avioding plastics

[Lily84]

i have known for a while about how bad the phthalates and other toxins in plastics are and it really bothers me. but i am finding trouble trying to substitue some things. some things were easier than others, i switched to glass containers for milk and juice,,  all wooden cooking utensils, use only glass dishes, bowls and silverware, etc but there are a few things i am questioning. the main thing that bothers me is in regard to baby food making. i freeze the food in plastic ice cube trays and then store in plastic containers. i want to find other options. also another question, when a beauty product, like baby shampoo comes in a plastic bottle, if i then swtich the shampoo to some other conatiner is the toxin exposure lessened or because it was in plastic originally is the damage already done? i mean, the longer that the product is kept in plastic is the toxin increasing?  i am completely open to ANY suggestions for ridding my home of plastic. thanks

[moogie]

i was really concerned about this with my first but have slackened abit with my second.  personallly i never woried about the plastics with things like shampoos sincee it was an external application that would be rinsed away. fyi, the teething zones on plastic toys apparently have to be pthalate free.  i am cautious with clothing since skin is the largest organ of the body.  we don't use synthetics on the kids, but i occassionally use synthetics on me.  there are some plastic drinking bottles you can get that aren't as nasty as real plastic, we use those.  i'll get the name later.

oh and seriously whats with organic food being covered in plastic?

[Lily84]

yeh i read that about bananas and such and was shocked... weird

[moogie]

oh i more meant the packaging, but yeah are bananas coated in wax? i know apples often are to  give that shine when they're polished.

[Lily84]

i knew you meant about the wrapping, but i didnt say it right. i read that they dip the stems of organic bananas in fungicide before shipping to avoid certain types of mold i think is what it said

[SukeyTawdrey]

Yeah Megs, I know... I could stand in the produce section for hours ethically debating- do I buy organic peppers that are packaged 2 on a foam tray with plastic wrap or non-organic peppers from the open bin?  Organic eggs in foam or regular eggs in paper?  And so on...

And maybe in Australia your teething surfaces must be phtalate free, but I'm pretty sure in the US, anything goes.  San Franciso is taking the first stand and a lot of "standard" toys are being pulled of shelves.  Maybe "teethers" were always OK, though?  I don't know.  I know our packaging doesn't tell us and I know one teether Isa got stinks like a fragrance was added.  I tossed that!

[Lily84]

yeh i dont think that phthalates are banned in the us yet. green peace did however do  a sttudy on which brands of toys are phthalate free or very low phthlates. Sassy did very well, munchkin failed, gerber did well, the full list is on the website

[moogie]

good to hear that something is being done about these plastics.

i had a US book that said that they weren't allowed to have pthalates in teethers, but maybe its being phased in.

[jnezmama02]

No, Megs, you're correct. Phthalates are not supposed to be in any product specifically marked as a teething toy. The problem is:  90% of what kids chew on isn't really a designated teething toy, is it?  So, while a bathtub book that is loaded w/ the stuff isn't required to meet this standard b/c it isn't specifically marketed as a teether, my kids end up putting it in their mouth anyway.   That's where the problem is...

[moogie]

ok, if they know that pthalates are bad, why are drinking bottles still contain them?  that ridiculous.

[SukeyTawdrey]

Thanks for refering me to that Greenpeace list, that was nice to see.  It's so hard to avoid plastics, and I don't mind second hand plastics but I'd like to make better choices.  Thanks, too for seeting me straight on US regualtions and teethers.  I knew toys could still have phthalates, good to see that the chewy stuff is controlled (esp since I have bought a couple, like the Moo Chew)  I'd still like to know what gave those beads that wretched baby powder scent!  Same with the Cabbage Patch doll my MIL got for Isa.