one green planet
one green planet

Years ago, BPA-free labels on plastic and other items told us we were making a conscious and healthy purchase when we bought plastic bottles, household to-go containers or our treasured portable coffee cups. BPA is a chemical linked to multiple endocrine health problems, a risk for cancer, and other types of health issues we are all looking to avoid, which made the BPA-free label seem like a safe shot. The famous BPA-free label can be spotted everywhere these days since BPA is commonly found in everything from not just plastics, but also food items like canned and other packaged foods. Sadly, though we now know that BPA-free doesn’t mean much when it comes to avoiding health risks associated with BPA.

BPA-Free Products Still Contain Harmful Chemicals

One of the most recent findings was certain chemicals used to produce BPA-free products actually leads to irregular heart beats. Yikes! The main culprit is BPS (bisphenol-S), which was found to cause almost the exact same health risks as BPA. BPS has also been found to increase your risk for breast cancer, along with lead to prenatal brain development impairment. So why are these ingredients even used at all? Mainly for production and cost purposes. Plus, we all know plastic holds up fairly well, even though it’s a destruction to the environment, our health, and animals everywhere.

How to Avoid BPA and BPS

It can be very hard to avoid both BPA and BPS in packaged foods and plastic items, though many companies are now starting to label products BPA-free and BPS-free. If you’re not sure, the best route is to get rid of plastic and use a stainless steel water bottle for both water and coffee, use real glass and ceramic dishes instead of plastic (or paper) plates, try not to touch those receipts more than you have to, and use fresh vegetables instead of canned when possible (or opt for those in glass containers you can actually reuse). Overall, it’s time we ditch the plastic altogether. Our health can only thank us for it, and who knows- we might even find it’s easier than we think!

Let’s #CrushPlastic! Click the graphic below for more information.

Lead Image Source: Rubbermaid Products