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REUSABLE GROCERY BAGS MAY POSE PUBLIC HEALTH RISK |
There is a growing trend to reusable packaging overall in an effort to encourage reduction. The position of the plastics industry is clear. The industry strongly supports reduction and reuse, and recognizes use of reusables as good environmental practice, but it does not want to see these initiatives inadvertently compromise public health and safety. The industry believes that appropriate research and investigation must be pursued. This testing sample is but a first step.
Laboratory testing of reusable grocery bags by two independent laboratories was undertaken this spring. To ensure independence, a third laboratory was engaged to provide oversight and evaluative commentary of the results -- Toronto-based Sporometrics, the foremost experts in many aspects of fungal and environmental bacterial testing in Canada. The study found that reusable grocery bags pose a public health risk.
Subject-matter expert, Dr. Richard Summerbell, Director of Research at Sporometrics, provided interpretation of the test results as well as critical direction and assistance in the writing of this report. Dr. Summerbell is a noted microbiologist who served as the Chief of Medical Mycology for Ontario Ministry of Health, Laboratory Services Branch from 1991-2000 and was senior researcher at the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, the world's most extensive fungal culture collection and mycological center at the Royal Netherlands Academy, in Utrecht, the Netherlands. He has also authored over 150 scientific papers.
The results compiled in A Microbiological Study of Plastic Reusable Bags and First or single-use’ Plastic Bags show that reusables are a breeding ground for bacteria and pose public health risks – food poisoning, skin infections such as bacterial boils, allergic reactions, triggering of asthma attacks, and ear infections.
Over 30% of the bags had unsafe levels of bacterial contamination, 40% had yeast or mold and some of the bags had intestinal faecal bacteria embedded in their surface when there should have been 0.
The test results have been shared with the federal Sub-Committee on Food Safety which is currently looking into the safety of Canada’s food supply chain, federal and provincial ministers of health, medical associations across the country as well as public health officials for immediate action. Health Canada has issue a safety alert to consumers about contamination from reuseable bags, as attached.
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A few Fast Facts on Plastics in Medicine |
| In the past few decades, plastics have made health care simpler and less painful and made new techniques and prostheses possible. They have reduced contamination, relieved pain and cut medical costs. They have prolonged, improved and saved lives. |
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Not too long ago, almost no medical packaging had tamper-evident seals. Today, nearly 100 percent of all pharmaceutical packaging does. In addition, child-resistant caps help keep medicines away from little hands. |
| Plastics are key components of modern prosthetic devices, providing comfort, flexibility, mobility and a life-like appearance. |
Artificial hips and knees use plastics to help provide smoothly working, trouble-free joints. |
| Plastics permeate medicine. From the smallest tubing to the open MRI machine, plastics deliver when lives are on the line. |
Surgical gloves made of soft pliable plastic help preserve the sterile environment of hospital operating rooms. |
| The United States has the lowest rate of cross-staph infection in the world as a result of its use of plastic medical disposables. |
As the need for home health care continues to increase, plastics will play a major role in creating simple, portable and effective medical devices. |
| Plastics have helped reduce the weight of eyeglass frames and lenses, while improving their strength and shatter resistance. Plastics also provide vision-impaired consumers with another option: contact lenses. |
Revolutionised Wheelchair
An Israeli company recently revolutionised the wheelchair! The new ReWalk™ is not just a vertical wheelchair – it restores the element of control over mobility, an element wheelchair users miss painfully.
This wearable, motorized suit is made from lightweight plastic, and provides user-initiated mobility. Rewalk’s principles are leveraging advanced motion sensors, sophisticated robotic control algorithms, on-board computers, real-time software, actuation motors, tailored rechargeable batteries and, of course - composite plastic materials.
By maintaining users upright on a daily basis, and exercising even paralyzed limbs in the course of movement, ReWalk™ alleviates many of the health-related problems associated with long-term wheelchair use: urinary, respiratory, cardiovascular and digestive systems problems, osteoporosis, pressure sores and so on. In addition to relieving suffering, this has a real impact on healthcare costs – cutting yearly expenses almost in half, and enabling both insurers and individuals to redirect funds to other projects. |
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Email Hoax regarding Cancer
A hoax email which has been circulating since 2004 regarding plastic containers, bottles and wrap,
claiming that heat releases dioxins which cause cancer, was also NOT published by Johns Hopkins.
More information. |
When faced with seemingly scientific information, differentiating between fact and fiction can be difficult.
