Plastics – they’re a big part of our modern, ultra-convenient society. Think for a moment about how prevalent they are in your home; no let’s just narrow that down to your kitchen. Water bottles…food storage containers…food storage bags (think Ziploc style)…canisters (think coffee, flours, sugar, etc)… baby bottles… sippy cups…certain cooking and eating utensils…insulated coffee mugs…plates…bowls…even the splatter guard so many of us have in our microwave ovens to save us some cleaning time every week. I’m sure we could continue…what else can you think of? The point here is that plastic is very abundant in our kitchens; coming in direct contact with our foods.

Now, I know certain plastics have their place and many do great good in society, but the question I want to leave you with today is how much do you really know about the plastics you use daily, some even hourly, in your home? Could they be doing you or your child harm? Your spouse? Other family members?

After much reading and research over the past couple of years since we started biomedical treatments for my 7-year-old son, I’m convinced that a kitchen full of plastics is probably not wise. Convenient? Sure. But certainly not wise. We just don’t have enough data on the chemicals used in plastics to be assured that they are really and truly “safe” for the ones we love the most.

Actually, certain plastic components have been studied and found to have adverse effects on human health. Still, not very many people seem to really “know” about the “known” adverse effects. So please feel free to pass this blog entry along. Share it with your parents, your grandparents, your extended family, your friends and neighbors. Please! Let’s make sure that the people we care about understand that certain things they may be using every single day could be making them (or their kids or aging parents and grandparents) quite ill, now or in the long run!

How can something as common as plastic make us ill? Let me explain.

Phthalates, chemicals used to soften plastic and make it more flexible, are found in such things as soft plastic water bottles, soft vinyl toys, shampoos, hair sprays, perfumes, deodorants and various pharmaceuticals. I’m guessing you probably have a few of these things in your home, right? Well, you should know then that Phthalates are known hormone disrupters and have been shown to cause sperm and genital problems in males. Yikes! Hormone disruptors in your child’s toys, your perfume, and the very water bottle you’re drinking from right now? Think about that water bottle…consider that it has released phthalates into your water, especially if it has experienced any heat on the way to your hands, lips, mouth and throat. (Did you leave it, and its case mates, sitting in the hot car while you finished other errands? Or, did you leave it in the steaming garage for a few days until you were ready to put it into the refrigerator? Or, ever consider that it may have gotten hot on the truck while being delivered to your store? Phthalate City - my friends!)

Along those same lines, have you ever heated up left-over foods in a plastic container? I used to frequently, but trust me – I NEVER do anymore. If you take nothing else away from this blog entry – NEVER heat food in plastic containers in your microwave, folks! NEVER. How does casserole with a side of hormone disruptor sound to you? Nasty, right? From now on, I urge you to scrape those left-overs into a glass or ceramic bowl first! I know it means more dishes to wash, but trust me, just do it. Also, if you have a plastic “splat” guard in your microwave, I’ll wait right here while you get up and go put it in your recycle bin. I’m serious…I’ll wait. You need to do this…just get rid of it! Cover your plates/bowls with wax paper or a paper towel in the future, but please do not put plastic in your microwave ever again! (In another post on another day we’ll talk about microwaves and how they, too, may be damaging your health or that of your child…but let’s get back on topic! Plastics…)

Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, is found in hard plastics including many baby bottles, the lining of tin cans, food containers and many dental sealants. BPA is associated with breast and testicle cancer, diabetes, hyperactivity, obesity and low sperm. New parents, please be extra aware - since babies' livers are so new, it is estimated that 3-6 month old babies are likely to accumulate 5x more BPA than adults, from comparable exposure.

Disturbed yet? I know it is overwhelming!

But there are things you can do!

Invest in reusable stainless steel or BPA-free water bottles for everyone in your home and glass storage containers for your left-over food. You’ll be protecting your family and helping the environment, too! We have a nice supply of small, medium and large stainless steel and BPA-free bottles to use, wash and reuse. Not only am I protecting my family with these bottles; I’m decreasing the amount of water-bottle waste (which does not biodegrade) piling up in our landfills! It makes me feel pretty accomplished, actually!

If you have a baby, I would strongly encourage you to buy BPA-free baby bottles (if you’re not nursing) or even if you express breast milk for bottle-feeding later.

Ask your child’s dentist for BPA-free sealants if, like most dentists, they try to convince you that sealants are necessary on your child’s back molars.

Limit the amount of canned food you eat and feed your family. The fresher the food is the more nutrient value it will have anyway, so try to go with fresh produce and foods when possible.

Gradually remove plastic food storage containers from the kitchen. In my kitchen, there is no more Tupperware…way fewer Ziplocs. (For information about packing a “safer” school lunch avoiding Ziploc baggies, see my post here last week.) When you buy meat at the butcher, have him wrap it in butcher paper before you bring it home to drop in a Ziploc bag to refrigerate or freeze. Limit exposure as much as possible.

For storage of left-over food, I found some really great glass storage containers (with glass lids, even!) in the Crate & Barrel catalog. I also use some glass containers with plastic lids, but I try to make sure the food doesn’t come into contact with the lids. Remember how I talked about heat releasing Phthalates into our food? How many times have you put hot or warm left-overs into a plastic food-storage container? That’s all it takes…the heat messes with the chemicals and releases them right into your food. Yuck! And, along the same lines, consider that washing plastics in the dishwasher also exposes them to heat and promotes release of toxins.

Note: I do still utilize plastic bins and Tupperware containers for non-food storage in the playroom, closets and garage; but someday I may regret even that…there’s so much yet we have to learn about the chemicals used in plastics!

You may be asking, “Is it more expensive to make these changes?” Well, honestly, and quite unfortunately, yes it is. I spent a chunk of change to buy the glass food storage containers and water bottles we use every day. But, the bottom line here is we use them every single day. I feel much more comfortable knowing that scary BPA and those pesky Phthalates will have a much decreased chance of messing with my little guy’s delicate system…mine and my husband’s, too, for that matter.

So for me the more appropriate question is, “Is it worth the extra dough?” Yes! An unequivocal YES! While it is an adjustment, it can be done gradually over time. In fact, I’m still converting certain canisters and containers over. Our budget (and my sanity) can only handle so much change at a time. If you’re ready to “purge some plastic,” I recommend you set some goals, figure out where you want to begin and just get started. Take “baby steps”, but know that with each little change reducing the amount of plastics in your kitchen, you’re decreasing the amount of dangerous chemicals that may very well be harming your family! And, with each little step along the way, like me I’ll bet that you’ll gain a sense of accomplishment.

Are you in? Have you already made sweeping changes to your kitchen regarding plastics or do you plan to “purge the plastic” from your kitchen in the coming months? I’d love to read your thoughts, your strategies, your successes, your frustrations and any questions. The more we share the more we will all learn!

Leigh Attaway Wilcox is a Writer and Editor, Children's Book Author, Literacy Specialist and proud mom to a spunky, smart 7-year-old boy who happens to live with Asperger's Syndrome. In addition to blogging here for AutismSpot each week, Leigh writes for the Dallas Moms Blog about a variety of parenting and special needs topics. For more about Leigh, her writing and her family's journey with Autism, visit her website and blog.