The main benefits of natural paints are:

• Non-toxic - no hazardous fumes or harmful effects on health. This is significant for allergy sufferers and chemically sensitive people who are unable to tolerate chemical paints.

• Environmentally Friendly - use renewable resources; are biodegradable, can even be composted.

• Micro-Porous - allow walls and surfaces to breathe, preventing condensation and damp problems, and reducing associated indoor allergens. They are also less prone to paint flaking, peeling and blistering. On the downside, natural paints can be more expensive because they are made on a smaller scale, although this situation is changing as they become more popular. Natural paints can also take longer to dry (sometimes up to 24 hours or more) and there is less of a colour range to choose from. Natural mineral pigments tend to produce paints that come in pastel shades only, and this has led some natural paint companies to use synthetic pigments to create a more extensive range of colours.

It is becoming increasingly clear that toxic chemicals are affecting our children. A primary source of hazardous chemicals in the environment of a child during its first few years of life is the mattress and bedding. Removing potentially harmful chemicals from these prominent objects represents a prudent approach for concerned parents and their doctors.

G.E.M. Testing & Engineering Labs serves as technical consultant to Naturepedic, and has designed the Naturepedic No-Compromise™ Baby Mattress. Disclosures and Disclaimers: G.E.M. Testing & Engineering Labs serves in the capacity of technical consultant to Naturepedic. Barry A. Cik, a quarter century veteran in the field of environmental engineering, and chief engineer at G.E.M. Testing & Engineering Labs, formulated the Naturepedic design. Credentials, licenses, and certifications are listed for identification purposes only. All informational sources presented here are presumed to be reliable. This report is not intended to engage in medical research or the diagnosis or treatment of any disease. For medical related questions, please follow the advice of your physician.

Problem #1: Harmful Chemicals

Over the last 30+ years, baby crib mattress materials have been replaced with petroleum-based synthetics. Nearly all crib mattresses in use today contain
polyurethane foam, vinyl (PVC), phthalates, chemical fire retardants, and an extensive list of added industrial chemicals. Recent studies have questioned the use of these materials. Some of these chemicals have even been shown to leach out into the surrounding air.

“The results of the study demonstrated that some crib mattresses emitted mixtures of chemicals capable of causing respiratory-tract
irritation and generating combinations of SI [sensory irritation], PI [pulminary irritation] and AFL [airflow limitation]… chemicals involved in the manufacture of the mattress and cover… have toxic properties… to lung, liver, and brain… respiratory tract irritants… carcinogenic and neurotoxic.”

(Anderson, Rosalind C., PhD, “Respiratory Toxicity of Mattress Emissions in Mice.” Archives of Environmental Health Jan. 2000:, www.andersonlaboratories.com)
Babies and toddlers spend 10-14 hours a day sleeping and playing on a crib mattress. Furthermore, a child’s every breath inhales air no more than six inches away from these chemicals. As such, for the first few years of a child’s life, the mattress is the single most prominent object in the child’s environment.

The vinyl surface of a typical baby crib mattress, which is actually polyvinyl chloride (PVC), is originally a hard plastic. In order to make it soft and flexible, chemical plasticizers must be added. Vinyl covered crib mattresses contained these plasticizers which typically accounted for 30% by weight of the vinyl surface. As of Feb. 10 2009, the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) issued a ban on certain varieties of phthalates. However, other phthalates have only been banned for teethers and other objects expected to be placed into a child’s mouth, so they still may be present in vinyl crib mattresses. Another phthalate chemical known to cause cancer (DnHP) has not yet been banned at all. Since the ban, other plasticizer substitutes are now being used whose safety has yet to be demonstrated.

“Phthalates are animal carcinogens and can cause fetal death, malformations, and reproductive toxicity in laboratory animals… children may be at higher risk of adverse effects of phthalates because of anticipated higher exposures during a time of developmental and physiologic immaturity… Phthalates are not covalently bound to the plastic matrix and leach out of PVC…”

(Shea, Katherine M. MD MPH and the Committee on Environmental Health. “Pediatric Exposure and Potential Toxicity of Phthalate Plasticizers.” American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatrics Volume 111 No. 6. June 2003. Pg. 1467.

