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Watch VideoAre plastic bottles safe to use? Dr. John has the answer
Story By: Dr. John
Source: KOAA
There's a huge debate going on right now that can leave you guessing whether it's safe to use plastic bottles or not.
They're pretty much everywhere you look these days, but the big question has become whether that plastic bottle your water comes in is safe for you and your kids.
The answer is that there really isn't one solid answer just yet, but the debate is still in full swing.
The issue at the center of all of this is a chemical used in the making of those types of plastics. It's called Bisphenol A, or BPA, and nowadays is used to make so many things that it's hard to avoid. It's involved in the manufacturing of hard plastics used in everything from baby bottles to water bottles to medical devices. But it's also used to make a durable epoxy resin that coats most food and beverage cans.
A few months back consumer groups reported on this chemical and suggested that although studies weren't definite yet, it would be a good idea to switch to glass bottles for babies. Now, even though industry groups say that the chemical is still safe, the government has stepped in with it's own warning. The National Toxicology Program, part of the National Institute of Health, just issued a draft report expressing concern that BPA could cause neural and behavioral problems in fetuses, infants and children. And since it's infants that seem to be at greatest risk from this chemical, big retailers, Wal Mart and Toys R US, will be stopping the sale of baby bottles containing BPA next year. And Canada intends to become the first to ban the import and sale of some types of plastic baby bottles because they contain BPA
So again, although the final word isn't out yet, switching away from these products, especially for babies, sounds like a good idea.
