Originally published March 28 2014
Papermaking waste could provide safer alternative to BPA
by PF Louis
(NaturalNews) There have been many gender-bending and adverse health issues associated with BPA (bisphenol-A), an estrogen-mimicking molecule.
It promotes a cascade of unhealthy biochemical activities that may lead to breast cancer, prostate cancer, obesity, diabetes, hyperactivity, neurological issues, low sperm counts, gender confusions, premature puberty and other issues with reproduction and giving birth.
BPA is used to add strength and flexibility to petroleum-based polycarbonate plastics. The plastics industry disagrees with BPA danger warnings and leans on an FDA study which concluded that low levels of BPA cause no harm.
Other than a few industry-backed "checkbook research" studies, the FDA study conclusion is ridiculous compared to a plethora of independent studies disagreeing with that conclusion. Besides, if the FDA is confident of there being no health dangers from low-dose estrogen, why did they ban plastic baby bottles and plastic toddler drinking cups containing BPA in 2012?
Bisphenol-A was a 1930s lab discovery that was meant to be used medically for mimicking estrogen. Then in the 1950s as plastics evolved, BPA was given widespread us in the plastics industry.
Besides leaching into the liquids and foods stored in BPA containers, various landfills stashed with many polycarbonate plastic items feed the groundwater with BPA. BPA has been discovered in natural waterways as well.
Even worse, a CDC program found that 90% of 2,517 participants tested, some as young as six years old, had high levels of BPA in their urine, which indicated even higher blood levels. But the CDC added that the study doesn't prove adverse health reactions from BPA. Those alphabet soup agencies do cover for each other, don't they?
A recent BPA removal proposal
At the March 2014 American Chemical Society's meeting and exposition in Dallas, a pair of researchers introduced an alternative to BPA which they say is as worthy a component of plastic as BPA, but without the toxic ramifications.
It's sourced from tree lignins, which gives trees their strength and is a byproduct of processing wood pulp for paper and other products. The researchers claim that it could be ready for production within five years.
Over 70 million tons of lignin wood pulp byproduct is produced each year, dwarfing the 3.5 million tons of BPA produced worldwide. Currently, almost all the lignin byproduct is burned for energy. But its energy-producing efficiency is low. So how's a mere 3.5 million taken from 70 million going to affect inefficient energy output anyway?
The researchers developed a process that instead converts lignin fragments into a compound called bisguaiacol-F (BGF), which has a similar shape to BPA. They predict that it will act like BPA for supporting plastic strength and flexibility without the estrogen-mimicking properties of BPA.
Only time will tell, but in the meantime, technology already exists for making biodegradable non-petroleum-based plastic that doen't require toxic additives.
The hemp solution
Hemp plastics are free from petroleum toxins and BPA. Industrial hemp can be cultivated without THC, the ingredient that gets one high. Canada does it now. You can buy hemp seeds and oils as nutritional superfoods in the USA, mostly from Canadian industrial hemp.
The technology and production ability already exists for this. There's no more waiting for research to peak and offer final products like the way that the lignin solution proposes.
Industrial hemp has nothing to do with medical cannabis. It's the plant that has been used for making paper and clothing for eons. Lately, research has uncovered ways of creating building materials and strong plastics from toxic-additive-free hemp.
Henry Ford built his "vegetable car" in 1941 partially from hemp. The car's body was stronger than any other car body to date. It didn't dent or crack as it was pounded with sledge hammers. The growth and usage of industrial hemp is beginning a resurgence, despite protests from DEA officials who claim that it's too difficult to inspect for THC.
That's a bogus argument. Canada and other nations manage this well.
The real reason hemp was removed from US agriculture was that certain strong, influential vested interests with wood pulping, privately owned forest timber and chemical textile fiber industries were well connected to an investment banker who was also the United States Treasurer.
That Treasurer helped install a mad dog marijuana prohibitionist to wipe out all hemp production. The hemp conspiracy details can be found here at Princeton.edu.
Sources for more information
http://www.sciencedaily.com
http://www.newswise.com
http://www.hempplastic.com
http://hemphealer.wordpress.com
http://www.baumhedlundlaw.com
http://science.naturalnews.com
http://science.naturalnews.com
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml