Picnics & Plastic
July is National Picnic Month, as well as being Plastic Free July: could you create a picnic without using any plastic? Although I’m sure our (great)-grandmothers would have produced anything from brown paper wrapped sandwiches to a feast of pies, quiches and salads, without so much as an inch of plastic in sight, today it would be more of a conscious challenge. The light weight convenience of plastic containers have become essential to any picnic, especially one that has to be carried any distance.
It is less harmful to place cold food into a plastic container to be transported for a short period of time and soon eaten. The concerns arise with hot food, when the plastic is heated either by the sun or through cooking, or when the food is stored in it for a long period of time. It is best to cook the food at home, allow it to cool and then transfer to a plastic container when you are ready to transport it, or better still use a ceramic or glass alternative like pyrex if weight is not an issue.
It is important to remain well hydrated, especially on a lovely warm summer’s day, so taking plenty of water with you is essential. But avoid buying it in plastic bottles. Instead, either buy it in glass bottles or filter it at home and then transport it in reusable stainless steel bottles.
Why does this matter? Apart from the benefits to the environment from using less plastic, there are important reasons for our health. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemicals that interfere with the endocrine, or hormone, system. This system includes hormones like oestrogen, testosterone, insulin and cortisol. These chemicals affect the body in 3 main ways:
they can block a natural hormone from binding to its cell receptor (which stops it from working)
they can act directly on a gland, causing it to make too much or too little of a hormone
they can ‘mimic’ a hormone, causing the body to overreact or react at the wrong time
EDCs can be natural but are typically man-made chemicals. They enter the body when we breathe, eat, drink or have skin contact with them. They are everywhere in modern life: in food and its packaging, household and personal care products and even in the air that we breathe. We are being exposed to increasing amounts of them, usually without knowing.
There are many different types of EDCs, but the most widespread and well-studied ones fall into 5 categories:
Bisphenols, including bisphenol A (BPA), are found in food and drink packaging, adhesives and many other products, eg plastic water bottles and canned foods. They can leach into the foods and drinks we consume from the packaging, or enter the body through the skin. Studies have shown that most people have at least some BPA in their body.
Phthalates are used to make plastics or as dissolving agents for other materials. They’re found in packaging, detergents, cosmetics and many other products we come into contact with every day eg plastic food wrap (cling film).
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are now banned, but were widely used previously in electrical equipment, paints, dyes, plastics and rubber products. They remain in the environment.
DDT/DDE is still used in other countries but is banned in the UK. It remains in the environment. Other pesticides continue to be widely used in UK farming and agriculture.
PFAS are found in everyday products such as cleaning and personal care products (eg shampoo, nail polish and make up), water-resistant fabrics (eg umbrellas and tents), grease-proof paper and non-stick cookware (eg bakery bags, pizza and takeaway boxes).
Due to the variety of ways in which they work in the body, EDCs have been linked to a wide array of health issues including ADHD, dementia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, thyroid disorders, infertility, and especially cancer. For example, studies have attributed high levels of BPA to heart problems and a greater risk of hormone-related cancers. PFAS have been associated with altered immune and thyroid function, liver and kidney disease, insulin resistance and cancer. Exposure to phthalates has been associated with decreased sperm quality. PCBs are thought to be dangerous to foetal development. Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) such as DDT/DDE are also widely thought to play a role in the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
You can’t eliminate all contact with EDCs but you can minimise your exposure by making more informed choices. Here are some tips:
choose products with BPA- and phthalate-free packaging
drink tap water that has been filtered
avoid microwaving plastic containers
avoid personal care and household products which are ‘fragranced’
choose paraben-free products
avoid unnecessary exposure to industrial chemicals and pesticides
When it comes to food and drink specifically, we should look at not only the foods themselves, but also how they are packaged, stored and cooked.
Buy organic as much as you can, especially meat and dairy products.
You can reduce the amount of pesticides consumed from fruit and vegetables by washing and/or peeling them.
Select whole foods which are fresh and loose.
Choose foods that have the least amount of processing as well as packaging.
Buy beans, chick peas and lentils either dried or in a glass jar instead of tinned.
Avoid the use of disposable packaging and opt for reusable containers instead.