toxic plastic – Natural families and lifestyle

Posted on July 19, 2010 by Trisha · 2 Comments

Lead found in Medela Cooler Carrier

Apparently I am behind the times on this one. Last year, the Center for Environmental Health tested the Medela Cooler Carrier and found traces of lead. I was less than thrilled to hear about this since I have been carrying my daughter’s organic milk in it to daycare for the last 2 years and used it to carry the breast milk I pumped for her at work for over a year.

Medela believes the coolers are safe and lead free, but, being the great company they are, are gladly replacing them if you are concerned. So mine is on its way back to Medela. The downside is it takes 6 weeks to receive the replacement and since I am pumping now for my 4 month old son, I needed something now.

So I went to www.reusablebags.com where this is a selection of lead-free bags. I got a Munchler’s lunch backback for my daughter to carry her milk – CUTE!!!! She will be able to use this bag for a long time. Very cute and durable. It’s a backpack style, so she can easily put it on and carry it. Highly recommend.

For my son I purchased an ACME lunch bag which works perfectly for baby bottles, much better than the likely lead-tainted freebies that you get in the hospital. I got a second one in another color that I use to carry the pumped milk. It’s a little big for that purpose, but I will be able to use the bag for lunches or otherwise when I am done pumping, which is what I wanted anyway.

Check all your milk, bottle and lunch cooler bags. Many are made of vinyl/PVC and likely contain lead. There are many very cute, lead free options available, so why risk lead exposure?

Even though the food or milk may not come in direct contact with the bag, contamination is still probable since you touch the bag, then your food, your breast pump parts, whatever the case may be.

Click here to find out if your Medela cooler is affected and if so how to return your Medela Cooler for a refund or replacement.

Posted on January 2, 2009February 10, 2010 by Trisha · 4 Comments

BPA Free dishes, utensils, snack containers, and food storage for kids

I have been working on this list for months. Giving birth, caring for a newborn and having a toddler to chase on top of that sure takes a lot more time. I know I need to answer a few questions too and will get to those as soon as I can.

Here I have compiled a list of kids BPA free dishes, utensils, snack containers and food storage containers for kids.

DISHES (plates, bowls, tumblers)
Arrow Frostware Dishes and Bowls; Section plates, Sip-a-bowl, Sip-a-cup, Juice sipper, Tumblers, Bowls, plates
Bany Cie 5 piece luncheon set
BabyBjorn Plate & Spoon
Baby Dipper bowl and spoon set
Bambu Kids Organic Bamboo Dishes, Bowls
Boon: Groovy interlocking plate and bowl, Snack plate, Catch bowl
Camden Rose “Cheery” Wooden Bowl and Spoon set
Correlle dishware (“unbreakable,” made of glass)
The Dombo cup
First years: take and toss set, Double duty plates
Frostware: plates, bowls and tumblers
Gerber: bunch of bowls with lids, Lil Trainer tableware Plates and Utensils, Divide and Dine Plates, Tossables Disposable Plates, Lil Snackin’ Bowl, Snap N’ Store Plates
Green Sprouts Eco-Friendly cornstarch divided plates, cornstarch bowl, warming plate, Baby food mill, Baby food grinder bowl
Guyot Designs Squishy Bowl & Cup Set
Gund Tender beginnings ceramic dish set pink and blue
IKEA: Kalas Plates, Bowls & Tumblers; MATA 4 piece Dinnerware set (frog, comes in 4 colors) (note: IKEA’s other kid dishes are mostly made of melamine and another set has a polycarbonate cup)
Kidco Travel Dish with Spoon , Baby food mill
Land of Nod: Ceramic Kids Dishware
Little Tikes: 4 piece turtle mealtime set, Cozy Coup bowl with lid, Turtle Bowl with lid
Munchkin: Multi Plates & Bowls, Toddler Plates, 3 Pack Stayput Suction Bowls, Stayput Suction Toddler Bowls
Nuby: Wash or Toss Dishes, Snack Cup and Spoon, Microwaveable Bowl with Lid
ORE Originals Baby Face ABC Ceramic Dish Set (REALLY cute!)
Recycline 10” dinner plates, 7” salad plates, cups all made of polypropylene
Sassy: Less mess toddler feeding bowl, Feeding plate set, Warming dish, Perfect size snack cups, On-the-go feeding set, Feeding bowl set, Insulated feeding pots, NEW BPA-free line coming soon!
Skip*Hop Mate Dish Set (note other Skip Hop dishes are made of melamine, so are BPA free, but the safety of melamine in dishware is debatable right now)
TreBimbi Dinnerware Sets: 6 piece Puppet Club and 5 piece Party set    very cute and would make mealtime fun
Tupperware – all products marketed for kids are BPA-free, including Bell Tumbler Sippy Cups with Seals Set of 4, Divided Dish Set with Easy Grip Handle, Ideal Little Kids Bowls, set of 3, Feeding set for Kids
Stainless Steel dishware
Think Baby stainless steel feeding set
Trendykid Stackable Steady Cup
ZAK Designs Many of the dinnerware sets are made of melamine.

