https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 23 Apr 2026 04:03:02 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1469089 Wed, 05 Mar 2014 10:48:08 +0000 twinmama 1469089@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Looks like snapware and take &amp; toss plastic are both a 5....that helps :)</p> <p>FWIW, some of the takeaways from my research are to use alternatives (glass/stainless) for hot/acidic/oily items that are more likely to promote leaching, and for longer term storage like dry pantry staples. And to handwash plastics to reduce degradation. I can handle that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1469060 Wed, 05 Mar 2014 10:40:37 +0000 looch 1469060@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My opinion is this: it isn't a bad thing when people share information, but the message in which things are delivered often colors participation in ways we don't even think about. </p> <p>Could the OP have worded the thread title more neutrally? Yeah, probably. Could some of the posters posted their counteropinions more neutrally, yeah. It's a two way street. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1469007 Wed, 05 Mar 2014 10:26:14 +0000 swurlygurl 1469007@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hate to bring this thread back to life (but not enough to shut up), but this article just popped up on my FB feed:<br /> <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/03/guide-estrogen-common-plastics-bpa" rel="nofollow">http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/03/guide-estrogen-common-plastics-bpa</a><br /> I am 100% sure there is a better article out there with the same information, but the comments are cracking me up. I'm SO glad HB isn't so mean!</p> <p>It's another scare-the-reader article, but it was an interesting read to get me thinking about the different types of plastics and what they're made of. The article makes it seem as if styrofoam is actually better than most of the other plastics, and I would have said it was worse! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1467540 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 17:41:48 +0000 twinmama 1467540@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: That's really helpful to know about the 1, 2, &amp; 5 plastics. Good guideline when plastic is necessary, like freezing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1467458 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 17:15:11 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1467458@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We try to live zero waste but that actually means we have more plastic in our life....because we can reuse it (example: yogurt tubs). I have wanted to upgrade to glass containers but we would need hundreds of dollars worth because we freeze a ton of food. For now I try to stick to containers marked with a 5, because 5 is supposed to be food safer than other types. But after reading this article I did drop by TJM today and got some glass containers; hopefully over time we can phase out the other stuff we have or use it only for freezing. </p> <p>I agree with other posters that you cannot avoid everything ; in fact , plastic is used in an attempt to avoid other problems (spoilage, bacteria, etc.) that I am sure caused serious health problems before plastic. That being said, only conscientious consumption will encourage companies to offer safer products so I like to buy for that reason. It is amazing what is on the market right now that wasn't available 20 years ago (even that plastic is labeled is amazing) and that is due to consumer demand. </p> <p>I am planning to buy LO some stainless plates and straws tonight! </p> <p>I try to steer clear from any plastic that is unlabeled, because that means it is a proprietary formula like triton or whatever tervis uses. Whereas the formulas for 1, 2, and 5 are standard and transparent. Not to mention non-labeled plastics aren't recyclable. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1467364 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 16:31:36 +0000 twinmama 1467364@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We all make different choices and it's ok, we all have our LOs best interest in mind. We each have different priorities based on what is truly practical in our families. Not everyone can do everything, even if we knew what was truly ideal. It's just another lifestyle/parenting choice, like feeding, diapers, sleep, etc. You do what you can, try not to judge others for their priorities, and move on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1466725 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 14:00:54 +0000 mediagirl 1466725@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wonderstruck: totally agree. I read this post yesterday, went home and fed my kid her dinner on her plastic tray from the Target dollar spot. She also drank out of her plastic sippy cups. I do my part by only warming things in glass or ceramic but I'm not going out to replace everything I own because of one study. Everything could possibly give us cancer one day. I have enough things to worry about in my life, I don't need to add more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1466596 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:30:29 +0000 MsLipGloss 1466596@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wonderstruck: Another case in point: wood vs. plastic cutting boards. </p> <p><a href="http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/faculty/docliver/Research/cuttingboard.htm" rel="nofollow">http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/faculty/docliver/Research/cuttingboard.htm</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1466578 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:25:55 +0000 Mrs. Chipmunk 1466578@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sugarplumsmom My parents, my aunt, and i all use this and we dont even drink coffee. It heats up really fast and we use it for tea and boiled water. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Farberware-FCP240-2-4-Cup-Percolator-Stainless/dp/B00008ELEA/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&#038;ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1393957408&#038;sr=1-3-catcorr&#038;keywords=Faberware" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Farberware-FCP240-2-4-Cup-Percolator-Stainless/dp/B00008ELEA/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&#038;ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1393957408&#038;sr=1-3-catcorr&#038;keywords=Faberware</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1466554 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:20:38 +0000 autumnlove 1466554@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess I worry a little and I will make some changes (I want glass tupperware) but I don't plan on replacing toys, cups, etc.