Dr. Vyvyan Howard, head of the Developmental Toxico-Pathology Research Group and a senior lecturer at the University of Liverpool in England, gives us a condensed history on the hazardous chemical soup that has resulted from the resource plundering petroleum industry. Bisphenol A is just one of many harmful synthetic compounds extensively used to produce the many plastics that you touch, breathe, wear, and consume daily.
A refresher on the endocrine system.
The endocrine system sends chemicals, hormones, through the blood which control growth and development, metabolism and mood, reproductive functions in the testes and ovaries (estrogen and testosterone production), kidney functions, body temperature, weight, insulin (a hormone) absorption crippling your body’s ability to deal with sugars, and even your adrenal glands that can affect sleeping habits. Every
Look over this pic from a Google image search displaying the glands of the endocrine system.
Now what are endocrine disruptors?
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) definition of endocrine disruptors: “interfere with the synthesis, secretion, transport, binding, action, or elimination of natural hormones in the body that are responsible for the maintenance of homeostasis (normal cell metabolism), reproduction, development, and/or behavior.” Synthetic endocrine disruptors include: diethylstilbesterol (the drug DES), dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), DDT, chemicals in some pesticides, and some still widely used such as bisphenol A. Also included is polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE’s), and phthalates which are found in almost all flexible plastics. Phenols are also part of that group and can be found in soaps and detergents.
PCBs specifically were commonly produced in the past and banned in the 70s in many countries due to health concerns. Unfortunately these compounds are called persistent organic pollutants (POP) for the reason that they persist in the environment and will affect our offspring for generations to come.
Natural endocrine disruptors, phytoestrogens are found in plants, but are not found to interfere with our signaling system to block normal functions, but in fact are known to have nutritional benefits. The half life of these natural estrogens are minutes compared to the harmful synthetic estrogens which can last decades and up to thousands of years as well as being bioaccumulative. Some radioactive wastes can last for BILLIONS of years, such is the case with depleted uranium, or uranium hexafluoride, from refining uranium for weapons and nuclear power plants. These types of contaminating hazards cannot be cleaned nor chemically reversed back into their natural state.
The higher up the food chain you eat, the higher the fat content of your diet the more you’ll get.
This statement by Professor Howard simplifies the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of the concentration of toxins in the food chain and is vital to consider when making food and diet decisions. Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is virtually inescapable in beef and dairy products. Guess why it is called a growth hormone… mmm pass me some sizzlin’ steak and a cold glass of milk! Actually make it a plastic cup of microwaved milk, all the more tempting…
These dangers are well documented and should be one of the primary discussions of nations and governments. Alas, it has been forced as a commodity by marketing and broadcast media to suppress the dangers of and glorify the benefits.
This planet is a giant lab and we are the guinea pigs.
Chemical Hygiene
There is nothing green about having toxic waste circulating in our air, water, and food supply,
but for the meantime there is no stopping our plastic addiction, or war on plastic (insert symbol crash), because the benefits are just too profitable and cheap to produce. Minimize your exposure.
Almost every study or report I could find suggested developing fetuses and babies to be most susceptible to the effects of hormone disruption.
Bisphenol A FREE Portal
ABC Mainstream Report.
Someone was probably fired for this! I thought I’d do something a bit different to show just how much bisphenol A is being utilized. A search of the U.S. Patent database of bisphenol A shows just the last 50 in just over a week. Pay attention to the company listed as Assignee. Some you might just suspect!
Bisphenol A demand in current inventions
Tags:
Bisphenol A,
endocrine disruptor,
PCB,
phthalates,
plasticizers,
Pollution
