Hello Keith and Kim,

I am delighted that you're talking to clients about the risks of plastics. I absolutely share your concern over the harm that chemicals do to our bodies, and share your skepticism over the utter lack of protection we get from FDA and other governmental agencies.

You've done a good job of highlighting the risks of BP-A. I would encourage you to look further into the risks of pthalates -- the plasticizers -- that show up in type 1-PET and 2-HDPE. Like BP-A, pthalates are an endocrine disruptor associated with malformaations and cancers of the reproductive organs. One informative (though poorly organized source) is Dr. Sherry Rogers' Detoxify or Die:

http://www.amazon.com/Detoxify-Die-Sherry-Rogers/dp/1887202048/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268151575&sr=8-1

Based on my own research, the only type of plastic I'm comfortable using with food is 5-PP (polyproylene), which is what Rubbermaid and Tupperware containers are made out of. I only use these containers for shelf and refrigerator (cool) storage. I use Pyrex and cermaic for all microwave heating. On the infrequent occasion that I buy a frozen entree, I transfer it to Pyrex or ceramic prior to heating.

There is evidence that pthatlates leach readily out of plastic water bottles, so I no longer buy water or any other beverage in plastic if I can avoid it. I bought several Klean Kanteen steel water bottles to carry my own water everywhere I go. Unlike the Sigg and other aluminum bottles, which are lined with platic resin that leaches, the Klean Kanteens are just low-nickel surgical stainless steel:

http://www.kleankanteen.com/

Even when I travel, I carry my Kanteen through airport security open/empty, and fill them with water at any one of the food vendors inside.

And I bought an OmniFilter CBF-3 filtration system (CB3 cartridges) undersink water filter to remove unregulated chemicals from our municipal water: http://www.omnifilter.com/product_detail.asp?T1=OMN+CBF3&NAV=UNDERSINK

It remains the only system I can confirm is certified by NSF to remove asbestos, lead, mercury, MTBE, VOCs, chlorine, and cysts:

http://nsf.org/Certified/consumer/listings_results_detail.asp?prod_desc=CBF3+Series+B&cust_id=34540&search_tbl=ols_dwtu&search_field=model_desc_search&std_id=&com_detail=Y&prog_dir=DWTU&prog_add=N&link_field=model_desc_search&final_detail=Y&final_filter=CBF3+Series+B&field_text=Product%20Category

All of this is meant to say, I support the outreach you're already doing, and I encourage you to take it even further.

Best regards,

Robin H.