[P2assist] Health Info

[Eileen Sousley]

This was just brought to my attention by a colleague so I am passing the
info along to all of you.
 
Eileen Sousley
Waste Reduction/ Recycling Coordinator
Cabarrus County Solid Waste
(704)920-3279
ebsousley@co.cabarrus.nc.us <mailto:ebsousley@co.cabarrus.nc.us> 


Plastic wrap in microwave... bad stuff?
University of California, Davis Medical Center 2315
Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, California 95817

Plastic Wrap Toxins. Author/s: Jule Klotter
Issue: Jan, 2001

As a seventh grade student, Claire Nelson, learned that
di(ethylhexyl)adepate (DEHA), considered a carcinogen, is found in plastic
wrap.  She also learned that the FDA had never studied the effect of
microwave cooking on plastic-wrapped food. Claire began to wonder:  "Can
cancer-causing particles seep into food covered with household plastic wrap
while it is being microwaved?"

Three years later, with encouragement from her high school science teacher,
Claire had an idea for studying the effect of microwave radiation on
plastic- wrapped food, she did not have the equipment.

Eventually, Jon Wilkes at the National Center for Toxicological Research in
Jefferson, Arkansas, agreed to help her. The research center, which is
affiliated with the FDA, let her use its facilities to perform her
experiments, which involved microwaving plastic wrap in virgin olive oil.
Claire tested four different plastic wraps and "found not just the
carcinogens but also xenoestrogen was migrating [into the oil]...." 

Xenoestrogens are linked to low sperm counts in men and to breast cancer in
women.

Throughout her junior and senior years, Claire made a couple of trips each
week to the research center, which was 25 miles from her home, to work on
her experiment. An article in Options reported that "her analysis found that
DEHA was migrating into the oil at between 200 parts and 500 parts per
million.  The FDA standard is 0.05 parts per billion." Her summarized
results have been published in science journals. Claire Nelson received the
American Chemical Society's top science prize for students during her junior
year and fourth place at the International science and Engineering Fair
(Fort Worth,Texas) as a senior. "Carcinogens-At 10,000,000 Times FDA Limits"
			
Options May 2000. Published by People Against Cancer, 515-972-4444 

On Channel 2 (Huntsville, AL) this morning they had a Dr. Edward Fujimoto
from Castle Hospital on the program. He is the manager of the Wellness
Program at the hospital. He was talking about dioxins and how bad hey are
for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the Microwave
using plastic containers. This applies to foods that contain fat. He said
that the combination of fat, high heat and plastics releases dioxins into
the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.  Dioxins are carcinogens
and highly toxic to the cells of our bodies. Instead, he recommends using
glass, Corning Ware, or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the
same results without the dioxins. So such things as TV dinners, instant
saimin and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in
something else.  Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper.
Just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He said we might
remember when some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam
containers to paper.  The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Pass this on to your friends.... To add to this: Saran wrap placed over
foods as they are nuked, with high heat, actually drips poisonous toxins
into the food! Use a paper towel!!


Peggy L. Harrell
Pet Tender
Tarboro, North Carolina 27886
Petenderph@cs.com <mailto:Petenderph@cs.com> 
252-823-6551 (home)
252-823-0111 (work)


DISCLAIMER:  Pursuant to the Freedom of Information-Privacy Acts (FOIPA) and
North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 132, Public Records, this electronic
mail message and any attachments hereto, as well as any electronic mail
message(s) sent in response to it may be considered public record and as
such subject to request and review by anyone at any time.