A website has been set up by the American Plastics Council to counter claims made by hoax emails alleging dangers
of plastics in relation to food handling, cooking and storage.
Visit the website at:
www.plasticsmythbusters.org
The John Hopkins website is another useful source of factual information which dispels these myths:
www.hopkinsmedicine.org - click on “what’s new”
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Thirst for Truth
A powerpoint slide show - slamming bottled water - which recently did the rounds on email, has evoked a Thirst for the Truth.
The official response from the International Bottled Water Association to the generator of the presentation is below for your info. They wrote a letter to the company that created and distributed it. The slide show was actually created by PM Architecture in New York City, not by the Earth Policy Institute as many had initially believed. The following is their response, written by Tom Lauria, IBWA’s communications vice president::
"Hello:
My name is Tom Lauria. I am Vice President for Communications at the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA). A PowerPoint slide presentation produced by PM Architecture (PMA) is circulating on the internet and includes several incorrect statements about bottled water.
Bottled water companies care a great deal about the environmental quality of our planet and are taking steps to reduce the environmental impact of our products. However, we at IBWA think it is important to sort-out fact from rumor, particularly since communicating environmental information appears to be part of your mission and no one wants their company name and logo to be linked to erroneous information.
First of all, let’s look at your initial content slide where you claim that bottled water costs more than $1.50 per bottle of water. The vast majority of bottled water is purchased in grocery stores or shopping clubs in cases or value-packs that deliver a half-liter of bottled water for under 20 cents per bottle, on average. Of course, some people buy bottled water in a retail venues such a deli for the price you indicate, but they’ll pay that much or more for any packaged beverage they choose in a retail setting. By choosing a calorie-free, sugar-free, caffeine-free and colorings-free beverage, consumers are making a safe, healthy choice. It is not in the public interest to discourage consumers from drinking plenty of water, whether it is from the tap or a bottle.
Overall hydration comes from many sources but many health professionals put water at the top of the list. We presume that your $400 per person figure for bottled water, per year, is based upon the consumer buying every single bottle of water they drink from a retail vendor. It is more likely that they purchase bottled water by the case or multi-pack, like millions of bottled water drinkers, particularly those with families.
In your slide about health, there is confusion over the plastic contents of some water bottles. Polycarbonate plastic with BPA has long been approved for food contact by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA.) Polycarbonate plastic is found in baby bottles, metal can liners, refillable beverage bottles and the large, 5-gallon bottles found in water coolers. This durable, heavy plastic has been an approved food container for over 50 years. Many nations, including Germany, Japan, Canada and even New Zealand, have concurred with the FDA that the plastic additive BPA, which softens brittle plastic, is safe to hold food. (Here, I cannot fail to note most of your slide show focuses on single-serve water bottles which are made of PET plastic, which does not contain BPA.)
Your condemnation of empty water bottles is off-the-mark. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, water bottles make-up only one-third of one percent of the plastic waste stream. Plastic packaging is used in thousands of food and household products. For the sake of managing a livable Earth, all plastic containers must be recycled. Your presentation emphasizes water bottles but even your own photos indicate a wide range detergent containers, bleach bottles, plastic jars and many other things. Bottled water’s recycle rate of 24% is still too low,. But we are proud that beverages have the highest recycle rate of all consumer products. Besides actively supporting recycling programs in many communities, water bottle companies have significantly light-weighed their plastic bottles by 26.7% in the past seven years. These thin water bottles crush with little effort and are easier to recycle. Of course, they also use less oil to produce.
Your PowerPoint presentation cites a figure of $100 billion dollars for annual bottled water sales. (U.S. sales last year were $11.6 Billion.) The figure you cite is a global figure. Bottled water is popular all over the world, very often by necessity. While government around the world and the private sector work to find permanent solutions to provide clean drinking water in underserved communities, bottled water combined with other solutions such as filtration and bulk filling stations, is an efficient and effective means of delivering clean, sanitary drinking water. A growing number of bottled water companies are designating a portion of their income to support global programs, which help create long term solutions for the provision of water for drinking, sanitation and hygiene in underserved and developing communities. Sometimes it is a matter of life and death, so take care not to disparage life-saving efforts.
In the United States, annual bottled water production accounts for less than 2/100 of a percent (0.02%) of the total ground water withdrawn each year. The bottled water industry uses minimal amounts of groundwater to produce an important consumer product—and does so with great efficiency.