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;111/6/1467)
“Although DEHP plasticizes numerous products, roughly 95% of the current production is used in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) (National Toxicology
Program 2003), where it typically constitutes 30% of PVC by weight… phthalate (DEHP) was associated with asthma. This study shows that
phthalates, within the range of what is normally found in indoor environments, are associated with allergic symptoms in children.”
(Bornehag, Carl-Gustaf, et al. “The Association Between Asthma and Allergic Symptoms in Children and Phthalates in House Dusts.” National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Environmental Health Perspectives. Oct. 2004. http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2004/7187/abstract.phpl?section=children)
A study of phthalates in hospital settings revealed the following:
“Other potential respiratory exposures to DEHP in the NICU include offgassing from… mattress covers… DEHP exposures continue when the neonate arrives at home… off-gassing of indoor vinyl products.” (Brody, Charlotte. “Neonatal Exposure to DEHP and Opportunites for Prevention.”
Health Care Without Harm. July 13, 2000. http://www.noharm.org/details.cfm?type=document&id=379)
“The CDC report provides definitive evidence that phthalates in soft PVC plastic are getting into virtually all of our bodies.”
(Brody, Charlotte. “New CDC Report Finds Phthalates and Other Chemicals Commonly Used in Hospitals at Highest Levels in Children.” Health Care Without Harm. February 5, 2005. http://www.noharm.org/details.cfm?type=document&id=707)
All plastics are not created equal. PVC is made from vinyl chloride, which is a combination of petroleum (ethylene) and chlorine.
This particular plastic is far more toxic than the plastic bag you might use to pack your lunch.

“The chemical composition of PVC includes two features. First, PVC is the only plastic that contains chlorine… Second, plasticizers, i.e., additives, are used in PVC, mostly diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP), from 0 to almost 50% of the weight… In conclusion, in our case-control study of testicular cancer, a somewhat surprisingly high risk was observed for exposure to PVC plastics.”

(Hardell, Lennart, et al. “Occupational Exposure to Polyvinyl Chloride as a Risk Factor for Testicular Cancer Evaluated in a Case-Control Study.” International Journal of Cancer. 73, 828-830 1997. www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Occupational-Exposure-PVC.php See also National Library of Medicine)
In a study that made the front page of USA Today, phthalates were linked to reproductive effects:
“Consistent toxicologic evidence indicates association between several of these phthalate esters and reproductive effects… DEHP has been shown to… reduce testosterone… commonly used phthalates may undervirilize humans.”

(Swan, et al, “Decrease in Anogenital Distance Among Male Infants with Prenatal Phthalate Exposure.” University of Rochester School of Medicine, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Environmental Health Perspectives, June, 2005. www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CYP/is_8_113/ai_n15343367)
Some of the chemicals frequently added to the PVC surface of a typical crib mattress can include lead, cadmium, phosphorus, and others. In particular, antimony, the primary fire retardant used on the vinyl plastic surface of most crib mattresses, can be quite harmful even at low levels.
“… animals that breathed very low levels of antimony had eye irritation, hair loss, lung damage and heart problems. Problems with fertility were
also noted… Where is antimony found?… Most antimony oxide produced is added to textiles and plastics as fire retardant… ”
(“Antimony and Antimony Compounds.” Pollution Prevention Factsheet. Ohio EPA. Number 102. September 2002. www.epa.state.oh.us/opp/mercury_pbt/fact102.pdf)

According to Health Care Without Harm, “many hospitals are reconsidering their use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl) medical products. Their concerns with PVC products relate to patient safety or potential environmental health effects.” (http://noharm.org/details.cfm?type=document&id=741). Nearly all baby crib mattresses today use polyurethane foam (also known as urethane foam or just “foam”) as internal filling. Polyurethane foam is a petroleum product, and as such, is highly flammable. “Avoid heavily chemically treated mattresses filled with polyurethane foam… Polyurethane foam offgasses VOCs, especially toluene… Formaldehyde and other VOC offgassing is associated with… mattresses.”

