Plastics
Supplements
in Plastic Bottles - Are All Plastics Bad?
We have encountered some misinformation that we think consumers should
be aware of. A couple of our competitor websites are saying that liquid
supplements bottled in plastics are absorbing the toxins from the
plastic, and these toxins are then being ingested by unknowing
consumers. This is simply false, inaccurate, irresponsible, and clearly
uninformed.
And here's why in a nutshell:
Dangerous and harmful plastic containers are made of polycarbonate, or
polyvinyl chloride, and contain an additive called Bisphenol A (BPA).
But not all plastics contain BPA. There is another class of plastic,
used specifically for consumables, which are made of entirely different
components, all of which are non-toxic. This non-toxic type of plastic
is called HDPE. You can be certain that no toxins will ever be leached
from these types of bottles because no toxic materials are contained in
their composition. HDPE bottles do NOT contain any BPA.
HDPE is the type of bottles used for all Vital Earth's liquid
supplements, as well as 90% of all health food store products. This is
not new. Reputable supplement manufacturers have been protecting
consumers against
harmful BPA for years now. To repeat, there is no BPA in Vital Earth
Minerals' bottles.
We'll admit that BPA is so widely used in modern life that it
is appalling. But you can be assured that our
bottles are at least one place you will NOT find it.
If any other manufacturer disputes this information, please ask them to
show you the specific scientific studies that show Bisphenol-A,
polycarbonate, or polyvinyl chloride is in the composition of HDPE
bottles. All plastics are not alike.
About Vital Earth's bottles: HDPE
The specific type of bottles Vital Earth uses are made of an organic
composition, are certified by the FDA, and are approved under the OSHA
Hazard Communication Standard. They do NOT contain BPA (Bisphenol-A),
and are not made from polycarbonate, polystyrene, phthalates, or
polyvinyl chloride.
Vital Earth Minerals' bottles are HDPE (High Density Poly Ethylene);
they are recommended by The Green Guide, and are certified safe and
guaranteed NOT to transfer anything toxic into the product because they
don't contain anything toxic. In fact the Green Guide even recommends
HDPE for baby bottles - that's how safe they are.
In independent lab tests done by certified facilities, HDPE has passed
rigorous testing using acid leaching agents, in extreme high heat
conditions. HDPE was found to be so non-reactive that no chemicals,
toxins, or foreign materials whatsoever, in any form, were detected in
the contents of the bottle. This isn't surprising since the composition
of the bottle does not contain any of these things.
HDPE bottles come from technology
developed specifically to deal with the issue of transference of toxins
from the bottle to the consumable product it contains. Rigorous
documented testing of HDPE bottles under the most extreme circumstances
has proved this again and again. HDPE bottles are made from
polyethylene, or polypropylene, NOT polycarbonate.
So, how safe are they? Completely! It
would be impossible to find any concrete, scientific,
documented evidence that HDPE bottles pose any risk at all - because
they are documented to be safe.
How does a manufacturer know the composition of the bottles
they buy?
Before any respectable manufacturer ever purchases a single bottle they
scrutinize the bottle manufacturer's "Material Safety Data Sheet". This
is a legal certification of the physical/chemical properties, human
health data, exposure controls, handling and storage, materials
stability and reactivity, toxicological information, regulatory
information and more. From this and other information we know exactly
what our bottle is composed of, the certifications it carries, and the
rigorous tests that were performed on it that guarantee its safety.
How does a manufacturer decide which type of plastic to use
for their product?
The choice of which type of plastic is used for a consumable product is
based on whether it will have a one-time use, multiple use, (like
storage containers), whether it will be heated and how hot the plastic
may get, the properties of the specific food coming in contact with the
plastic (acidic tomatoes for example), how long the food will be in
stored in the plastic, etc. Health and safety conscious
manufacturers
will most certainly evaluate their product and select the safest
possible option.
BPA and acidity
Yes, BPA is highly dangerous and should be
avoided, but there is another menacing aspect of BPA that is
now being
recognised. This is the reaction caused when
high acidity
foods
come
in contact with BPA. High acidity foods draw BPA out
of polycarbonate, or
polyvinyl chloride containers and directly into the food itself.
(Remember there is NO BPA in HDPE containers).
Before we go any further we would like to remind, and assure,
our
customers that all Vital Earth mineral products are
alkaline,
not
acidic. This is one of the unique features of
Vital Earth's minerals.
Many of our competitor's mineral products are
highly acidic due to their harsh chemical processing methods used
during extraction.
So, the
acidity level of a product is also a factor in considering
what type of packagine must be used for the optimum safety of
consumers.
This is why there is so much controversy about acidic foods,
such as
tomatoes, in cans with the white resin (BPA) liner.
Acidic products
are at an especially high risk of drawing more of the BPA into
the food
from the white resin lining of the can.
To recap:
- All Vital Earth products are bottled in HDPE bottles (BPA
free)
- All Vital Earth minerals are alkaline - not acidic
A
crash course on the different types of plastics:
Clearly, the concern over dangerous plastics centers mainly around the
additive Bisphenol A (BPA), which is used in the production of
polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. It can be found in hard
plastics like toys, disposable silverware, styrofoam products, (egg
cartons), clear plastic food storage containers, clear plastic and
reusable drink
bottles, the white enamel lining of cans used for foods such as
tomatoes, pumpkin, beets, certain types of thermal paper
receipts,
protective eye wear, epoxy resins used to make powder coating for steel
furniture, metal roofing, gardening tools, and so much more.