Even though it is a minimal groundwater, bottled water companies actively support comprehensive ground water management practices that are science-based, multi-jurisdictional, treat all users equitably, and provide for future needs of this important resource. The same holds true for the bottled water industry’s support for strong and adequately funded municipal water infrastructure. Nearly all U.S. consumers and industries rely on tap water and every taxpayer and every industry must help ensure future supplies of water from municipal sources.
There is a section of your slide presentation that presents incorrect information about the storage of bottled water. All food containers must be previously cleared by the FDA. With respect to leaving bottled water in a hot car, FDA has stated that in its safety review, they took into account exposures to higher temperatures, such as during storage and transportation of bottled water prior to sale, in its estimates of potential levels of migration of substances from the plastic to the water. The FDA stated:
“The levels of migration expected, including during periods of exposure to elevated temperatures in storage and transport (such as might be experienced in a closed vehicle in the sun) have, as discussed above, been determined by the agency to be well within the margin of safety.
Therefore, the agency does not consider this situation to be a safety concern.”
Click here to download a PDF slideshow on the facts about bottled water.
(courtesy: European Plastics Recycling Organisation)
Sunlight deactivates the diarrhoea organisms in polluted drinking water in plastic bottles
Ultra-violet radiation is bad for the human skin. Happily it is also bad for the bugs that cause diarrhoea and can be used to disinfect polluted water. The process known as solar water disinfection (SODIS) is a method of disinfecting water using only sunlight and plastic bottles.
SODIS is a cheap and effective method for decentralized water treatment, usually applied at the household level and is recommended by the World Health Organization as a viable method for household water treatment and safe storage.
At a water temperature of about 30°C (86°F), about 5 hours of solar radiation is required for SODIS to be efficient.
At water temperatures higher than 45°C (113°F), synergetic effects of UV radiation and temperature further enhance the disinfection efficiency.
"Solar water disinfection, also known as SODIS, is a method of disinfecting water using only sunlight and plastic PET bottles. SODIS is a cheap and effective method for decentralized water treatment, usually applied at the household level and is recommended by the World Health Organisation as a viable method for household water treatment and safe storage.SODIS is already applied in numerous developing countries."
Courtesy of: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_water_disinfection |
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“CANSA recognises GLAD® Wrap as a healthy choice.”
IMPORTANT INFO:
It has since come to our attention that CANSA has also tested the following house brands and found them to be safe to use:
Checkers
Shoprite
Pick 'n Pay
Woolworths
OK
Spar |
Cling wrap has been a controversial subject for quite some time, and rumours have circulated that the plasticisers
in cling wrap can migrate into food and pose serious health risks, such as causing cancer. So who is making an
effort to get the facts, and which brand is addressing the actual risk? To read more
click here.
CANSA, The Cancer Association of South Africa, recently chose
certain environmental chemicals to be quantitatively analysed. |
One of these is Bisphenol A which is used in the manufacture of Polycarbonate baby bottles and other plastic
water bottles. Cansa intends testing for the possible transfer of BPA from plastic to food or beverage when
heated.
The PFSA fully supports the mission of CANSA which is “to substantially reduce the impact of cancer by promoting
health in all communities within South Africa, through advocacy and the sustainable facilitation of research,
prevention, early detection and care.”
Plastics can significantly improve its sustainability through its ability to be recycled into a variety of products over and over again. (Sustainable means that the resource isn't used up - either because it is renewable, or because the resource is fully
recyclable and recycled).
So we support the early warning system that follows from research into any potentially nasty chemical component
of plastics.
The Plastics Industry is just as keen to know if they are producing/using products that will be harmful, as the
users are.
On the basis that Government sponsored research is better than company sponsored research, we specifically refer
our readers to an extract from the
Canadian Government web site regarding
Bisphenol A.
Visit the following websites for more information:
Plastics Europe Comments: Regulators all over the world have approved the chemical for use in bottles
following “rigorous testing”. The European industry body added that the levels reported in the US study were “well
below” the threshold considered safe by the European Authorities. In a statement PlasticsEurope said: “From the
measured levels a daily uptake of BPA can be derived that would be - by a factor of more than 100 - below the
uptake considered to be safe by the European Food Safety Authority.” This “confirmed” the safety of polycarbonate
bottles. The European industry body cites a recent study carried out into BPA release from polycarbonate baby
bottles. This study was carried out by the Official Food Control Authority of the Canton of Zürich and the
Norwegian Food Safety Authority.
