I *knew* there was a reason I hate plastic-wrapped pastries in cafes..!

…Oh, right, PVC=cancer and other evils for our health, and it never, ever, ever biodegrades. Ever:

BEWARE of that cling wrap. Consumer group Choice suggests we start avoiding plastic packaging for fear it could be potentially hazardous.

Of concern are materials containing polycarbonate – used to make food storage containers and bottles – and epoxy resins, used to line tin cans, Choice said.

Both have the potential to release bisphenol A, which has been linked to increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Choice has called on the industry to phase out the use of such materials, and until then, introduce mandatory labelling.

“PVC is used to make the gaskets that seal glass jars used for foods such as pasta sauces,” Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn said.

“There are safer alternatives, which should be used instead…

Here’s a well-put-together, accessible blog listing alternatives.

Bonus:

Can warming up food in a plastic container give you cancer?

Depends on the type of plastic. “Nasty chemicals can be and sometimes are found in plastic items, and heat tends to allow them to break free.”

It’s not a “yes or no” answer.

Some plastic has been shown to leach chemicals that are carcinogenic when heated.

So you may be ingesting carcinogenic chemicals.

does it mean you are for-sure going to get cancer? no. If you regurarly are exposed to carcinogenic chemicals your chances for certain types of cancer increase. It does not mean you will get cancer for sure.

imagine if I smoked a cigarette right now. We know 100% for sure that those cause cancer. if one person smokes one cigarette does it mean they will get cancer? no. for all intents and purposes that one cigarette will have no effect on their health at all.

It’s recommended that you don’t heat food or drinks up in plastic for this reason.

…the biggest issue with plastics is that they, when consumed, have what we call “endocrine inhibitors” and can, but not always, have odd effects on your endocrine system. However, it is hard to say how much of an effect it does, as we constantly come in contact with so many endocrine inhibitors all the time – nearly all synthetic perfumes have them, nearly all household cleaning products, and many if not most of your skin care products have them as well.