(“Green Birthdays.” American College of Nurse-Midwives. www.midwivesofwa.org/greenbirthdays.pdf) Some of the health hazards listed on manufacturer material safety data sheets (MSDS) for polyurethane foam include: possible cardiac arrhythmias, breathlessness, chest discomfort, irritation of mucous membranes, headache, coughing, asthma-like allergic reaction, dizziness, weakness, fatigue, nausea, blurred vision, and reduced pulmonary function. Polyurethane foam is produced by combining a polyol (petroleum based) with an isocyanate (usually toluene diisocyanate or TDI), which is a highly toxic substance.

The EPA has identified several chemicals used in the fabrication of polyurethane foam as hazardous air pollutants. “Exposure to these substances has been demonstrated to cause adverse health effects such as irritation of the lung, eye, and mucous membranes, effects on the central nervous system, and cancer.”
(“National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Flexible Polyurethane Foam Fabrication Operations.” Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 40 CFR Part 63, Final Rule, Federal Register/Volume 68, No. 71/Monday, April 14, 2003/Rules and Regulations, Pg 18062)
“Organotin compounds – Found in… polyurethane foams… can disrupt the hormone, reproductive, and immune systems. Animal studies show that exposure early in life can also have long-term effects on brain development.”

(“Hazardous Chemicals Found in Household Dust Across U.S.” Health Care Without Harm. March 24, 2005. www.noharm.org/details.cfm?ID=1037&type=document) The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 goes a long way in prohibiting the use of certain phthalates and lead in many juvenile products. However, other phthalates, phthalate substitutes and many other chemicals remain in use for baby crib mattresses and have yet to be regulated.

Regarding polyurethane foam and its chemical constituents and additives, it should be noted that the Consumer Product Safety Commission has not regulated any of these chemicals, and certainly not regarding their use in baby crib mattresses. In fact, there is poor transparency and few details as to what chemicals are actually being used to make polyurethane foam today. While U.S. manufacturers have begun taking note, imported foam may contain ingredients that even U.S. manufacturers have stopped using (e.g. PBDEs).

Many of them are highly toxic and linked with numerous health problems such as respiratory disease, asthma, dizziness, headaches, nausea, fatigue, skin disorders, eye irritation, liver and kidney damage and even cancer. Modern chemical paints continue to emit VOCs many years after their
application. Increasing concerns about the impact of chemical paints on health and the environment have led to a growing market in non-toxic paints. Environmental regulations have forced conventional paint companies to significantly reduce their VOC content, and most of the
large paint companies now offer one or more varieties of non-toxic paints. However, many of these still contain VOC solvents, chemical pigments and fungicides.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency conducted a series of studies called the Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM), and found the levels of at least 12 commonly used VOC’s to be two to five times higher in homes than outside.? This was the case regardless of whether a home was located in a rural or industrial area.

Switching to VOC-free paints is one way that you can help to make a difference for the environment, and for your own personal health. Once you start to use VOC-free paints instead of the more traditional brands, you should immediately notice how much better the VOC-free paints are. Not only are they odor-free, they are durable and leave easy to clean surfaces. In fact, public demand for VOC-free paints has been on the rise over the past several years; so
much so until most major manufacturers now sell at least one type of VOC-free paints along with their “regular” paints.

REFERENCES
1. Organic compounds (VOC’s). Environmental Protection Agency.
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html

2. The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality. Environmental Protection
Agency. http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/insidest.html.

“Labeling of medical devices containing natural rubber latex that is likely to come in contact with humans must state in bold print: ‘Caution: This
Product Contains Natural Rubber Latex Which May Cause Allergic Reactions.’ Labeling of … devices that contain natural rubber likely
to come in contact with humans shall not contain the term ‘hypoallergenic.’”
(Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Final Rule, Federal Register, Vol. 62, Page 51021)

“Allergy to latex … has become a major health concern … The presence of allergic manifestations to natural rubber latex indicates an increased
risk for anaphylaxis … it can progress rapidly from swelling of the lips and airways to shortness of breath, and may progress to shock and death…”
(U.S. Department Of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

“Latex allergy – an immunological reaction to natural rubber latex … poses a serious health risk for some patients … In rare cases, latex
allergies can be fatal. Approximately 1,000 cases of allergic or anaphylactic reactions to latex-containing medical products have been
reported to the FDA since 1988.”
(ACAAI, American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology)