PlasticsEurope quoted the study as concluding: “With this understanding of the mechanisms of BPA formation
and transfer into beverages it seems possible to confirm that even under extreme conditions and scenarios the
amount of BPA released from polycarbonate baby bottles is clearly below the TDI [tolerable daily intake] for
babies.” The trade body added that regulators “all over the world” had approved the use of BPA as safe. These
included: The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and
the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
The British Plastics Federation says: PC bottles are safe to use. The BPF says “Extensive third party
research has been done and shows there is no reason whatsoever to be concerned. We are – at Brussels and UK
levels - dusting off conclusive reports done a few years ago that demonstrate there is nothing to worry about.
There is extremely low risk, if any risk at all.”
The PFSA supports these comments.
Bisphenol A Fact Sheets (courtesy American Chemistry Council)
For the latest GOOD NEWS on this topic , click here.
Other interesting articles which have appeared in the media recently:
Plastics Manufacturers Reconfirm that PET Bottles Do NOT Contain BPA
Consumers Are Confusing Two Different Plastics
In an effort to ease unwarranted consumer fears, the PET Resin Association has reiterated that food and beverage containers made from the polyester plastic known as PET do not contain Bisphenol-A (BPA). BPA is a compound used to make polycarbonate, a different type of plastic that is used in some baby bottles, the lining of metal cans, and reusable sports bottles.
Some legislators and advocacy groups have recently called for a ban of polycarbonate bottles and containers used by infants and toddlers, citing a possible connection between BPA and developmental and reproductive disorders. The FDA and other international health authorities have ruled BPA safe.
"Unfortunately many consumers and media reports have confused polycarbonate with polyethylene terephthalate, which is PET," explains Ralph Vasami, executive director of the PET Resin Association (PETRA). "We want the public to know that PET doesn't contain any BPA and never has. Although the names of the two plastics may sound somewhat similar, they are chemically different."
PET is a clear, strong and lightweight plastic belonging to the polyester family. It is used for virtually all individual and 2-liter water and soft-drink bottles sold in the USA and elsewhere, and is a popular packaging choice for foods and beverages around the world because it is hygienic, retains freshness and is break resistant.
"The safety of PET bottles and food containers has been repeatedly demonstrated under all sorts of conditions through 30 years of testing and approval by virtually every health-safety agency in the world," said Vasami.
Consumers can easily identify a PET bottle or container by its #1 recycling code. PET is the only plastic with that code. |
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California regulators will not list Bisphenol A under Prop. 65, call for more study
July 15, 2009
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A California regulatory board voted Wednesday against placing Bisphenol A, a chemical used to manufacture plastic baby bottles and toys, on the state's list of chemicals that are believed to cause reproductive harm. The panel, comprised of seven physicians, unanimously decided that the chemical known as BPA should not be covered under Proposition 65, a voter-approved measure used by regulators to identify substances that can cause birth defects, developmental or reproductive harm. Board members voiced concerns over the growing scientific research showing BPA's effect on foetal health in animals, but said none of the studies they reviewed offered clear evidence of the chemical's toll on human health.
BPA is commonly used to harden plastic or in an epoxy sprayed on metal food containers that is used to prevent corrosion. Experts disagree about whether it is harmful to humans and few studies on human subjects have been conducted. Studies on the general population have found that 92.6 percent of people have detectable levels of BPA, according to the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.
Dozens of mothers, environmental advocates and scientists appeared at the meeting, providing hours of testimony urging the panel to list BPA so that warning labels would be added to foods. They said they were just seeking more information so they could make better decisions when shopping for their families.
Dr. Carl Keen, a member of the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee, the body that voted Wednesday, urged people in attendance to understand that the panel's decision would not be the last word on BPA. Keen said the board turned down listing second hand smoke when it first came up for a vote, saying science at that time was unclear as well. Keen said a month after that vote, a new study provided the panel with the evidence it needed to list second hand smoke under Proposition 65.
The board's decision ran counter to trends in other states. Minnesota and Connecticut have already banned BPA's use in making baby bottles. Dr. Steven Hentges of the American Chemistry Council agreed with the panel's decision, saying tests on lab rats and mice do not prove BPA hurts humans in the same way.
"To extrapolate any effect from rodents to humans is tenuous," he said.