It's true that it is used
extensively, and that it should absolutely be avoided.
BPA (Bisphenol A) has been linked to breast, prostate, and uterine
cancer, decreased testosterone, Type II Diabetes, Attention Deficit
Disorder, and more. Federal health agencies have found that 95% of
people tested had levels of BPA in their system. (This is exactly why
having a strong immune system is so important)
BPA is a class of chemicals known as endocrine-disruptors. It mimics
the naturally occurring hormone estrogen, and alters the normal
function of genes. It is also linked to the early onset of puberty in
girls, obesity and behavioral problems. It is thought to be the cause
of serious reproductive disorders. There is a massive amount of
information available on the internet about BPA. It is clearly proven
to be very dangerous to human health and should never come in contact
with anything a human might consume. But, it’s not a perfect world...
unfortunately, products containing BPA are still widely sold.
How to identify harmful plastics used for foods:
The easiest way to identify the type of plastic is to look for the
recycling symbol and/or the alphabetic designation stamped on the
bottom of the container.
The recycling symbol is located on the bottom of containers. It is a
medium triangle that has a number stamped inside the triangle. The
number tells you what type of plastic it is. Some bottles, such as the
one Vital Earth Minerals uses, also have an alphabetic designation. For
example, Vital Earth’s bottles say “HDPE”.
Once you learn which plastics are which, with a glance at the recycling
symbol, or the alphabetic designation on the bottom of the container,
you can easily limit your exposure to BPA by simply not using them.
If there is nothing stamped on the bottom of the bottle, then we
suggest you don't buy it - it's anybody's guess what it's made of. And,
NEVER use plastics in an unsafe way, such as refilling a #1 recyclable
bottle, which are designed to be used only once.
Learn these Recycling Numbers:
- Worst Plastics: (Contains BPA (Bisphenol A) which can be
leached into the consumable product)
- #3 Recycling symbol: Polyvinyl chloride (vinyl or PVC) -
(generally not recyclable)
- #6 Recycling symbol: Polystyrene
- #7 Recycling symbol: (Polycarbonate)
Mediocre Plastic: (contains BPA which is released over time)
- #1 Recycling symbol– Designed for one-time use only.
- Also labeled as PETE (Polyethyl Tetra Ethelene)
This is the type of bottle that water is usually sold in.
Do not refill
this bottle
- the chemical bond breaks down over time, and then can transfer BPA
into the liquid. Many people who are concerned about the environmental
impact of using a bottle only once and then throwing it away will
refill #1 bottles. We don’t recommend this because over time, as they
are tumbled around in your car, become dented, etc. BPA is released. We
suggest you avoid buying #1 bottles whenever possible, and switch to
refillable HDPE, stainless steel or glass bottles, a much
better alternative
for both you and the environment.
Safe Plastic: (made from safe, polyethylene, or
polypropylene)
- #2 Recycling symbol: (HDPE- High Density Polyethylene)
- #4 Recycling symbol: (LDPE-Low Density Polyethylene)
- #5 Recycling symbol: (Polypropylene)
How
to get the most harmful plastics out of your life:
- Switch to a HDPE or LDPE, stainless steel or glass
refillable water bottle for personal use
- Use glass or ceramic storage and heating containers in your
kitchen, instead of plastics.
- Avoid all clear, hard shell plastic reusable containers,
including the big 5 gal. bottles that sit on water dispensers, unless
you check with the supplier to make sure they’re BPA free.
- Never feed your baby from a plastic baby bottle, unless
it's made
from plastics that don't leach BPA, like polypropylene or polyethylene
(HDPE). Or, switch to glass or stainless steel.
Don't take our word for it ... Learn the facts yourself and
make the best choices
And by "facts" we mean scientific data from reputable current studies,
respected researchers, government agencies and industry experts. If a
web site is warning you about some terrible danger but doesn't give you
specifics, and directs you to articles and studies that are several
years old, or articles that only relate to their scare topic in a vague
way - and they are suggesting that you buy their product instead...let
this be a RED FLAG warning to you. If a manufacturer has a valid
product benefit they shouldn't have to scare you to make their point.
We fully acknowledge that priceless information can be gleaned from the
opinions and experiences of " real people" who reveal their life
experiences to help others. But at the same time, for every compelling
and useful real life experience, there are dozens of self promoting
hucksters, or charlatans out there with a personal agenda. With that in
mind, we suggest that you simply look at the facts and decide for
yourself.
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Everybody is exposed to toxins in one form or another...
Let's face it, we live in a world where we're surrounded by chemical
toxins of some form or another. They are in our clothing, carpet,
furniture, foods, and just about everywhere. Whatever toxins you do
inevitably pick up from your environment, and the many harmful plastics
we are surrounded by, remember that it's the people who have the strong
immune systems who are least affected.
If you consciously limit your exposure to harmful substances, live a
healthy lifestyle, drink pure water, eat unprocessed food, and supply
your body with the nutrients it needs to maintain strong cells, it will prove helpful in fighting off the environmental challenges you encounter.
Nature provides us with many substances that naturally remove toxins from the body. Supplementing with formulas known to flush toxins can be important for maintaining normal healthy immune system function, and building strong healthy cells. Be aware of your diet and make an effort to mitigate the dangerous
effects of the harmful plastics, chemicals and the many food additives
we encounter daily.
More Plastics info :
The health dangers of reusing plastic bottles and bags: http://www.ewg.org/
http://themangolds.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/the-dangers-of-using-plastic-for-our-food-and-water/
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