</p> <p>I am pumping breastmilk into plastic bottles and freezing in plastic storage bags right now...eek </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1466432 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 12:45:50 +0000 Dandelion 1466432@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wonderstruck: Yep, agreed. I'm gonna pick my battles...this isn't one of them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1466374 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 12:28:05 +0000 littlebug 1466374@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wonderstruck: You summed up everything I was thinking perfectly! Everything in life has risks - I could get hit by a car while walking to work today. Not to mention, opinions on this stuff changes CONSTANTLY. Several years ago, we were being told to cut our coffee consumption because...I don't even remember. And then now we're told coffee is good because can help prevent Alzheimer's. So, basically, I think all things in moderation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1466215 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 11:35:22 +0000 meganmp 1466215@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wonderstruck: You are my hero for this post. I've been feeling like a bad parent because I just can't handle changing our plastic use, on top of everything else. Now I feel better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1466174 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 11:25:34 +0000 kiddosc 1466174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it's important to look at all the research and especially to consider the source before throwing out all plastics. There are many studies being done on the effects of BPA, and while they are finding detrimental effects, those are being noticed at very large doses. 70,000 times what a typical American ingests, according to this article from NPR. <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/02/26/283030949/government-studies-suggest-bpa-exposure-from-food-isn-t-risky" rel="nofollow">http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/02/26/283030949/government-studies-suggest-bpa-exposure-from-food-isn-t-risky</a></p> <p>The article references this study. <a href="http://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2014/02/20/toxsci.kfu022.abstract" rel="nofollow">http://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2014/02/20/toxsci.kfu022.abstract</a></p> <p>BPA has been extensively studied by the FDA and the European Food Safety Authority. While it's smart to limit it, I don't think at this point, limited exposure is something to get overly worked up about. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1466096 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 11:08:23 +0000 lamariniere 1466096@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: we have plastic recycling and there is still a surprising amount of plastic in the day to day. At the supermarket half of the produce is sold prepackaged in those plastic containers, which drives me crazy, and for yogurt, maybe only 20% of the selection is in glass. </p> <p>@SugarplumsMom: I couldn't find a link, but the brand is Trisa (Swiss). I remember that Delonghi had some cool design-y all metal ones, but they were more than I wanted to pay. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1465707 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 09:44:18 +0000 MrsLilybugg 1465707@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsMccarthy: thanks! stupid question: how sturdy are glass bottles? And are they heavy? Are they appropriate for a 7 month old? the idea scares me! but so does plastic.<br /> @Mrs. Chipmunk: you are SO RIGHT. I mean, I sterilize the parts and it's not like I transport them in sealed sterile bags - I stick them right back into the cooler that I brought the used parts home in. Ha.<br /> @wonderstruck: sigh. This is so true too. (the "everything is dangerous")<br /> @mamimami: AAAAAAAAAA put that way, DEFINITELY no more sterlizing in plastic in microwave for me either!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1465628 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 09:20:41 +0000 mamimami 1465628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsLilybugg: Gah that is one of the first things I thought... I no longer use bottles and sterilize but when I did for both kids... sterilizing plastic bottles inside of a plastic container inside of a microwave. Like, cancer wrapped up in ambiguous sexual organs with a side of infertility.... :( </p> <p>Fortunately our bottle days are over, but we still have a lot of plastic in our lives. I will do my best to find alternatives but to me the thing that was so concerning (tho I guess not surprising) about the article is the amount of deception of the public. To me, that was the point of the article, really. It's so hard to know what is safe and unsafe.</p> <p>As @bluestriped bee mentioned about Vietnam, I live in a developing country where there is little awareness even about BPA. Like, in Mexico they're just now getting on the BPA-free bandwagon. Have people been perfectly happy and content using BPA-laden plastics? Of course, they have no idea. However, does that mean that a few years down the line, they won't have the health problems associated with BPA and whatever else? I wouldn't put any money on that as this is sort of a multigenerational problem according to the research. Remember that plastics were not used on a wide scale in developing countries as early as they were in the US. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1465624 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 09:19:11 +0000 SugarplumsMom 1465624@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: Can you please link your electric tea kettle. I need to replace ours.</p> <p>@looch: yogurt in glass jars - that's awesome! Plastic is pretty common here, but a ton of lined/treated paper containers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1465616 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 09:15:33 +0000 wonderstruck 1465616@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really just can't even bring myself to get worked up about this. I guess I'm just one of those 'thoughtless' people, but there are studies out there that say practically everything on the freaking earth is or might be bad for us. I do what I can to protect my child and keep him healthy - extended rear-facing car seat, lots of sunscreen, zero exposure to cigarette smoke, etc., but I cannot and will not spend my life worrying and driving myself crazy over every single research study. That kind of stuff can just take over your entire life if you let it and turn you into a completely paranoid person. I mean, some of the more mommy wars baiting posts here seem to imply that if I'm going to keep using my bpa-free plastic bottles I might as well just take up smoking and start doing that around my baby too.