“Allergy to latex was first recognized in the late 1970s. Since then, it has become a major health concern … The presence of allergic
manifestations to natural rubber latex indicates an increased risk for anaphylaxis. This Type I reaction can occur within seconds to minutes of
exposure to the allergen … When such a reaction occurs, it can progress rapidly from swelling of the lips and airways to shortness of breath, and
may progress to shock and death, sometimes within minutes … Moreover, some affected individuals continue to experience
asthmatic symptoms even without contact with natural rubber latex.”
(U.S. Department Of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Washington, D.C. 20210)

“Latex allergy is a medical term encompassing a range of allergic reactions to natural rubber latex.”

• Type 1 – The most serious and rare form, type 1 is an immediate and potentially life-threatening reaction, not unlike the severe reaction some people have to bee stings. Such reactions account for a significant proportion of perioperative anaphylactic reaction, especially in children with myelomeningocele.

• Type 4 – Also known as allergic contact dermatitis. This involves a delayed skin rash that is similar to poison ivy with blistering and oozing of skin. This type is caused by chemicals used in the processing of rubber products. (Note: Toxic chemicals, including toluene, ammonia, and/or sulfur are generally used in the processing of natural latex.).
• Irritant contact dermatitis – The common type of reaction. This causes dry, itchy, irritated areas on the skin, most often on the hands.”
(Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia: Latex Allergy)

Babies can be harmed by latex even without direct contact.
“…Some affected individuals continue to experience asthmatic symptoms even without contact with natural rubber latex…”
(Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Final Rule, Federal Register, Vol. 62, Page 51021)
Natural latex requires various chemicals to be added (e.g. sulfur, ammonia, and/or toluene) in order to turn the sap into latex foam. Furthermore, there is no certification agency under the U.S.D.A. National Organic Program that will certify “natural latex” as organic. Note that all commercially available coir (crushed coconut husks) contains a significant amount of latex to hold it together. Wool and other animal hairs are also a concern for many parents and physicians. Wool has long been associated with allergies, particularly in children. For example, wool intrinsically contains lanolin and certain alcohols known to have allergenic properties. Other allergens originate not with the wool itself, but with the chemical treatments applied to it when processed. Extensive processing of wool is commonly required becuase “raw wool” contains sand, dirt, grease and dried sweat. The weight of these contaminants can account for as much as 30% of the fleece’s total weight. To remove these contaminants, the wool is typically scoured in a series of alkaline baths.

“If ignited, polyurethane foam can burn rapidly, releasing great heat and consuming oxygen.
In an enclosed space, the resulting deficiency of oxygen can present a danger of suffocation to the occupants. Smoke and gases released by burning foam can be incapacitating to human beings if inhaled in sufficient quantities.” (Polyurethane Foam Industry-Wide Warning Label) Polyurethane foam decomposes into deadly and hazardous gases when ignited. “Thermal decomposition products from polyurethane foam consists mainly of carbon monoxide, benzene, toluene, oxides of nitrogen, hydrogen cyanide, acetaldehyde, acetone, propene…” (OSHA Hazard Information Bulletins. “The Fire Hazard of Polyurethane and Other Organic Foam Insulation Aboard Ships and In Construction.” U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Safety & Health Administration.
www.osha.gov/dts/hib/hib_data/hib19890510.phpl)

“Hazardous decomposition products [from flexible polyurethane foam] include: carbon monoxide, acetaldehyde, acrylonitrile, 2,4-toluene diisocyanate,
polymer fragments, oxides of nitrogen, and hydrogen cyanide. Fire retardant foams may generate emissions of hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen flouride, or phosphoric acid…”
(“National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Flexible Polyurethane Foam Production” U.S. EPA. Federal Register. October 7, 1998. Vol. 63. No. 194. www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-AIR/1998/October/Day-07/a25894.php)

According to Jonathan R. Barnett, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Fire Protection Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, “polyurethane foam produces ten times more carbon monoxide for each gram burned than does wood.”
http://encarta.msn.com/text_761563809___13/Fire.phpl
“…carbon monoxide is the deadly gas and will kill us before the flames do.” (“Mattresses: Deadly Fire Hazards.” CBS News. The Early Show. Interview with U.S. Deputy Fire Administrator Chief Charlie Dickinson. June 28, 2004. www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/28/earlyshow/living/home/main626380.shtml)

Thousands of innocent people are killed or severly injured from bedroom fires each year.