UTENSILS
Bambu Kids Organic Bamboo Utensils
Boon: Benders Fork & Spoon, Modware Toddler Utensils, Polka Dot Fork and Spoon, Squirt Food Dispensing Spoon
First Years forks and spoons
Gerber: Infant Spoons, Toddler Spoons, Fork and Spoon Set, Graduates Kiddy kutlery (SO cute with fork, spoon and knife), Scoopin’ Spoons (my daughter loves these), Tossables Disposable Utensils
Green Sprouts Eco-Friendly Cornstarch fork and spoon, silicone toddler spoon
IKEA: Kalas 18 Piece Cutlery set
Munchkin: Soft-Tip Infant Spoons
Nuby: hot safe feeding spoon, Nibbler, Easy grip fork and spoon set, Spoon and Fork with Soft Handle, Fun Feeding Spoons with Toys and Sounds,
One Step Ahead: My Very Own Flatware stainless steel (3 and up)
Recycline cutlery made of polypropylene
Sassy: Less mess feeding spoon, toddler feeding spoon, Teether feeder, travel case w/fork and spoon
TreBimbi Dinnerware Utensils
Williams Sonoma: Kids Stainless Flatware

SNACK CONTAINERS
Boon Snack Ball
Little Tikes 3 piece turtle snack set
Munchkin: Snack Catcher, Snack n’ Serve Cups, Snack Dispenser
RazBaBY formula and snack dispensers
Snack Trap
The First Years: take and toss snack savers, 6 pack of snack cups

FOOD STORAGE – Baby
Baby Cubes baby food storage system
BornFree Thermal Food Jar
Gerber Bunch of Bowls with Lids
Green Sprouts Baby food grinder bowl, silicone freezer tray
Munchkin: Baby Food Grinder, Fresh Food Feeder
So Easy Fresh Baby Food Kit
Thermos Food Jars

Posted on November 24, 2008 by Trisha

Did the plastics industry write the FDA’s report on BPA?

I found this article awhile back saying the FDA’s report on the safety of BPA, released in August, may have been written by the folks at the plastics industry, who obviously have a large stake here.

MILWAUKEE, WISC.; October 23, 2008 (WPVI) — A government saying that bisphenol A, a controversial chemical in plastics was safe came largely from research supplies by the plastics industry.

In a special report, writers for the Milwaukee Sentinel-Journal say the FDA’s own documents say most of the work was prepared by major stakeholders in keeping bisphenol A, also called BPA, on the market.

That includes Stephen Hentges, executive director of the American Chemistry Council’s group on bisphenol A, who commissioned a review of all studies of the neurotoxicity of bisphenol A and submitted it to the FDA. The FDA then used that report as the foundation for its evaluation of the chemical on neural and behavioral development. The American Chemistry Council is a trade group representing chemical manufacturers.

The FDA’s report, which came out in August, said concerns about BPA were unfounded. It is used in baby bottles, water bottles, the linings of infant formula containers, dental sealants, eyeglasses, and inside food cans.

One month later, advisers from the National Toxicology Program – an FDA advisory panel – came to the opposite conclusion – that there is cause for concern on how BPA affects fetuses, infants, and children, as well as how it affects development of the brain and prostate gland.

A congressional committee is now investigating the August report, and the FDA’s links to the plastics industry. The agency had been criticized before for using industry figures to make its case for BPA’s safety. The FDA has promised to do an independent study on BPA safety, but that has yet to be done.

Bisphenol A has been detected in the urine of 93% of those tested.

Last weekend, the Canadian government officially declared BPA as a toxin, and banned its use in baby bottles and children’s products.

