This is a sponsored guest post.
Plastic
When we think of plastic, we think of the global impact of us consuming it and using it for otherwise ridiculous tasks, such as plastic cutlery, for far too long. Whilst the global impacts of plastic over use are important as well as the damage to other species, what about plastic issues closer to home, namely is it actually safe for us to in such close contact with plastic on a daily basis?
The Bisphenol Family
Bisphenol A was discovered in the 1950’s and was used in almost every plastic product on the planet. What manufacturers and organisations didn’t realise at the time, was that humans weren’t going to interact well with this compound. In fact, being over exposed to it could result in harmful conditions that begin in the very early stages of pregnancy, such as cell development and research conducted in the United States has also suggested that BPA may even impact late stage development and be a contributing factor to anxiety in their test subjects.
Bisphenol A and Bisphenol S
We’ve known for a long time about the health effects of Bisphenol A and the life limiting factors the compound potentially has, but BPA is only one compound in a family of Bisphenol compounds. Research that was picked up by the National Geographic looked into the impacts of BPA on mice. They placed the mice in BPA free cages, and everything seemed fine until it wasn’t. The mice began showing genetic issues that mirrored that of BPA (this is also how scientists originally found the link between BPA and genetic issues).
Even though the mice were housed in BPA free cages, a sister compound Bisphenol S was used. Whilst everyone’s attention was on BPA and getting it removed from daily items, manufacturers slipped in BPS under the radar and the results could be even more damaging than BPA. Some argue that BPS can impair cognitive function far more seriously than BPA, with the results showing damage to brain function, central nervous system function and wider chromosomal defects.
How Can I Not Be Exposed To BPA or BPS?
Humans are able to be exposed to BPA and BPS at low levels, similar to background radiation, it is there but as long as we don’t have sustained over exposure, there will be no detrimental effects. A way to limit your exposure is to look at the products that you use on a day to day basis, items such as food containers, water bottles and hygiene products are all known to contain BPA and BPS.
What If The Products Have The BPA Sticker?
Just because the product states that it is BPA doesn’t mean that it is BPS free, it is always worth checking with the manufacturer as some just switched out BPA for BPS.
What Products Can I Change In My Home?
So you have switched out your food containers, changed your water bottles and made sure none of your hygiene or baby products contain BPA or BPS, but what about your coffee maker? This is something we would never normally consider, but they often have multiple components and parts. Some coffee makers are BPA free, but not all manufactures will be able to tell you if they contain both BPA and BPS, especially if these compounds have been used as a resin to colour or strengthen the structure. The best thing to do in this scenario would be to limit the contact with these compounds. The stainless steel coffee makers provide the perfect alternative to a plastic one. With these, you instantly remove any contamination in your favourite daily drink. You don’t have to be concerned about any water or coffee coming into contact with any plastic components, no matter how quick this contact is.
Final Thoughts
Bisphenol A and Bisphenol S have both been linked to a variety of genetic problems and birth defects, whilst global attention was on BPA, manufactures were substituting it with BPS in the hope that no one would notice. Over exposure to both can be damaging but through the choice you make in your household you are able to help mitigate it. Making smart choices such as investing in a worthy coffee maker will help lessen you and your families over exposure to these compounds. Coffee is drunk most days in almost every home; by making this small switch you may be proactively limiting the exposure to these compounds.
