NOTHING BENIGN ABOUT PLASTIC

I see advertisements on TV that promote the good life we enjoy because of plastics. I would be the first one in line to say that they certainly are a marvel. Almost anything can be made in a mold using the right plastic compound. All may not be as rosy as we would like to think, however.

Lets start with a few scientists who were doing breast cancer research. These scientists prepared biopsied cancer cells carefully in their normal manner. One day they found that the cells were growing out of all normal parameters. They suspected that they had made a mistake, or had been sabotaged in their research. They tried again. Another failure, then another. They painstakingly tried a process of elimination to find what the contamination was and where it was coming from. Eventually they found the source. The plastic tubing that they had been using was the culprit. It was neither benign nor inert; it was biologically active; it was leaching an estrogen mimicker. The supplier was contacted. They were informed that "yes" they had indeed changed the plastic formula but had not altered the product catalog number. When they asked what chemical had been added, they were met with silence. "We won't tell you....It is a trade secret." The scientists were forced to search out the culprit using their own research grants even though they could have simply changed tubing suppliers and carried on with their work. It took months but these dedicated cell biologists turned themselves into organic chemists and eventually identified the chemical.

They had a great concern because of the implication of this finding. What is the extent of the health risk? Is this not the same tubing used in hospital for IV purposes? What about baby bottles, water pipe, blood storage bags, plastic food wrap, water jugs, etc.?

They reported their finding, and this spurred others to expand their work. Other mimickers were found.

So! Plastic is not as benign as we have been brought to believe!

What do all of the environmental books and articles tell you to do?

1. Don't accept plastic bags. Use paper; use a reusable cloth bag.

2. Organize; petition your supermarket to not use plastic bags.

3. Choose recyclable glass or metal containers.

4. Recycle.

The above noted recommendations all put the onus on the public and not the government to stop the spread of plastic usage. Will the public succeed against the corporate machinery? Not likely!

How can I say this? It is because the plastic industry already produces about 10 pounds of plastic for every human being on the face of the earth, each and every year.

It is estimated that sea going vessels dump 160,000,000 plastic containers into the sea every year.

Fishermen dump 352 million pounds of plastic packaging and gear into the sea every year.

The 600 miles of plastic fish netting that is lost or discarded at sea annually kills for years as it never disintegrates. It is estimated that 50,000 seals die from this cause annually, not counting the trapped fish and porpoise.

The plastic banana bags that are discarded at sea kill green sea turtles endlessly when they eat the bags thinking that they are jellyfish.

There are at least 50 species of birds that eat plastic pieces thinking they are plankton or fish eggs.

An autopsy on a whale off the east coast revealed a Javex bottle in its stomach. The veterinarian doctors were reluctant to say that this was the case of death, however.

By the way, whatever happened to those dedicated scientists? They had their grants cut off and couldn't find employment was the last I heard.

Have a nice day.