Numerous university studies on BPA using lab aninmals showed the potential for serious health effects.

A government committee is currently analyzing the initial FDA report finding no harm. Its report is due out on in Washington next Friday, October 31st.

/end article

Additionally, there was a report earlier this week that one of the top FDA officials reviewing the BPA case accepted a bribe from the plastics industry.

The good news is there are folks in the US who are taking action.
– Attorneys general of 3 states have written letters to 11 companies asking them to ban the use of BPA in their products. This includes popular bottle and formula makers.
– The Environmental Working Group continues to study BPA in formula and issue the findings so parents can choose safer formulas.
– Blogs by concerned parents are helping spread the word and providing parents with lists of BPA-free options so they may choose safer products for their children.

Posted on November 10, 2008February 16, 2009 by Trisha · 1 Comment

FDA ruling on BPA Flawed

So I am a little late posting this. But in a Washington Post article on Oct 29, several scientists and government agencies state the FDA did not take into consideration all the evidence regarding the safety of BPA. An except from the article states:

“In a highly critical report to be released today, the panel of scientists from government and academia said the FDA did not take into consideration scores of studies that have linked bisphenol A (BPA) to prostate cancer, diabetes and other health problems in animals when it completed a draft risk assessment of the chemical last month. The panel said the FDA didn’t use enough infant formula samples and didn’t adequately account for variations among the samples.”

This is no shock to say the least, but it is very, very troubling that the government agency who is supposed to protect consumers from toxins, sides with the plastics industry time and time again. The studies ignored in the FDA’s assessment reaffirms that BPA has no place in infant products, or in any other form that would ever come in contact with foods and beverage.

Canada has declared BPA a hazardous substance and has banned BPA in baby bottles. Retailers including Target, Wal-Mart and Babies R Us have promised to stop selling baby bottles containing BPA.

Posted on October 20, 2008 by Trisha

Canada says BPA is toxic; bans baby bottles with BPA

Canada is the first country in the world to declare BPA a toxic substance. What does the FDA say? They claim it’s safe, of course! Though last week, several articles alluded to the fact the FDA may have been bribed in coming to the conclusion BPA is safe. I have to still post that article, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, read more about the ban here.

Posted on October 15, 2008February 10, 2010 by Trisha · 10 Comments

BPA free bottles, sippy cups and food storage

Updated 2/10/10

Most parents are ready to pull their hair out trying to find BPA-free products for their kids. So I have compiled a cheat sheet to help you wade through the large selection of bottles, sippy cups, storage containers, snack cups, etc.

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, Gerber and others DO have products made of polycarbonate plastics and therefore NOT BPA free, so please choose wisely. I hope this relieves some concerns or helps you select products that are considered safe.

BPA FREE BOTTLES
Adiri Natural Nursers
Avent: Avent “Via” disposable bottles, Avent BPA-free bottles, Avent Tempo Liners
Babisil Silbottles
BornFree – All bottles and cups BPA free (9oz bottle, 5 oz bottle) *see note
Dr Brown’s: Glass Bottles (all vent system pieces BPA Free), Dr. Browns Polypropylene bottles
Evenflo: EvenFlo Glass bottles, Classic Tinted Polypropylene bottles
Gerber: Gerber Clearview, Fashion Tints (also called “Plastic Pastels”), Gerber GentleFlow
Green to Grow Bottles **see note
Innobaby Silicone Bottle

Medela: All bottles (newer version, standard bottles)
Munchkin Dora BPA Free bottle
Momo: Momo Glass Bottles, Plastic Wide Neck Bottles, Silicone 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, Silicone Bottle
Nuture Pure Glass bottles
Parent’s Choice Bottles (available at Walmart)
Playtex: Original Nurser, Opaque Soft Bottle (discontinued), Playtex Drop in liners
Sassy: MAM bottles (UltiVent), Baby Food Nurser Kit
Siliskin Glass Bottles
ThinkBaby Bottles (Whole Foods carries these as well)
Thermobaby glass bottles
Tommee Tippee Easyflow Bottle to Cup
Weego Glass Bottles