Sadly, children comprise the majority of these casualties. “In 1995, CPSC [Consumer Product Safety Commission] conducted a field
investigation study to learn more about cigarette-ignited fires and open flame fires. The report, issued in 1997, showed that about 70% of the
open flame fires involved child play and that 68% of the open flame deaths were to children playing with lighters, matches, and other open
flame sources.”
(Consumer Product Safety Commission “Standard to Address Open Flame Ignition of Mattresses/Bedding; Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.” 16CFR Part 1633. Federal Register/Vol. 66, No. 197/October 11, 2001, Pg. 51886)

While the above studies did not involve crib mattresses per se, it is nonetheless clear that polyurethane foam constitutes a widespread concern, especially in those products impacting babies and young children.

Additionally, the details of the flame barriers being used to protect polyurethane foam are becoming increasingly proprietary. The manufacturers of these flame barriers routinely refuse to divulge ingredient lists and material safety data sheets associated with their barriers.

“Most people assume the government polices commercial chemicals in the same way the FDA polices drugs, but it’s not true… there’s no
sheriff in town.”
(Andy Igrejas, Director of the Environmental Health Campaign. Tony Iallonardo, National Environmental Trust. “Toxic Chemicals Widespread in Consumer Products.”)
14 July 2004. http://environet.policy.net/proactive/newsroom/release.vtml?id=28735)

“No one is systematically tracking the use of any of these chemicals in consumer products, or the resulting human exposures to these chemicals
in spite of the chemicals’ known or potential human health hazards… Currently, chemicals can be incorporated in consumer
products and sold on store shelves, even in products used by children, with no up-front cancer [or other safety] testing.”
(“EPA Cancer Policy Revisions Highlight Risks to Children.” Environmental Working Group. Children’s Health Policy Review. March 3. 2003)

The average consumer naturally assumes that what is sold on the market (certainly regarding baby products) is fully safe and non-toxic. However, the average consumer is unaware of the potentially harmful chemicals often included in such products. “Most Americans would assume that basic toxicity testing is available and that all chemicals in commerce today are safe. A recent EPA study has found that this is not a prudent assumption.”
(Chemical Hazard Data Availability Study. U.S. EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxic Substances. www.epa.gov/oppt/chemtest/hazchem.php)

There is growing concern among physicians, health professionals, public safety officials, environmental advocacy groups, and consumers regarding the possible effects of these chemicals on our children. Many researchers suspect that toxic chemicals are playing a significant role in the dramatic increase in childhood disorders.

“Today, children are exposed to thousands of substances in the environment, most of which have never been tested for toxicity to
children… The implications of this massive experiment in exposure are unknown. Environmental toxicants are suspected to be correlated with
many disorders that, until recently, have been assumed to be genetic in origin… attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder,
and autism are among the disorders that may be linked to environmental toxicants.”
(Center for Children’s Health and the Environment at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York.)
www.childenvironment.org/factsheets/environmental_pediatrics.php)

“… EPA has determined that infants up to age two are, on average, ten times more vulnerable to carcinogenic chemicals than adults,
and for some cancer causing agents are up to 65 times more vulnerable… children accumulate up to 50 percent of their lifetime
cancer risk by their second birthday… many chemicals linked to mutagenic activity are commonly used in consumer products and can
contribute to children’s exposure to carcinogens.”
(Children’s Health Policy Review: “EPA Cancer Policy Revisions Highlight Risks to Children.” 3 Mar. 2003. Environmental Working Group.)
www.ewg.org/issues/risk_assessment/20030303/index.php)

“The survey found that nearly one out of 10 (9.2%) American children 18 years of age and younger currently suffers from asthma. This
figure is comparable to the most current estimate of the National Center for Health Statistics, which estimates that 8.8% of children 18 years of age
and younger have the disease.”
(Children & Asthma in America. “Executive Summary.”)
www.asthmainamerica.com/children_index.phpl)

