Can Plastic Containers Cause Cancer?

A longtime menace to environmentalists, plastic now causes concern for some health and wellness experts, too.

“We don’t know everything yet,” cautions nutritionist Sue Hazeghazam, RD,

with the Sutter Cancer Center.  “This is all based on laboratory tests, but there are concerns about chemicals in some plastic containers leaching into the food they hold.” 

Of particular concern is the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical in most plastic containers.  BPA has been linked to health problems – including hormone imbalances and some cancers – in studies performed on laboratory animals.

Based on existing evidence, Hazeghazam says there is not much need for concern as long as you use plastics as they are intended: “For example, disposable water bottles are not meant to be re-used.  Repeated use or washing could wear down the plastic, exposing the chemicals.” 

She goes on to explain that exposing plastic food containers to heat is of greatest concern. “Don’t microwave your food in plastic.  Use a glass or ceramic container instead.  And be wary of putting plastics in the dishwasher or leaving them in a hot car.”

The issue of plastic and BPA is a hot topic in the health industry – and the subject of many current studies.  To date, the Food and Drug Administration has not found a definitive link between human health problems and exposure to chemicals in plastic containers.

For more information about plastic research and safety, read related articlesat the Sutter Health Sacramento Sierra Region’s Reuters Health News section.