Lately my husband has been forwarding articles for me to read about the dangers of combining food and plastic. We have been discussing what to do with this information and really feel confused.

We never heat plastic in the microwave, so that is not an issue.

We are big users of plastic food storage containers, however. Should we switch to glass? What about plastic sandwich bags? All 4 of us are daily brown baggers, which means a lot of ziploc bags. I started to look into purchasing fabric sandwich bags, but there is even controversy about those, depending on what kind of fabric they are made from and what they are lined with. And seriously -- if I take bread from a plastic bag, spread it with peanut butter from a plastic jar, will a few hours in a plastic sandwich bag really matter?

It is all so confusing. What to do?

Thanks for sharing your opinions.

I try to avoid it whenever possible and look for plastics marked BPA Free when I do use it.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

What to do? I take all of these doomsday self professed scare the crap out of people things in stride. Moderation is the key and also educating yourself. If I got excited every time someone else decided nothing was good for me, I"d be a wreck and have no life.

I wouldn't drive because I could get in an accident. I wouldn't ride a bike because I could fall off. I wouldn't eat anywhere because the kitchen could be unsanitary. I wouldn't do a lot of things, I'd stay home. Shoot, that won't work either, I could trip on a rug and fall, scald myself, run the mower over my foot, etc, etc, etc. The one thing I am working on is overdosing on m&m's !

Calm moderation is what I do.

There's a BIG difference between all the examples you gave and putting your food in poison.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

I cover my food with wax paper, which might be just as bad, instead of using plastic wrap touching food in the microwave. I know they say not to keep reusing the plastic drinking bottles over and over again as it leeches out. I do use ziploc bags for sandwiches and freezing, etc. I don't use those bags that frozen veggies come in that say microwave. I dump out in dish or pot. I don't even like heating tv dinners in the original container. I might buy one or two a year.I guess we will all die from something, but I just feel funny about plastic. I think of all of it going in the landfill and polluting. I do recycle everything I can, that I know of. I guess we can each just do what we think is right for us. I wouldn't get overly paranoid about it. Guess I am a good one to talk-LOL!

I personally do not like plastic, especially those plastic containers, it always seemed to me like you could never truly get them clean, a film always remained on the sides yuck. I not a big fan of saving food, If I do I keep it in a aluminum pan with some tin foil and put it in the refrigerator, if not eaten the next day I will throw it away.. Peace. Catherine

Yes, but you know there may be a link between aluminum and Alzheimers!

We actually use leftovers a lot, and my daughters are still young (i.e., careless) -- that's why we have a lot of plastic containers and cups.

Sometimes I think the only way to be safe is to live off the grid and grow your own fruits, vegetables, wheat, and livestock. But I don't think our homeowner's association would approve!

Thanks again for the replies so far. We're having a hard time figuring out what are reasonable precautions and what are paranoid delusions.

My question would be, "Can you name anyone who has died of exposure to plastics?"

I've heard about 'suspected carcinogens' but never any quantifiable proof that anyone has ever died of anything leeching out of plastic.

People *have* died from riding in cars.

They *have* died falling from bicycles.

They *have* died from deadly bacteria in organic spinach purchased at the grocery store.

And yet I'm not giving any of those things up.

I'm just not convinced the plastic thing isn't hype from people who are generally against anything 'modern'.

Although I can't name anyone who has died from plastic I can say that tests show we all have the chemicals from plastic in our bodies. And the cancer rate is higher than ever. I wouldn't attribute it to the plastic per se but I think it certainly contributes to it. I don't think we were meant to have chemicals from plastic floating around in our bodies.

And I was thinking more of containers that food and beverages actually come in and food being heated in a microwave in plastic. The heat leeches plastic into the food. Just as I don't smoke for health reasons, knowing that everyone who has ever smoked hasn't died or developed disease, I don't want to take the chance.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

NO! After a while all those warning about this that and the other are just ridiculous!

We joined a CSA and try to get our produce from local farm stands (in season). It is really scary and gross and sad when you learn what goes on in the big agribusiness.

I've gotten away from reheating food in plastic. But, we do still use plastic storage containers. I had head that heating things up in plastic is harmful (which kinda makes sense when you think about it) - but I hadn't heard anything about plastic and cold storage. Hmm - I'll have to look into that. (My peanut butter comes in glass jars.)

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

Apparently, I am a horrible person. I have never thought twice about it.

Hum ...

Can I ask for a 'do over?"

I never worried about it. Dh brown bags every day and started being concerned due to some co workers. I bought some glass containers and use them, but I still use the Ziploc, cheese, Cool Whip, whatever containers I have. I seems someone somewhere can prove that you'll die from something, so I don't get to worried about it.

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

if you get one, so do I! I don't think about it either....

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Nightowlrn your not a horrible person at all and either is Marilynk peace to both btw Marilyn how are things going in your new relationship if you do not mind me asking hope all is well for you and your sons.. Peace. Catherine

Most likely the air we breath has more toxins in it than what we get from the plastics we use.

Yes there are toxic plastics out there...I once bought something plastic not too long ago that smelled horrible so I just threw it away and didn't dare use it for food! Just smelling of it gave me a headache!

On what are you basing that? I haven't read or heard anything supporting that. I'd be interested in following up.

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

Anyone that lives in Houston (my hometown) knows how polluted the air is...UGH!!!!!!!!!! And if you don't think the air is polluted...what about the water we are drinking!

I'm just wondering where you're reading that the air and/or water is more toxic than food stored in plastic. As you point out, some of it is going to depend on where you live, of course. (For my area, we get quarterly reports on the water and the reports are good.)

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

Well we've all heard of air pollution and lord knows the water isn't very clean either. No research though...just making a logical guess. I'm sure if you researched it, we'd all be afraid to breath...HAHAHA!

I have never thought about it. I don't buy plastic containers (I use tupperware for heating up/storing leftovers and for work lunches (they microwave). I don't think of them as "plastic" since they aren't soft and flexible but maybe they are???? Wouldn't matter to me. We use ziplocs and drink water from plastic bottles (don't reuse them though because the water starts to taste funny when you do that for some reason).

There is no much more in the world to worry about to me. I think it's funny when I hear wine or coffee will help you live longer one day and then next day is it might help you live longer but it may cause you to die because of...blah blah blah. Whatever.

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

To me, unlike air and water, it's pretty easy to avoid plastic. Maybe not all of it, but most of it. So, it's worth the small amount of effort to me.

sexysmurf: Tupperware is plastic. You said you didn't really care, but in case someone else does, according to one Web site:

While the vast majority of Tupperware products are considered safe, for example, some of its food storage containers use polycarbonate (plastic #7), which has been shown to leach the harmful hormone-disrupting chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) into food items after repeated uses. Consumers concerned about such risks might want to avoid the following polycarbonate-based Tupperware products: the Rock 'N Serve microwave line, the Meals-in-Minutes Microsteamer, the "Elegant" Serving Line, the TupperCare baby bottle, the Pizza Keep' N Heat container, and the Table Collection (the last three are no longer made but might still be kicking around your kitchen).

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

Well, good thing I don't care because we use rock n serve (which is listed in the warning you posted). Thanks for posting because someone might care about it and need that info

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003