Plastic wraps come under increased scrutiny

[ttweed@wildrockies.org (Tony Tweedale)]

I've been told Dow's Saran Wrap (tm) is PVDC (VC + 1 Cl atom), while their
Glad Wrap (tm) is not a chlorinated polymer (perhaps vinyl acetate &
what's-it co-polymer).  I wonder what the generic brands are--they
generally just buy their product from established producers.
---

>From Natural Healthline News

Plastic wraps come under increased scrutiny

© by Peter Barry Chowka

On January 13, 1999 the New York Times reopened the issue of the safety of
plastic wraps commonly used to seal and preserve foods. "The concern,"
Marian Burros writes, "is that some plastic wraps contain endocrine
disrupters, which can mimic or interfere with hormones in the body. The
Environmental Protection Agency has begun to screen thousands of chemicals
to see which ones may be endocrine disrupters and need further study."
Studies have shown that the disrupters, according to the Times, "can cause
breast cancer, birth defects, low sperm count and mental problems. While
evidence continues to accumulate that disrupters have an effect on animals,
scientists are in heated debate about its meaning for humans."

In May 1998, Consumer Reports, published by Consumers Union, released the
results of its test on plastic food wrap including cheese wrapped in PVC
(polyvinyl chloride). Nineteen pieces of cheese were analyzed, and the
seven that were wrapped in the PVC cling wrap contained consistently high
levels of DEHA, or
di-(2-ethylhexyl)adipate, a plasticizer that has been identified as an
endocrine disrupter. The levels ranged from 51 to 270 parts per million,
with an average of 153. (The European Community has set a provisional limit
of 18 parts per million for DEHA migration from plastic wraps to food.)
"These are very large amounts," said Edward Groth, an environmental
scientist and food safety specialist with Consumers Union, while noting
that harmful levels of DEHA are not known.

Full text of story:
http://www.naturalhealthvillage.com/newsletter/HL990201/plasticwrap.htm

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