“We have come to understand that chemicals in the environment can cause a wide range
of developmental disabilities in children. In the words of pediatrician Herbert L. Needleman,

’We are conducting a vast toxicologic experiment in our society, in which our children and our children’s children are the experimental subjects.”
(“The Developing Brain and the Environment: An Introduction.” Bernard Weiss MD, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, and Philip J. Landrigan MD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York. Environmental Health Perspectives. Volume 108 Supplement 3. June 2000. http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2000/suppl-3/intro.phpl)

Researchers are increasingly concluding that the dramatic rise in many childhood disorders is not primarily caused by any significant increase in awareness or diagnostic methodologies. 10-30 years ago, the medical community was well able to diagnose these disorders. Furthermore, normal genetics is also not a likely explanation as the increases are too dramatic and too rapid. Finally, to the degree that genetic mutations are involved, the question still remains as to what is causing these mutations and/or triggering these disorders.

“The increases are too rapid to reflect genetic changes, and better diagnostic detection is not a likely explanation. The strong probability
exists that environmental factors are playing a role.”
(Philip Landrigan, MD, Pediatrician. Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Advisor to Office of Children’s Health at U.S. EPA. John H. Cushman Jr., New York Times, 9/29/97)
“The incidence of asthma and allergy has increased throughout the developed world over the past 30 years (Beasley et al. 2003). The short
interval over which it has occured implies that the increase is caused by changes in environmental exposures rather than genetic
changes (Etzel 2003; Stachan 2000). ”
(Bornehag, Carl-Gustaf, et al. “The Association Between Asthma and Allergic Symptoms in Children and Phthalates in House Dusts.” Environmental Health Perspectives Oct. 2004.)
http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2004/7187/abstract.phpl?section=children)

“… children are more vulnerable to the effects of carcinogens than adults. In fact, chemicals that cause cancer via genetic mutations were
up to 65 times more potent when exposures occur during childhood instead of adulthood.”

(“Children’s Health Policy Review: EPA cancer policy revisions highlight risks to children.” 3 Mar. 2003. Environmental Working Group.
www.ewg.org/issues/risk_assessment/20030303/index.php)

The Dangers of Plastics
Bisphenol A was first synthesized in 1891, the first evidence of its estrogenicity came from
experiments in the 1930’s feeding BPA to rats. Another compound invented during that era,
diethylstilbestrol, turned out to be more powerful as an estrogen, so bisphenol A was shelved… until
polymer chemists discovered that it could be polymerized to form polycarbonate plastic.
Unfortunately, the ester bond that links BPA monomers to one another to form a polymer is not
stable and hence the polymer decays with time, releasing BPA into materials with which it comes into
contact, for example food or water. Bisphenol A is now deeply imbedded in the products of modern
consumer society, not just as the building block for polycarbonate plastic (from which it then leaches
as the plastic ages) but also in the manufacture of epoxy resins and other plastics, including
polysulfone, alkylphenolic, polyalylate, polyester-styrene, and certain polyester resins.

Its uses don’t end with the making of plastic. Bisphenol A has been used as an inert ingredient in
pesticides (although in the US this has apparently been halted), as a fungicide, antioxidant, flame
retardant, rubber chemical, and polyvinyl chloride stabilizer. These uses create a myriad of exposures
for people. Bisphenol A-based polycarbonate is used as a plastic coating for children’s teeth to
prevent cavities, as a coating in metal cans to prevent the metal from contact with food contents, as
the plastic in food containers, refrigerator shelving, baby bottles, water bottles, returnable containers
for juice, milk and water, micro-wave ovenware and eating utensils.

Experiments with mice reveal that chronic adult exposure to bisphenol A causes insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance in people leads to Type II diabetes and congestive heart failure, and is part of the
modern epidemic of ‘metabolic syndrome.’ The exposure levels used were within the range that
people experience regularly.

Researchers investigating endocrine disruption had focused primarily on behavioral and reproductive
consequences. But over the past few years, it’s become clear that some of the synthetic chemicals
that disrupt the endocrine system also induce weight gain. What’s more, production of these
chemicals closely tracks the rise of obesity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A