BPA FREE SIPPY CUPS
Avent Magic Cups
Boon Sippy
BornFree sippy/drinking cups
Evenflo: Fun Sip Insulated Spill-proof Cup, Fun Sip Insulated Straw Cup
Kleen Kanteen
Gerber: Sip & Smile Spill-proof Cup, Easy Grip Insulated Soft Straw Cup, Insulated Cool Cup, Gerber® Fun Grips® Cup, Gerber® Fun Grips® Color Change Cup, Grins & Giggles Spill-proof Cup, Gerber® Sip & Smile™ Cup
GrowPure Multi-Stage Feeder and Sippy Cup
iPlay Aqua Bottle
Kid Basix The Safe Sippy
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, Tinted Mega Sipper, 7oz Tumblers
Playtex: Coolster Tumbler, Insulator, Einstein Sip & Discover Training Cup, Sipster, Create My Own, Quick Straw, Insulator Sport, Sip and Discover, First Sipster, Einstein Sip & Discover Insulated Straw Cup
SIGG Toddler Water Bottles (new version, bronze inner coating contains BPA, new version does not)
The First Years: Take & Toss, Spill-proof Cup, Insulated Cup, Licensed character sippy cups, Insulated Spill-proof Cup, 2 Handled Cups
Thermos Foogo Sippy Cups, and FUNtainer Straw Bottles
ThinkBaby Training Cup
Tommee Tippee First Cup, Easiflow Cup, Easiflow Insulated Cup, Easiflow Open Cup, Tip It Up CupLansinoh Bottles (all)

BPA FREE MILK / LIQUID / POWDER STORAGE
Ameda Mother’s Milk Storage Bags
Avent Via 8-oz. Nurser Kit
Avent Snack Cup / Formula Dispenser
Baby Cubes
Bailey Milk Storage Bags (Nurture lll pump tubing BPA Free as well)
Bailey Storage Bottles (as well as all parts of their “double collection kit”)
Dr. Brown’s Breastmilk Storage Bags
Gerber Breastmilk Storage Bags
Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags
Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bottles
Mother’s Milkmate Storage bottles, and storage rack with 10 bottles
Medela Milk Storage bottles (also have a 2.7 oz bottle) and breastpump accessories
Munchkin Powdered Formula Dispensers
Playtex Breastmilk storage kit
Sassy Formula Dispenser
The First Years Easy Pour Breastmilk Storage bags
Sensible Lines Milk Trays

BPA FREE BABY FOOD STORAGE
Baby Cubes
BornFree Thermal Food Jar
First Years Take and Toss snackers
Gerber bunch of bowls
Laptop Lunch System
Munchkin: Baby Food Grinder, Fresh Food Feeder
So Easy Fresh Baby Food Kit, and additional trays
Thermos FUNtainer stainless steel food container

BPA FREE SNACK CONTAINERS
Boon Snack Ball
Munchkin: Snack Catcher, Snack n’ Serve Cups, Snack Dispenser
RazBaBY formula and snack dispensers
Snack Trap
The First Years: take and toss snack savers, 6 pack of snack cups

** 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:

BPA and Phthalate free pacifiers
Lead and Phthalate free toys for Christmas
Cloth baby wipes showdown
US Government says BPA is harmful
Pregnant women told to avoid BPA
Canned foods and BPA
BPA is found in infant formula
Gerber baby food containers
BPA and other plastic safety
Breastmilk contains stem cells

Posted on September 19, 2008October 4, 2008 by Trisha

Sassy clears up which products are BPA-free

I was just looking at Z Recs blog and noticed they had an update from Sassy on which of their products do and do not contain BPA. Z Recs had received several comments from readers where different websites listed certain Sassy products as BPA-free and others listed the same product as containing BPA. So they asked Sassy to clarify, thanks Z Recs!

Turns out, some products Sassy previously said were BPA-free are not. Dissapointing, yet kudos to Sassy for coming out and clarifying.

Here is the list. Z Rec’s blog also has an image of all these products on their blog.

The following items were previously reported by Sassy as BPA-free, but are now reported to contain BPA:

Feeding products

Snack Time Infa-Trainer Cup
Color Change Fork and Spoon
Color Change Infant Feeding Spoon
Extra Gentle Soft Tip Spoon
Flexi Grip Toddler Spoon and Fork
Ideal Temp Feeding Spoon
EZ Grip Feeding Bowls with utensils

Bath Toys

Soft Ducky
Squirting Sea Pals
Boogie Board Buddy

The following additional items were previously reported to ZRecs as being free of PVC, but actually contain it (although they are still reported to be free of phthalates as well as BPA):

Bathtime Kitchen Sink
Car Wash
Counting Bath Time Bucket
Gator Boat
Snap and Squirt Sea Creatures

Two items were not included in this materials list, and ZRecs is seeking confirmation of their status:

Gummy Guppy Teether

Al-i-Sorter

Posted on August 15, 2008October 4, 2008 by Trisha

President Bush signs product safety bill to protect children

Yeah! Yesterday Bush signed a bill into law that would ban lead and phthalates from products aimed at children under the age of 12. This includes toys, clothes, bath products, etc.

