baby is comfy with something it’s sometimes a pain to change so it’s good to know we don’t have to change everything if we don’t have to. Alicia of The Soft Landing did a more exhaustive report on what nipples fit what bottles. Read about it on her blog here.

    Visit Z Recommends for product reviews on many of these BPA-free products. They have done an outstanding job of researching and reviewing these products.

    What is Bisphenol A?
    Bisphenol A is a harmful chemical found in polycarbonate plastic which is used to make many popular baby bottles and sippy cups, among other things. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that mimics the action of the human hormone estrogen, which alters our body’s natural pattern. BPA can leach from polycarbonate plastic, usually a hard, clear plastic that is common of many products we use everyday. Effects at even low BPA exposure include prostate cancer, breast cancer, early puberty onset, alterations in gender-specific behavior, decreased sperm count, affects on fertility, behavioral effects including hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, impaired learning and other changes in behavior, and other problems.

    Many companies use this chemical in their packaging including cans, soda cans, and plastic food containers. There is a risk of absorbing this chemical through the use of containing foods and liquids but can also leech into our water systems through landfills.

    Many leading experts argue that the use of Bisphenol is safe to the human public but research may begin to further prove otherwise. No level of BPA has been deemed as safe by independent research.

    Related articles:

    30 comments April 9, 2008

    Categories

    Links

    Feeds