Life Without Plastic Blog

Plastic Residue from Blood Bags End Up in Blood Stream

A friend of ours who is a major cycling fan sent us this news story about Alberto Contador, the Spanish 
cyclist who won the Tour de France this summer (and last year). Apparently he is suspected of having used the performance-enhancing drug called clenbuterol through intravenous supply. He says that it is through food cross-contamination that traces of the drug ended up in his bloodstream.  However, along with traces of the drug, officials also found "traces of a plastic residue the same as the type used to manufacture blood bags". So he is probably lying...

I don't really care about the Tour de France or Alberto Cantador for that matter (no offence to his fans), but what blows me away is how the fact that plastic residue from blood bags ended up in his bloodstream does not seem to upset anyone.  All the news reports I have read don't seem to make a big deal out of that utterly outrageous fact. After doing a quick Google research, I discovered that blood bags are made of PVC and that the leaching element is a plasticizer called di-2-ethylexyl phthalates (source). Most people know that PVC is a dangerous plastic, among the worst because of all the plasticizers it contains... Why is it that the issue of plastic leaching from blood bags has never been seriously addressed? Using these bags seem to go against the healthy recovery of a sick patient or a healthy cyclist...

Chantal Plamondon, Co-Owner
LifeWithoutPlastic.com

Canned Food You Can Trust - A list of BPA-Free Lining Canned Products

We continually hear about how bad bisphenol A (BPA) is for everybody and particularly for infants and pregnant women. The evidence is there.  For those still skeptical, the precautionary principle dictates that you should be cautious. It is mind boggling that the food industry is so slow to remove BPA from the lining of food cans. Fortunately, some food companies understand the problem and have switched to non-BPA linings for their cans. They do not necessarily advertise this fact on their cans, so you need to memorize this list! Here they are:

1) Eden Food: They have been using BPA-free linings in their cans for more than 10 years! How visionary! Although the cans cost 14% more, the company feels it is worth it. I think so too.  While Jay and I generally avoid buying canned food because of BPA, we are happy to indulge in a good vegetarian chili with non-BPA canned beans once in a while. Unfortunately, Eden's tomatoes are still offered in BPA-lined cans because of the acidic nature of tomatoes... So try and find a brand of tomatoes packaged in a glass jar. This is especially important because acidic food increases the deterioration of the BPA lining and thus increases its leaching.

2) Native Forest and Native Factor: All 14 products sold under this brand are packaged in BPA-free cans. Unfortunately, the company does not indicate this information on the cans.

3) Vital Choice: This company's salmon, albacore tuna, sardines and mackerel come in cans with BPA-free liners.  Unfortunately, last year, Consumers Union found some BPA traces in the fish products, likely because of the lid. The company is working at trying to solve the problem.

4) Oregon's Choice: Its Albacore tuna comes in cans with a BPA-free lining, but it is still not offering its other products in such a can yet because of their acidity.

5) Wild Planet: It is offering its 5 oz. Skipjack tuna and its 5 oz. Albacore tuna products in BPA-free cans.

6) Eco Fish: It is currently packaging its Albacore Tuna in BPA-free cans and hopes to offer its salmon in such a can in the near future.

This information is taken from a Tree Hugger article published last month. For the full article, please see: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/03/7-bpa-free-canned-foods.php

Chantal Plamondon, Co-Owner
LifeWithoutPlastic.com

The Best Non-Plastic Mattresses

While the mattresses that my grand-mother used to sleep on were made out of cotton, wool or straw (she was born in 1907), nowadays they are mostly made of foam.  Petroleum-based polyurethane foam used in mattresses breaks down over time and, according to a study by the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported in the Washington Post in April 2008, releases 0.802 mg of antimony and 0.081 mg of boric acid (the poison used to kill cockroaches) in the air every night.  These amounts are apparently OK if you are more than 5 years old (!). And formaldehyde - declared toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act - can be present in box spring glue. Conventional mattresses for children may also contain phthalates, and often flame retardants such as poloybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs are banned in Europe and are being phased out in the United States... but are still very legal in Canada).