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Statement (American Chemistry Council)
California Expert Panel Concludes Bisphenol A (BPA) is Not a Reproductive or Developmental Toxicant
The following statement can be attributed to Steven G. Hentges, Ph.D. of the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group. Dr. Hentges’ comments are in regard to the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment’s (OEHHA) public meeting of the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee held today that considered whether bisphenol A (BPA) should be added to the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause reproductive toxicity.
ARLINGTON, VA (July 15, 2009) – “The American Chemistry Council (ACC) is pleased that a panel of independent scientific experts convened by the State of California concluded today that bisphenol A is not a reproductive or developmental toxicant. After a thorough review of the scientific evidence, the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee determined that bisphenol A should not be listed under California’s Proposition 65.
“The Proposition 65 conclusion today that bisphenol A is not a reproductive or developmental toxicant is consistent with the consensus view of regulatory bodies around the world on the safety of bisphenol A. From the US and Canada, to Europe, Japan and Australia-New Zealand, at least eleven national regulatory bodies have recently reviewed the science and concluded that bisphenol A is safe for use in consumer products.
“ACC and its member companies have long-supported research to advance scientific understanding about chemicals and promote public health. We support the State of California’s comprehensive chemical management efforts and today’s decision that bisphenol A does not meet the criteria for listing under Proposition 65.” |
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| Stores respond to BPA scare: Wal-Mart's decision to stop selling baby bottles with the chemical bisphenol-a is seen as a sign of how online activist campaigns by entities such as the Environmental Working Group and activist bloggers can affect markets. Stores including CVS and Toys "R" Us also removed the products from shelves, and one chemist said the trend indicates that "the science can't compete with the emotion." CNNMoney.com/Fortune |
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FDA Further Reaffirms Safety of Food-Contact Products Containing Bisphenol A
ARLINGTON, VA (August 15, 2008) — In a comprehensive draft scientific assessment issued today, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) strongly reaffirms the safety of food-contact products containing bisphenol A (BPA). Bisphenol A is used to make polycarbonate plastic products such as baby bottles and sippy cups, and is used in epoxy linings of cans to help to protect the safety and integrity of foods and beverages.
“FDA is the premier agency responsible for the safety of our food,” stated Steven G. Hentges, Ph.D. of the American Chemistry Council’s Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group. “FDA’s thorough analysis confirms that food contact products made from polycarbonate plastic, including products for infants and children, can continue to be used safely.”
Read more »
Download Assessment (PDF 7.61 MB)
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| American Chemistry Council criticizes partial phthalates ban in consumer-safety bill : Lawmakers have included a partial ban on phthalates in a bill aimed at revamping consumer product safety. The American Chemistry Council criticized the bill, which is still awaiting a final vote. "There is no scientific basis for Congress to restrict phthalates from toys and children's products," an ACC official said. President George W. Bush opposes the ban, but it is not clear whether he plans to veto the bill. Reuters ; The Washington Post |
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| Scratch plastic bottles, plastic bags off your worry list: Plastic bags and plastic bottles are listed on John Tierney's column titled "10 Things To Scratch From Your Worry List." Paper bags are no better for the environment than plastic bags, he writes in The New York Times. He also noted that for years, experts have approved the use of bisphenol-a in plastic bottles and other plastic products. The New York Times |
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| EU: Baby bottles contain safe amount of BPA : A scientific panel of the European Food Safety Authority said Wednesday that the amount of bisphenol A found in baby bottles cannot harm human health. "The conclusions of the panel are that after exposure to BPA the human body rapidly metabolizes and eliminates the substance. This represents an important metabolic difference compared with rats," the EFSA said. The American Chemistry Council welcomed the conclusion and noted that safety is its top priority. "The conclusions reported today provide strong reassurance to consumers that they are not at risk," said Steven Hentges, a member of the ACC's Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group. EU Observer (Brussels) ; ABC7 (Chicago) ; Reuters |
In summary
Human exposure to BPA from food-contact use of polycarbonate plastic is very low and poses no known risk to human
health. The use of polycarbonate plastic for food contact applications has been and continues to be recognized as
safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Food, the United
Kingdom Food Standards Agency, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, and other regulatory
authorities worldwide.
The PFSA believes that there is no cause for alarm until further scientific, peer-review study has been completed
and shows otherwise. If readers want to know how to identify a polycarbonate bottle – look at the base of the
bottle and look for a triangle of arrows that have the number “7” inside the triangle and the letters “PC” underneath the triangle.
