Cancer Hoax?

Recently we published an article about potential cancer risk found in some plastic containers. Acording to our source, a chemical called bisphenol A (BPA) can mimic the female hormone estrogen. This impacts adults as well as children. Study showed that it can cause all sorts of health problems ranging from infertility and obesity to several types of cancer. Although FDA and the chemical industry said there is no danger, the National Toxicology Program, a division of the National Institutes of Health issued an alarm. The agency said there was a possibility BPA could be causing brain problems in fetuses and children and prostate and breast problems in adults.

Lead by the high interest by this article, we studied and read hundreds more, and found one e-mail sent to the mainstream media. In this email is said that the plastic (called polyethylene terephthalate or PET), used in the production of bottles, contains a potentially carcinogenic element (something called diethylhydroxylamine or DEHA). According to this email, bottles are safe for one-time use only; if you must keep them longer, it should be or no more than a few days, a week max, and keep them away from heat as well. Repeated washing and rinsing can cause the plastic to break down and the carcinogens (cancer- causing chemical agents)can leach into the water that YOU are drinking.

In spite of the claims made in that email, there is no credible scientific evidence that reusing plastic bottles can lead to cancer.

The PET plastics used in such bottles have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and similar organizations in other nations. Furthermore, DEHA is not classified as a human carcinogen and is not considered to pose any significant health risk to humans.

The hoax email originated from a University of Idaho student’s masters thesis. However, although the student’s findings were taken up by the mainstream media, the FDA did not review the thesis nor was it published in any scientific or technical journal. Furthermore, the thesis incorrectly identifies DEHA as a carcinogenic element when this is not the case. According to the American Plastics Council website the thesis “did not reflect a level of scientific rigor that would provide accurate and reliable information”.

Moreover, DEHA is not present in PET either as a raw material or as a decomposition product. Although the Idaho student detected DEHA, this was most likely due to laboratory contamination.

Reusing plastic bottles can be a health risk in that improper cleaning could lead to the ingestion of harmful bacteria. Unless careful cleaning of the container is carried out, potentially dangerous bacteria could be left behind. However, the potential for bacterial contamination applies to other types of container such as glass, not just plastic. While the bacterial health risk of reusing plastic bottles does need to be considered, the cancer related claims in this email are unfounded.

Filed Under: Health & Fitness