Do Plastics Threaten Human Health? All about Endocrine Disruptors. | April 26th, 2021.
Today, the consensus is that plastic is detrimental to human health and survival in numerous ways. It has become clear over the last few decades that endocrine disruptors are found in some of the most widely used plastics.
In this guide, you’ll learn all about endocrine disruptors and how plastics threaten human health. You’ll also discover some ways to avoid these dangerous chemicals.
What Are Endocrine Disruptors?
Endocrine disruptors, also called endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), are a mixture of chemicals that work against your endocrine system.
Your endocrine system is one part of your body that creates hormones and guides many bodily functions, from your metabolism to respiration, as well as the ability to reproduce.
As you can imagine, this system is sensitive. It doesn’t react well to disruption. This is exactly why EDCs are so scary. These chemicals work their way into your body and wreak havoc on these normal bodily functions.
Where Do EDCs Come From?
Many, though not all, EDCs come directly from plastics. Dozens of plastics are known to contaminate the environment around them with EDCs.
These plastics are primarily used in flooring, construction, packaging, and food production — four industries that are hard to avoid. EDCs are therefore a significant driver for people to look to zero waste and beyond.
EDC exposure can occur at any point during a piece of plastic’s life. From manufacturing to final disposal and every step in-between, these dangerous plastics pose a risk to humans.
Suppose you’re looking at a cosmetic product that contains EDCs. These chemicals are often present even when the product is first being manufactured. This entails that anyone working within the supply chain of this product is at risk. So too are the actual consumers who use this cosmetic product.
The scope of this is a lot larger than a single person making a mistake. What happens when people come in contact with EDCs?
Two Types of EDCs
There are two main EDCs that you often find in plastics: bisphenols and phthalates.
Bisphenol is also called BPA. It’s one of the most infamous plastics, used in epoxies and the plastic manufacturing process.
Phthalates are used to make plastic durable, flexible, and transparent. It’s a well-known chemical in PVC plastic. The CDC and FDA have a lot of information about its toxicity and have written a full paper discussing the dangers of phthalates.
The Negative Health Impacts of EDCs
There is no conclusive evidence that low levels of EDC exposure will result in health problems. Even so, high levels of EDC exposure are linked to many negative health impacts, including:
- Female reproductive diseases
- Abnormalities in male reproductive organs
- Declines in the numbers of males born
- Cancers
- Decreased immune function
- Reductions in male fertility (falling sperm counts)
- Earlier puberty
- Impaired nervous system function
In short, there are a lot of frightening health implications associated with overexposure to EDCs. But that doesn’t mean you’re forced to live with these consequences — there are plenty of ways to avoid them.
Ways to Avoid EDCs
Exposure to EDCs is not unavoidable. There are plenty of well-documented methods to help keep you safe. Small amounts of EDC exposure aren’t definitively linked to any of the health problems mentioned above. As a result, accidental exposure to an EDC might not result in anything detrimental to your health.
Don’t Heat Food in Plastic Containers
One of the more common ways that you might get exposed to EDCs is through food containers. Certain plastics release EDCs when they’re microwaved.
This could refer to name-brand containers, fast food packaging, or any meal you buy that comes in plastic.
As your food heats in the microwave, so does the container. It might start contaminating your food if the plastic has any traces of EDCs. As you eat the food, the EDCs then enter your body and can start damaging your essential systems.
A simple alternative is to use a non-plastic material to heat your food. Glass is a great alternative that works better than plastic and doesn’t have the potential to harm you. You might also consider plating your food before heating it in the microwave — just make sure the plate is microwave-safe.
Eat Certified Organic (When Possible)
Not only do plastics contain these chemicals, but pesticides do as well. A quick way to avoid pesticides is to eat certified organic food whenever possible.
This healthier alternative often tastes better, too. It also offers you the opportunity to strive for zero waste living while shopping for organic food. Many farmer’s markets and organic grocery stores provide an additional way to cut down on plastic and reduce your overall footprint.
Drink Filtered Water
You should avoid drinking from water bottles whenever you can. NRDC is running a Drinking Water Project to identify the safest way to enjoy water. According to NRDC, ditching the bottle and drinking filtered water right from a glass is a great way to stay away from EDCs.
They also mention that drinking tap water might be dangerous. Some tap water might contain hormone disruptors, so it’s best to run it through an NSF-certified filter before drinking it.
Avoid BPA
If you must use plastic containers for whatever reason, try to purchase ones that specifically say “BPA-Free.”
For some people, eliminating plastic just isn’t possible. If this is you, then search for the lowest-impact plastic possible. BPA is one of the nasty plastics that’s linked to producing EDCs, so you want to avoid it at all costs.
Cut Out Plastic
If you’re looking to improve your overall health, cutting plastic out of your life might be the best option. This goes beyond ways to reduce reuse and recycle. Here, you want your plastic usage to be as close to zero as possible.
Setting aside the health reasons, plastics also result in a lot of pollution and end up in landfills. There is no downside to cutting plastic out of your life.
Learn More about the Connections between Humans and Plastics
As you might imagine, this is just the tip of the iceberg regarding why plastic is so dangerous to our health. EDCs aren’t only found in plastic, but a lot of plastics do have EDCs.
If you want to read about numerous zero waste solutions in action, take a look at what Miniwiz is doing across the globe.