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Crash victims and other people needing blood could have their lives saved with a plastic version of the body fluid.
Read more. |
Microwaving with Plastics
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From supermarket to refrigerator to microwave, plastic packaging and containers help keep food fresh and safe, while saving consumers time and money. Because plastics serve so many purposes in the kitchen, it’s easy to get confused about which plastics are right for a particular use. Many of today’s plastic containers and wraps are specially designed to withstand the high temperatures that can be generated in the microwave oven. All you have to do is check the item or its packaging label and follow the instructions.
There are three things you can look for: Some products use the term “Microwave Safe;” others carry an imprinted microwave symbol – you’ll see this a lot on reusable plastic storage containers; and still other products simply provide instructions for proper microwave use on the packaging label. Any of these is an indication from the manufacturer that a product has been designed for safe use in the microwave in accordance with the directions provided. |
Of course, using a plastic item in the microwave that was not labeled for microwave suitability, isn't necessarily "unsafe." All plastics intended for food use – whether designed for the microwave or not – must meet stringent FDA safety standards before they can be marketed to consumers. But unless a product is labeled for microwave suitability, you won’t have the assurance of knowing that an item was tested and evaluated for this purpose. The concern is that, if used inappropriately, an item may warp or melt when exposed to extremely hot foods, and accidental burns could occur.
 To play it safe, look for plastics that are labeled for microwave use and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Note that plastics such as butter tubs and deli containers are designed for cold food storage and are not intended for reheating. If your container isn’t labeled for microwave use, it’s best to choose something that is.
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Top Tips for microwave heating
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1. |
Choose plastic containers and wraps that are specifically labeled for use in the microwave oven. Manufacturers use symbols, written instructions or the term “microwave safe” to indicate that a product has been specially designed and tested for microwave heating. |
2. |
Always read the label and follow any instructions provided by the manufacturer. |
3. |
Cover food loosely with plastic wrap when microwaving to help food heat evenly, retain moisture and prevent splatter. Most manufacturers recommend leaving about an inch of space between the wrap and the dish and folding back a corner to allow ventilation. |
4. |
If food items are different sizes, place thicker pieces toward the perimeter of the dish, so they will cook faster, and smaller pieces toward the center. |
5. |
Open container lids and wraps carefully and facing away from you when removing foods from the microwave, so that hot steam is released safely. |
6. |
Dispose of plastic trays provided with microwaveable meals after use. Most packaging trays are intended for one-time use with specific kinds of foods. |
Killer Plastic
Deadly!
This plastic kills microbes!
Not all by itself, of course: it is the silver components integrated into its surface that do the cleanup work. This is commonly referred to as a germicidal effect. Introduced at the Fakuma 2008 trade show, Luran® S BX (the latest baby of the BASF family) is currently the only ASA (acrylonitrile styrene acrylate copolymer) possessing this property.
It will have a busy life... applications such as hand dryers, soap dispensers, public toilet and washroom facilities, but also any number of objects in contact with bacteria, such as hospital beds, medical treatment chairs and even the keyboards of computers for public use are waiting for it ... |
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Chemical nose of nanoparticles and polymers sniffs out cancer |
Using a “chemical nose” array of nanoparticles and polymers, researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a fundamentally new, more effective way to differentiate not only between healthy and cancerous cells but also between metastatic and non-metastatic cancer cells. It is a tool that could revolutionize cancer detection and treatment. Currently, detecting cancer via cell surface biomarkers has taken the “lock and key” approach. Drawbacks of this method include that foreknowledge of the biomarker is required. Also, a cancer cell has the same biomarkers on its surface as a healthy cell, but in different concentrations, an amazingly small and subtle difference that can be very difficult to detect. The new method uses an array of sensors to recognize not only known cancer types, but it signals that abnormal cells are present. That is, the chemical nose can simply tell that something isn't right, like a ‘check engine light,' though it may never have encountered that type before. Further, the chemical nose can be designed to alert doctors of the most invasive cancer types, those for which early treatment is crucial.
In blinded experiments in four human cancer cell lines (cervical, liver, testis and breast), as well as in three metastatic breast cell lines, and in normal cells, the new detection technique correctly indicated not only the presence of cancer cells in a sample but also identified primary cancer vs. metastatic disease. In further experiments to rule out the possibility that the chemical nose had simply detected individual differences in cells from different donors, the researchers repeated the experiments in skin cells from three groups of cloned BALB /c mice: healthy animals, those with primary cancer and those with metastatic disease. The result shows that we can differentiate between the three cell types in a single individual using the chemical nose approach.