My friend Jean Corriveau is a pioneer in the world of non-plastic healthy mattresses and he manages his business in a very honest and ethical way.  He is just the nicest person, full of integrity, who would never compromise on quality.  He is the owner of Sleeptek which developed a completely natural mattress line 15 years ago in response to demands from some of his highly chemical-sensitive clients.  His Obasan mattresses are not only made of organically grown cotton and sustainably harvested natural rubber, but the wool he uses comes from a family-run organic sheep farm in the Netherlands.  The wood in the box springs comes from Quebec spruce -- sustainably harvested -- and no synthetic glues, dyes or finishes are used. (Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/life/footprint/story.html?id=2072160#ixzz0jif8xE9h)

Jay and I have known Jean for about 10 years and we own one of his exquisite mattresses.  Not only are they completely natural and sans plastique, but they are also extremely comfortable.  You can choose to have the core of the mattress hard, medium or soft or a mix of the two if you and your partner can't agree.

Some people mistakenly think that memory foam mattresses (sold under the brand name Tempur Pedic) are healthy.  While I cannot comment on their ergonomic qualities, they are essentially entirely made of plastic (visco-elastic polyurethane foam) and are loaded with various chemicals to obtain the special NASA-like properties.  The level of VOCs they emit is such that it causes pulmonary irritations in laboratory mice. (Read more: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/03/how-bad-is-memory-foam.php?campaign=daily_nl)

Knowing where my mattress came from and trusting the person who manufactured it is very important to me.  I know without a doubt that my mattress is completely safe and completely without plastic!

To learn more about the Obasan line, please visit: http://www.obasan.ca/en/main_nav/home/.

Chantal Plamondon, Co-Owner
LifeWithoutPlastic.com

 

Replacing your Polycarbonate 5 gallon Bottle with A Snazzy Italian Stainless Steel Water Dispenser

While there is more and more recognition of the toxicity of Bisphenol A ("BPA" found in polycarbonate plastic -- even the FDA agrees with this) to human health and the environment, it is still extremely difficult to find a healthy alternative to the widely used 5 gallon large polycarbonate water bottle. We used to sell a glass 5 gallon bottle as a replacement, but it is extremely heavy when filled with water and difficult to transport. Then last year we discovered stainless steel water dispensers made in Italy. They are high quality, light weight, watertight and they can be used with or without a spigot. Perfect for transporting and dispensing water.  We used to carry the Superfustinox but we have since changed to a different brand, Sansone, which is butt welded instead of being seam folded.

These dispensers are made of really high quality food grade stainless steel 18-10 and they are beautiful.  We currently carry the cute 3 litre (0.8 gallon) for the fridge or to bring in the car on a road trip. The 5 litre (1.3 gallon) which is a perfect counter companion. The 10 litre (2.6 gallon) for camping and the 30 litre (7.9 gallon) for serious water transportation and dispensing. Last summer we brought our large water dispenser when going to the beach for the day. It was perfect. Easy to carry and the kids could just dispense their own water whenever they were thirsty.

We continue to try, find and test the best alternatives to plastic products. Right now, the attention is focused on BPA, but we know that many other types of plastic pose dangers to the health and the environment. We prefer replacing plastic with materials that have passed the test of time for their durability, stability and safety, instead of new petroleum-based plastic that have not been properly tested over a long period of time.

[Note:  Since we wrote this post, we have added more sizes and models to our collection. Take a look at our water dispenser page.]

Chantal Plamondon, Co-Owner
LifeWithoutPlastic.com

Stainless Steel in Toaster Oven Prevents Aluminum Garnish on Burrito

Yesterday, I was looking for something to eat and found in our freezer a frozen Amy's Burrito (unfortunately wrapped in plastic). I checked the instructions: either re-heat in a microwave or wrap in aluminum foil and re-heat in oven. 

Heating it up in a microwave oven was not an option. We haven't had a microwave oven for more than 10 years.  Ever since my mother passed away of stomach cancer in 1992, I always wondered if the old microwave oven we used to have in the middle of our kitchen caused her cancer. I am convinced it was "leaking" radiation. It was one of the first models available on the market in the '70s. I have also always wondered how the radiation affects the composition of the food, let alone of the container used to heat it up.

