More on plastic dangers - two good articles.

April 10, 2006

'Prolonged use of plastic products can be harmful'

By Asma Ali Zain

9 April 2006

DUBAI — Caveat emptor - May the buyer, or in this case the consumer, beware:

Several health diseases including cancer, birth defects or genetic changes could

well be the result of prolonged use of common plastic products, according to

doctors and research analysts. As the controversial debate over the risks of

using plastic cups heats up, they also say that even the use of plastic

packaging products, which are commonly used in the UAE, are also harmful for

users.

Read more at:

ae_April317.xml&section=theuae&col=

Plasticizer in everyday products might pose serious health risk

Sunday, April 09, 2006

Rosemary Sadez Friedmann

SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE

Have you heard about phthalates? Most health-conscious people

will say they’ve at least seen something about them. Phthalates (pronounced

THAY-lates) are petroleum-derived plasticizers that are used to make PVC plastic

soft and pliable and to release synthetic fragrances into the air. The

plasticizers are found in shower curtains, toys, food wraps, fingernail polish,

air fresheners and even hair sprays. They leach out of the product, so we

inhale or ingest them if we eat foods stored in PVC containers or plastic wraps.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has found that phthalates are so widespread

that they probably are present in everyone’s body. An effect of high exposure to

phthalates could be asthma and other respiratory problems.

Recommended Posts