BPA-Free Packaging -
Kathryn Kellogg is the founder of goingzerowaste. com, a lifestyle website dedicated to breaking eco-friendly living down into a simple step-by-step process with lots of positivity and love. She's the author of Ways to Go Zero Waste and spokesperson for plastic-free living for National Geographic.
There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 98, times. BPA or bisphenol-A is a chemical found in a wide range of plastic products, such as food storage containers and reusable water bottles.
So, how can you tell if a plastic product is BPA-free or whether or not it contains BPA? Keep reading for more information. Try glass containers with a snap-on lid to store your food. Kathryn Kellogg, author of Ways to Go Zero Waste , says: "You can find glass containers with silicone and bamboo lids, but even if the lids are plastic, there's not as much plastic touching your food.
Since you can see through the glass, you're more likely to remember what's in the fridge and eat the food before it goes bad. Also, the containers will last a really long time if you take care of them.
BPA is found in a lot of plastic products, but you can find BPA-free plastic by reading the label. Many plastic products, from toys to food containers, have a number label that tells you if they have BPA in them. Look on the bottom of products for a number between 1 and 7 inside a triangle made of 3 arrows.
Items marked with a 3, 6, or 7 are most likely to contain BPA. To learn how to find plastic alternatives for toys and food containers, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No. Skip to Content. Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In.
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Download Article A guide to knowing if your plastic products contain BPA or not. Co-authored by Kathryn Kellogg and Aly Rusciano Last Updated: December 28, Fact Checked. All rights reserved.
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Many plastic products contain a number label that tells you if they contain BPA. Items with 1, 2, 4, or 5 generally do not contain BPA. Identify BPA products by seeing if they bend or are labeled with the number 7.
Softer, flexible, and opaque plastics are usually not polycarbonates and are less likely to contain BPA. Discard plastic products that were made before in and earlier in Europe. To be safe, throw out or recycle any plastic products that date earlier than Scratches, general wear and tear, and repeated heat exposure cause a greater release of BPA in plastic products.
This is another reason to consider discarding older, well-used products that may contain BPA. The sustainability megatrend: a topic with urgency While some manufacturers are already leading the way in terms of sustainability or ecologically fair production conditions, others are still struggling.
Innovative concepts and fair alternatives are needed! The sports industry and community is challenged to reflect on its behaviour. What is my ecological footprint in terms of sports passion? Bisphenol A is a chemical used in the production of plastics. It is called a plasticizer because it ensures that the material becomes flexible, pliable and stretchable.
Since the s, BPA has been used across all industries, often and willingly, for the manufacture of plastic products because it is very uncomplicated: it is light and dimensionally stable, transparent and can be colored quite easily.
The plasticizer is found in the many plastic products we use in everyday life: food containers, drinking bottles, plastic dishes or cutlery, children's toys and pacifiers. Sports wear made of polyester can also contain bisphenol A. Scientific studies indicate that bisphenol A has hormone-like effects on the body.
It has been found that the plasticizer inhibits the physical development of children and upsets the hormonal balance of adults. According to the Federal Environmental Agency, BPA can lead to cardiovascular disease, liver problems and diabetes.
And even to an impairment of fertility. The plasticizer becomes dangerous when its carrier, the plastic, is heated. A plastic bottle that has been left in the sun for hours has most likely released BPA into its contents - drinking from it afterwards is harmful to health.
BPA can also be released when you pour hot tea into a plastic bottle. The same goes for food made from plastic packaging or polyester fibers with direct skin contact. Especially if scratches have formed in the plastic bottle or dishes, the BPA can easily enter the human body through food or water.
In , the daily limit for BPA was lowered from 50 micrograms to 4 micrograms per kilogram of body weight. This small amount is currently considered safe. Nevertheless, the European Union has listed bisphenol A as a chemical harmful to humans and the environment since Due to the alarming study results, the EU banned the manufacture and sale of products containing BPA for babies and toddlers in Since then, pacifiers and baby bottles in Europe have only been available with the " BPA-free " seal.
However, the plasticizer bisphenol A is still present in many other product categories, especially in plastic drinking bottles. On the uniform label " BPA-free " or " BPA free "you can tell at a glance that a product does not contain the plasticizer, even if it is made of plastic.
Or you can choose plastic-free alternatives, such as drinking bottles or food containers made of stainless steel or active and sports wear made of natural fibers. The chemical substance is used in industrial production for the manufacture of plastics and resins. Especially in the production of polycarbonate PC , BPA is indispensable.
For a time, BPA was even the most widely used chemical in the world. This is because plastics containing BPA are extremely lightweight and dimensionally stable.
In addition, they can either be made transparent or colored. The use of BPA has resulted in a cost-effective and incredibly wide range of different options for the industry. But bisphenol has downsides that are becoming more and more apparent.
Polycarbonate is used for many everyday items and products in the outdoor sector. These include beverage bottles, food containers or tableware. Likewise, BPA is used for protective coatings on cans or in the manufacture of epoxy resin.
BPA has been used for decades in a large number of products made of sturdy hard plastic, for example:. In the meantime, there are numerous studies that have looked at the effect of bisphenol A on the human body. It is therefore known that BPA has a hormone-like effect in the human body.
The substance is therefore classified as an endocrine disruptor. Other names for it are xenohormones, endocrine disruptors or endocrine disruptors.
