We all people have a convenience of plastic drinking
water bottles, we just open the bottle cap and drink it ,not knowing either the
water in plastic bottle is good for our health or not But at least it’s water,
right? Water, yes, albeit water potentially spiked with chemicals that migrated
out of the plastic — chemicals that aren’t good for your health.
Effect of plastic upon human health;
The main concern with several types of plastic is that they contain endocrine disruptors — substances that, when taken into our bodies, alter normal hormonal function.
Effects of Endocrine Disruptors
Endocrine disruptors (which are now widespread in food, water, soil and even the air we breathe) include a long list of chemicals such as dioxins, cadmium, parabens, bisphenol a, phthalates, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), agricultural chemicals, polybrominated flame retardants, and some of the active ingredients in sunscreens.
Many of these chemicals cause problems because they can mimic the action of natural estrogen. These foreign estrogens (also known as xenoestrogens) can upset normal hormonal balance, stimulate the growth and development of reproductive tumors (breast, uterine, prostate), impair fertility, and disrupt pregnancy. Worse, many can cross the placenta to affect the fetus and get into breast milk. Chemicals such as phthalates have an antiandrogenic effect, meaning they interfere with testosterone and other hormones responsible for male sex characteristics. Exposure to these agents during fetal life and early childhood can derail normal sexual development and heighten the risk for diseases that don’t become apparent until
Problems with BPA
One of the most troubling endocrine disruptors is a common ingredient in plastic called bisphenol a (commonly called BPA). BPA is one of the highest volume chemicals produced worldwide, with over 6 billion pounds produced each year.”
Used to produce polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, BPA is found in many drinking containers, the lining of most food and beverage cans, bottle caps, plastic cutlery, plastic food storage containers, toys, dental sealants, some dental composites, water pipes, eyeglass lenses, and more. Polycarbonate is often blended with other plastics to create products such as mobile phone cases, car parts, electronic equipment, medical equipment, and household items. Because BPA is in printer ink, newspapers, and carbonless receipts, most recycled paper contains it, including paper towels and paper used to contain food.
Effect of plastic upon environment;
First and foremost, most plastic bags are not biodegradable and end up in landfills or worse, floating around in the environment. It takes hundreds of years for plastic bags to decompose and while they do, they release toxins into our soil, lakes, rivers and oceans. Secondly, littered plastic bags are a threat to animals. There are many places that they can be taken to be recycled, but in reality figures show that only 1% of all plastic bags are recycled, with most heading for landfill, or worse, our oceans. Over 100,000 animals are suspected of coming to this unfortunate end throughout the world every single year, on both land and in our oceans. Plastic bags which pollute our oceans have a bad habit of killing sea turtles in particular. They are by far the biggest casualty in all of this as they mistake carrier bags for jelly fish, or similar and then end up choking.
Paper bags as an alternative?
A lot of people think that paper bag are a good alternative to plastic bags but they’re not. They are actually really energy intensive and unless they are made from recycled paper products, they are cutting down trees as well. In all honesty they are really not much better than plastic bags, so give them a wide berth too if possible.
The only real option is to go with a reusable bag. The so called; ‘Eco bag’. There is nothing special about an eco bag, other than they are usually ethically made and are re-usable. They are also far more study than a plastic bag and can often hold more than its plastic counterpart.
The earth where we live, is beautiful if we think
So, why do we pollute it so much, is there any cure to save it?
Ambrien Bangash
Environmentalist
Effect of plastic upon human health;
The main concern with several types of plastic is that they contain endocrine disruptors — substances that, when taken into our bodies, alter normal hormonal function.
Effects of Endocrine Disruptors
Endocrine disruptors (which are now widespread in food, water, soil and even the air we breathe) include a long list of chemicals such as dioxins, cadmium, parabens, bisphenol a, phthalates, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), agricultural chemicals, polybrominated flame retardants, and some of the active ingredients in sunscreens.
Many of these chemicals cause problems because they can mimic the action of natural estrogen. These foreign estrogens (also known as xenoestrogens) can upset normal hormonal balance, stimulate the growth and development of reproductive tumors (breast, uterine, prostate), impair fertility, and disrupt pregnancy. Worse, many can cross the placenta to affect the fetus and get into breast milk. Chemicals such as phthalates have an antiandrogenic effect, meaning they interfere with testosterone and other hormones responsible for male sex characteristics. Exposure to these agents during fetal life and early childhood can derail normal sexual development and heighten the risk for diseases that don’t become apparent until
Problems with BPA
One of the most troubling endocrine disruptors is a common ingredient in plastic called bisphenol a (commonly called BPA). BPA is one of the highest volume chemicals produced worldwide, with over 6 billion pounds produced each year.”
Used to produce polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, BPA is found in many drinking containers, the lining of most food and beverage cans, bottle caps, plastic cutlery, plastic food storage containers, toys, dental sealants, some dental composites, water pipes, eyeglass lenses, and more. Polycarbonate is often blended with other plastics to create products such as mobile phone cases, car parts, electronic equipment, medical equipment, and household items. Because BPA is in printer ink, newspapers, and carbonless receipts, most recycled paper contains it, including paper towels and paper used to contain food.
Effect of plastic upon environment;
First and foremost, most plastic bags are not biodegradable and end up in landfills or worse, floating around in the environment. It takes hundreds of years for plastic bags to decompose and while they do, they release toxins into our soil, lakes, rivers and oceans. Secondly, littered plastic bags are a threat to animals. There are many places that they can be taken to be recycled, but in reality figures show that only 1% of all plastic bags are recycled, with most heading for landfill, or worse, our oceans. Over 100,000 animals are suspected of coming to this unfortunate end throughout the world every single year, on both land and in our oceans. Plastic bags which pollute our oceans have a bad habit of killing sea turtles in particular. They are by far the biggest casualty in all of this as they mistake carrier bags for jelly fish, or similar and then end up choking.
Paper bags as an alternative?
A lot of people think that paper bag are a good alternative to plastic bags but they’re not. They are actually really energy intensive and unless they are made from recycled paper products, they are cutting down trees as well. In all honesty they are really not much better than plastic bags, so give them a wide berth too if possible.
The only real option is to go with a reusable bag. The so called; ‘Eco bag’. There is nothing special about an eco bag, other than they are usually ethically made and are re-usable. They are also far more study than a plastic bag and can often hold more than its plastic counterpart.
The earth where we live, is beautiful if we think
So, why do we pollute it so much, is there any cure to save it?
Ambrien Bangash
Environmentalist
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