The major provisions of the bill are:
• Increase funding for CPSC over five years — starting at $118 million in fiscal 2010, and ending at $136 million. For fiscal 2008, CPSC received $80 million
• Create whistleblower protections for employees of manufacturers, private labelers, retailers and distributors
• Require third-party testing of certain children’s products
• Authorize CPSC to inspect manufacturers’ proprietary laboratories
• Require CPSC to make new safety rules for toys
• Create a public database for consumer complaints
• Ban children’s toys or child care articles containing more than a trace amount of certain phthalates, and ban other phthalates on an interim basis pending a review
• Ban lead beyond a minute amount in products for children under 12

The number of toy recalls has been astounding and it’s great to see Congress finally take action.

I look forward to the day when I can also buy shampoo for my daughter without having to scrutinize and read between the lines on the product labels. While banning phthalates is a big step in the right direction, we still have a long way to go in this department — parabens and dioxanes anyone? Yeah, me neither.

But for today, great job Mr. President! I hope to see more like this from Congress to help protect Americans from other harmful substances.

Posted on August 12, 2008August 4, 2010 by Trisha · 10 Comments

Nontoxic backpacks for back to school

I found this article with a great list and some tips for selecting non-toxic backpacks for back to school. My daughter is just 2, so I have not looked into this, but lucky for those who do have school-aged children, someone has already done the research for safe back pack options.

“While Congress has recently voted to ban toxic lead and phthalates from toys, the legislation does not cover children’s backpacks, many of which are made of vinyl containing both toxic substances. Lead, high exposures of which cause learning problems (not so cool for back to school) and phthalates, linked to obesity and lower sperm counts, readily migrate out of vinyl and onto children’s fingers, and thence into their mouths. Phthalates also evaporate into the air and get inhaled; studies have shown they contribute to asthma and other respiratory problems in children.

When shopping for backpacks, make sure they’re PVC-free at a minimum, and made of recycled materials to get an E (for eco and excellence) plus. Here are some recommendations.”

Related Articles
PVC and Lead-free lunch boxes

Posted on August 8, 2008August 8, 2008 by Trisha · 6 Comments

Vinyl shower curtains emit toxic chemicals

Those vinyl shower curtains that nearly every home has, can emit up to 100 different chemicals. That “new shower curtain” smell is actually the out-gassing of fumes given off by these chemicals.

I replaced my shower liners with fabric ones a few months ago after my husband whined about the smell making him feel sick. Now I know he was not just being a pansy, but there is definite truth that these toxic fumes make you sick. This includes nausea, headache and many of the compounds in these PVC liners are listed as known carcinogens by the EPA.

And according to a recent LA Times article

“The study found that PVC shower curtains contained high concentrations of phthalates, which have been linked to reproductive effects, and varying concentrations of organotins, which are compounds based on tin and hydrocarbons. One of the curtains tested released measurable quantities of as many as 108 volatile organic compounds into the air, some of which persisted for nearly a month.

Seven of these chemicals — toluene, ethylbenzene, phenol, methyl isobutyl ketone, xylene, acetophenone and cumene — have been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as hazardous air pollutants, said Stephen Lester, the center’s science director and a coauthor of the report.

Potential health effects include developmental damage and harm to the liver and the central nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems, according to the report….

Vinyl chloride, which is a major building block of PVC, is a known human carcinogen that causes liver cancer, Lester said.”

Phthalates were recently banned in a new act pass by congress that will help protect children from such harmful substances.

If you have a vinyl shower curtain, get rid of it, preferably recycle it so it won’t end up in a landfill. And opt for a fabric version like this made from polyester or a cotton one like this. I actually really prefer them for more reasons than they are non-toxic. They look better, I feel like they are cleaner, you can toss them in the washer and of course, they don’t smell up the bathroom for weeks!