Heating it up in aluminum can be perilous. In contact with acidic food, aluminum tends to "melt" or disintegrate which is why you often see little holes on the aluminum foil covering a lasagna. Scary! So this was not an option either.

What I ended up doing was heating up my burrito inside our oval stainless steel sandwich box. It worked
beautifully. Not only was the burrito nicely moist when it was ready, but I only needed to leave it in the toaster oven for 25 minutes instead of 35 minutes which saved a lot of energy. The heat transferred to the container and back to the burrito which is why less time was needed.

I have noticed that the fear of plastic seems to go hand in hand with the fear of microwaves, which is why stainless steel food containers are such a great alternatives. They can be used in toaster ovens while plastic cannot.

I really enjoyed my burrito... it tasted really good and was cooked to perfection!

Chantal Plamondon, Co-Owner
LifeWithoutPlastic.com

New Products Galore -- 10% off + free shipping on orders over $100

In recent weeks we've received a number of new products, and we'd like to offer them to you - our faithful readers - at a discount of 10% until 15 December 2009.  Each one is marked NEW! in the product title in our website boutique. To claim the 10% off, simply enter the following redemption code in the Discount Coupon section when checking out:  FUNNEWSTUFF (si vous commandez en français, le code est: NOUVEAUTES)

And as well, for orders over USD$100 (CAD$110) shipping is free until December 15th too!

FUN FUNKY FOOD CONTAINERS

Stainless Steel Hot Meal Container

Keep your food hot and plastic-free on the go with this stainless steel 304 (18-8) hot meal container. Try and find another thermal food container with a lid made of stainless steel instead of plastic!

Stainless Steel Airtight Watertight Food Storage Container

This practical, round, airtight and watertight 16cm/6.25" food storage container is the perfect container for bringing a large salad with its dressing to work. It also works great for storing and transporting baked goods, stews, soups, sauces. Fabulous for freezer storage!

BAGS, BAGS, BAGS and more BAGS!

Wool Insulated Natural Lunch Bag

This handy insulated canvas lunch bag is absolutely unique. It is made of heavy cotton and insulated  with wool. Even its metal zipper is non plastic. The bag features an inside lining that can be snapped out to wash. It's perfect for keeping meals fresh on the go.

Organic Cotton Cord Tie Lunch Bag

Can you believe it?! A lunch bag with no plastic whatsoever! It is made in Canada of 100% certified unbleached organic cotton and printed with environmentally-friendly, water-based pigments.

Organic Cotton Drawstring Lunch Bag

This handy flat bottom drawstring lunch bag is a great size for all ages. But don't feel limited to using it for your lunch - take it to the market or store and use it to carry your fruit and veggies home.

Organic Cotton Greens Bag

This handy drawstring bag is superb for storing washed garden greens in the fridge to keep them fresh and crisp.

Organic Cotton Portable Shopping Bag

This heavy duty bag has a built-in inner pouch that allows you to fold the whole bag into a portable little square. The pouch also serves as a handy inner pocket for a wallet or notebook.

Thanks for your support!

Wishing you a warm a joyous holiday season,

Jay Sinha & Chantal Plamondon, Co-Owners
Lifewithoutplastic.com

Our Frog Dish Set and Stainless Steel Dish Set Featured on SafBaby

SafBaby is a California-based website that reviews products and recommends the best non-toxic alternatives. The website was created to offer parents one-stop information on raising children in a non-toxic environment. Sandra Blum contacted us a few months ago to review some of our products: our frog dish set and stainless steel dish set. They are both imported under our brand name Sanctus Mundo. She asked a lot of very pertinent questions about stainless steel and whether it is toxic or not. She posted a very complete review of the issue. You may see the review at: http://www.safbaby.com/stainless-steel-dish-set-a-safe-alternative-to-plastic

  

She recommends both sets. She posted some very cute pictures of her daughter who adores the frog set.

- Chantal