</p> <p>Making these changes is expensive, and in my honest opinion, unnecessary. Everything can be dangerous - glass can break and injure my child. Some kinds of metal contain SSIGs, which some studies link to alzheimers. Ever painted the house while your child is home or had them in the house soon after? Hope it was VOC free because otherwise you could be triggering asthma and affecting everyone's reproductive health - and getting carpet installed often causes VOC odors too. Ever used PVC on a project in your home? Well, the dust it releases when being cut or shaved can cause cancer and neurological issues. Do you have any pressed wood in your house? The glue holding pressed wood together sometimes contains a chemical that causes cancer and asthma! Do you own a laser printer? It releases compounds that have been linked to heart and lung disease. </p> <p>I could go on and on and on, but I think you get the idea - and we all know that the second you think you've made everything safe, there will be a new study telling you that you're wrong. I do what I can to give my child a safe environment, but I assess risks and refuse to fear basically the entire world. Particularly when it's based on a limited amount of evidence based on animals, with little to no complaints of people actually getting sick. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1465596 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 09:09:17 +0000 Crisark 1465596@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@.twist.: Agree with everything you've posted.<br /> There will be no change here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1465579 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 09:00:21 +0000 looch 1465579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: that is interesting, because I found there was very little plastic in our day to day lives because there are no facilities to recycle plastic...is that the same where you live?</p> <p>For example, we used to buy yogurt in glass jars and there are none of those deli containers available.</p> <p>As for our Avent bottles, the ones we had were manufactured in England! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1465367 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 05:14:59 +0000 SugarplumsMom 1465367@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HabesBabe: I'm with you, too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/4#post-1465346 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 03:11:32 +0000 lamariniere 1465346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yoursilverlining: re: baby cups in Europe. Almost all of the baby cups (and bottles, pacis, etc.) I see here are US brands like Avent, Playtex, Munchkin, etc. I'll start to look out for non-US/non-made in China products though. </p> <p>I'm slowly eliminating plastic in the kitchen. For example, I got really freaked out about our electric tea kettle that was almost all plastic and found one that is all metal except for the water gauge. Glass storage containers are hard to find and expensive here, but I want replace our plastic containers little by little. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/3#post-1465307 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 00:51:42 +0000 Mrs. Chipmunk 1465307@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrslilybugg I've only ever sterilized my pump parts and bottles the first time, but that's just me. My ped agrees that sterilization stems from back when we all were on well water and it's not really necessary anymore. The way I justified it to myself was that my boobs were anything but sterile, and the drying racks that people use to dry the parts on are far from Sterile (and often harbor mildew and mold), so I don't boil. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/3#post-1465304 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 00:49:06 +0000 Espion 1465304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Chipmunk: He treats kids, but he's a sub specialist. I wish I was more in tune with the pediatricians down there to help you out. :/ You might try walling Mrs. Jacks. I believe she did her training there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/3#post-1465303 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 00:47:59 +0000 MrsMccarthy 1465303@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsLilybugg: that's a really good question. I honestly feel like you shouldn't worry too much. Maybe justice sure to let them cool thoroughly before using them and use glass bottles for feeds. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/3#post-1465300 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 00:38:45 +0000 Mrs. Chipmunk 1465300@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@espion who is the doc? Is it a ped? I'm considering finding a crunchier doctor... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/3#post-1465288 Tue, 04 Mar 2014 00:21:48 +0000 MrsLilybugg 1465288@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Agh! Ok so what about sterilizing my pump parts/bottles the night I used it? (I use it three times per week.) all of it is plastic. Will sterilizing it in the medela bags unleash even more chemicals/horrors? Should I just wash the parts and not sterilize? I'm stressed :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/3#post-1465264 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 23:54:42 +0000 Espion 1465264@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsMccarthy: One of the docs in Seattle feels very strongly about plastics...to the point that he recommends to his parents to get rid of all plastic that contacts food and never heat it with food inside. I guess time will tell.</p> <p>In healthcare, plastic is everywhere. The bags of IV fluid that keep you hydrated? Plastic. And where are they kept? In warmers. The IV lines? Plastic. So, the new question that is being raised, are we pumping our patients full of toxins? Is there any such thing as a truly inert substance? </p> <p>I see the +/- comments and, for myself, I'm not freaking out that my son is fed from plastic bottles, but I can see the concern. (I will qualify that I did check to see what type of plastic they are.) Estrogens are frequently found naturally in many biological materials. Heck, they had to stop a Vitamin E trial because men who took it seemed to have worse prostate cancer. And that is "natural" as well. </p> <p>There is no winning in our industrialized culture. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/all-plastic-is-bad-this-is-very-concerning/page/3#post-1465254 Mon, 03 Mar 2014 23:45:38 +0000 Mrs. Chipmunk 1465254@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsmccarthy I'm waiting on a safe sippy 2 that I bought off amazon last week..But I realized even then the straw is made of *something*.....does the Kiki come with a straw option or just a sippy option? </p> <p>Ive been trying to use the top part of my mojito shaker, which is like a tiny stainless steel cup. </p> <p>I love how plastic toys people give to us boast that they're bpa free but often say nothing about being phthalate free. I've always been pretty unconvinced that whatever they replaced the bpa with was all that much better anyway. I'm sure a lot of the toys our parents grew up with were full of lead paint, so there's always something </p>