The research team, with colleagues at the Georgia Institute of Technology, designed the new detection system by combining three gold nanoparticles that have special affinity for the surface of chemically abnormal cells, plus a polymer known as PPE (para-phenyleneethynylene). As the ‘check engine light,' PPE fluoresces or glows when displaced from the nanoparticle surface. By adding PPE bound with gold nanoparticles to human cells incubating in wells on a culture plate, the researchers induce a response called “competitive binding.” Cell surfaces bind the nanoparticles, displacing the PPE from the surface. This turns on PPE's fluorescent switch. Cells are then identified from the patterns generated by different particle-PPE systems.
The chemical nose approach is so named because it works like a human nose, which is arrayed with hundreds of very selective chemical receptors. These bind with thousands of different chemicals in the air, some more strongly than others, in endless combinations. The receptors report instantly to the brain, which recognizes patterns or it creates a new smell pattern. Chemical receptors in the nose plus the brain's pattern recognition skills together are incredibly sensitive at detecting subtly different combinations. Like a human nose, the chemical version being developed for use in cancer also remembers patterns experienced, even if only once, and creates a new one when needed.
For the future, further studies will be undertaken in an animal model to see if the chemical nose approach can identify cell status in real tissue. Also, more work is required to learn how to train the chemical nose's sensors to give more precise information to physicians who will be making judgment calls about patients' cancer treatment. But the future is promising, as it is possible to get complete identification now, and this can be improved by adding more and different nanoparticles. |
Unbreakable hearts?
When the wizard announced in "The Wizard of Oz" that "hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable," he was being technologically visionary. A few weeks after the first successful implant of the world's smallest and lightest ventricular assist device (VAD) at the Heidelberg University Hospital in Germany, cardiac surgeons announced that hearts may now be, in so many words, one step closer to "unbreakable."
The HeartAssist 5, which is the fifth generation VAD evolved from the original DeBakey, weighs in at 92 grams and is made of plastic and titanium. Manufactured by MicroMed Cardiovascular, it pumps blood from the weakened (or failed) left ventricle into the aorta in what is described as "an especially effective, gentle, and quiet manner." Meanwhile, researchers have just received a $2.8 million grant from the National Institute of Health to continue work on a totally artificial, pulse-less heart using two HeartAssist 5 VADs - one to circulate blood throughout the body, the other to circulate blood to and from the lungs. Unbreakable indeed.
Plastic Innovations in Prosthetic limbs
Aron Ralston first caught the public’s attention in 2003 when a climbing accident forced him to amputate his own right arm. Today, he is internationally known for having climbed all of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks, a remarkable achievement for any climber, but all the more so for an amputee.
Bob Radocy, the designer of a unique plastic prosthesis and founder of TRS, a Boulder-based prosthetics design and consulting company, design unique prosthetics that return amputees to sports and outdoor recreation.
Although the all-metal devices were durable, Ralston recalls feeling frustrated by their limitations. “I felt more handicapped by the technology,” he said. In 1977, with degrees in engineering and biology, Radocy began drafting his own device criteria. He refined his designs while he was in graduate school and then founded TRS. As the company grew, Radocy experimented with new materials aiming to develop an “active prosthesis” that could mimic the strength, resilience and flexibility of the human hand. He eventually chose a combination of rigid core plastics and more supple, coated polyurethane for many of the designs. TRS’s Free Flex® and Super Sport ®, multipurpose prosthetic hands for contact athletics, both make use of injection molding technologies and consist of single solid pieces of polyurethane. The plastic exterior allows for increased friction and flexibility of grasp and the resulting biofeedback enables amputees to determine how much pressure they exert - something all-metal devices do not offer.
Polyurethane was chosen for the active-use prostheses because the polymer can mimic the characteristics of the human hand such as energy return, flex and strength in addition to grip and friction, Radocy explains. The Super Sport hand, for example, replicates the palm and is designed to flex and extend like a hand and wrist. “We began to look at polyurethane permaset polymers and temper plastics to create gripping surfaces in the prehensors (hand replacements). Using injection molding, they are easily replaceable, low cost and they give you necessary friction,” says Radocy.
“With the right materials that don’t fatigue—synthetic polyurethane in particular - you can create devices that store and return energy when you exert external force to augment and improve the capabilities of the prosthesis.”
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