Endocrine disruptors have an effect on an organism even in minute quantities. In the case of BPA, it mimics the effect of the female sex hormone estrogen in the human body. In animal studies, researchers have been able to demonstrate numerous harmful effects of BPA on the organism.
It is now also known that BPA has different effects on men, women and children:. Fortunately, industry has now also recognized how harmful BPA can be. Many companies there have rethought their position.
As a result, many products are now free of BPA and labeled accordingly. Parents are strongly advised to protect their children from BPA. Trying to completely ban BPA from children's lives is probably impossible. What is possible, however, is to significantly reduce contact with the chemical substance.
This already works with simple measures. Here are some tips:. As it is becoming increasingly clear what negative consequences BPA has for health, there are now bans and restrictions in place with regard to bisphenol A:. For the baby bottle sector, BPA was already banned in the European Union in In this area, you can now find exclusively BPA-free products made of polypropylene or polyamide.
In addition, you can simply reach for baby bottles made of glass. Pacifiers are usually made of other materials and do not contain BPA by design.
However, it should also be mentioned that the ban on BPA does not apply to baby and children's toys, drinking cups or changing pads. BPA is also now banned in new thermal paper.
This is because staff at supermarket checkouts have been found to have elevated levels in their bodies as a result of constant contact with the thermal paper. However, thermal paper already sold with BPA may continue to be used.
In , the European Food Safety Authority EFSA lowered the limit value for BPA. While a value of 50 micrograms per kg body weight per day used to apply, it is now only 4 micrograms.
Since the beginning of , BPA has also been on the list of candidates for the European Chemicals Regulation REACH. This list includes substances that can harm human health and the environment. As far as outdoor products are concerned, it is mainly plastic drinking bottles, food containers or plastic tableware that can contain BPA.
Fortunately, there are many products that no longer contain BPA. These are usually labeled "BPA free. Many other manufacturers such as Salewa, Vaude, Dynafit or Maloja have also banned BPA from their water bottles, hydration bladders and drinking containers.
You can now choose from a wide range of BPA-free products. The exact effects of BPA on the body have not yet been conclusively clarified. There are still differing assessments among experts worldwide on the risk assessment of BPA.
Therefore, it is best to avoid BPA. When buying drinking bottles, drinking bladders or plastic tableware, look for the label "BPA free". Or, it's best to use products that are not made of plastic. Drinking bottles and eating utensils are also available in stainless steel.
Since BPA is always associated with plastic, replacing such products is always sustainable. This is because plastic is based on petroleum and therefore a finite raw material.
It is better to use other materials such as glass or stainless steel for your reusable packaging. These materials are also more hygienic and easy to clean. If you use glass, make sure you use a protective cover. This will prevent the glass from breaking on the way.
One thing is clear: BPA is a dangerous substance that you should avoid as much as possible in your everyday life. The "BPA"-free label helps you when buying drinking bottles, plastic containers and plastic tableware, and it's even easier if you go straight for plastic-free alternatives. These are often more durable, sustainable and hygienic anyway.
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JavaScript seems to be disabled in your Packzging. For the best experience on Finding inner peace site, be BPA-Freee to turn on Javascript BPA-Freee your browser. Looking to find the perfect plastic bottle? As BPA-Free Packaging BA-Free imagine, there are multiple factors that contribute to the function and aesthetic you want to convey—feel, grip, size, color. Consumers take many considerations into account when deciding which products are right for them on the shelves. One question in this deliberation might be: does it contain BPA? Here are some simple ways to differentiate between bottles that may contain BPA and ones that do not:.
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BPA in Food Containers: What You Need to KnowBPA-Free Packaging -
Show references Bisphenol A BPA. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Accessed Jan. Questions and answers on bisphenol A BPA use in food contact applications. Food and Drug Administration. Hall JM, et al. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Goldman RH, et al. Occupational and environmental risks to reproduction in females: Specific exposures and impact. Accessed March 3, Trasande L, et al. Food additives and child health. Patisaul HB. Achieving CLARITY on bisphenol A, brain and behaviour. Journal of Neuroendocrinology.
Bao W, et al. Association between bisphenol A exposure and risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in US adults. JAMA Network Open. Products and Services The Mayo Clinic Diet Online A Book: The Mayo Clinic Diet Bundle A Book: Cook Smart, Eat Well. See also Cuts of beef Grass-fed beef Menus for heart-healthy eating Organic foods Sea salt vs.
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Admissions Requirements. Degree Programs. Research Faculty. International Patients. Financial Services. But unfortunately, there are many companies that still put out products containing BPA.
Most tin cans are lined with an epoxy that contains BPA. A better choice is to buy the real fresh produce, fruit, dairy and meat. If you must buy packaged, opt for glass, Tetra-Pak versions of the same food, or the frozen version. A few companies, such as Eden Foods, put out BPA-free cans.
But because the FDA has not yet approved any other type of liner for canned tomatoes other than the BPA epoxy, all canned tomatoes including Eden do contain BPA. As for soda, isn't water a better choice? However, if you must have a soda, they do still make them in glass bottles.
Choose Nalgene and baby bottles that state "BPA-free" in the packaging. Shatter-resistant-glass baby bottles, and stainless-steel water bottles are also good choices.
If you must choose plastic, find ones that are safer, those with numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5.
BPA-FFree feature is only available when corresponding consent is given. Please read the details and accept the service to enable rating function. Disease-bringing and yet ubiquitous - bisphenol A. Or better known as "BPA". It is also found everywhere in sports articles.
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