IS PLASTIC TOXIC TO OUR HEALTH?

that toxins in plastics might be harmful to human health first emerged about 20 years ago. The spotlight was on one synthetic plastic chemical, BPA (or bisphenol A) which was commonly used in many plastics.

Small studies found BPA could disrupt hormonal processes, mimicking oestrogen and leading to health problems ranging from obesity to cancer.

Countries such as Canada banned BPA in plastic baby bottles in 2008, and many other countries followed suit. But in the UK BPA is still widely used in food and drinks packaging, microwave ovenware, storage containers, water and milk bottles, as well as plastic tableware and cutlery. It is also used to make the resins that often line cans of food.

Although BPA is classified as an endocrine disruptor, which means it can interfere with the hormone systems of mammals, regulatory authorities around the world, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), maintain our low exposure to the chemical is not harmful.

It’s not just the BPA that concerns anti-plastic campaigners like Jay and Chantal. They maintain that heat and wear and tear can cause plastic toxins to leach into food. ‘We now know that most plastics contain a multitude of chemical additives to facilitate the manufacturing process or produce a particular desirable property, such as flexibility, toughness, colour or resistance to UV light,’ explains Jay.

‘These additives can be dyes, fragrances, plasticisers, fillers, hardeners, stabilisers, lubricants, fire retardants, and even fungicides and antibacterial agents. Problems arise because these additives may leach from the plastic and cause harm under certain circumstances.’

Only time, and further research, will tell if Jay is right, but reducing your reliance on plastic is certainly a great way to reduce any possible health impact.