Clipping Board » Environmental Pollution & Change ─ How dirty the human heart is, how dirty the environment will be...
2011/06/02 [Taiwan Awakening News Reporters Hsiao Chieh-yun, Chen Yun-chung, and Li Kuan-yen Comprehensive Report]
Taiwan has become a "plasticized" kingdom. Fang Jian, chairman of the Green Consumers Foundation, stated in an interview today that compared to holding cold water, plastic bags can leach dozens to hundreds of times more plasticizers when exposed to "heat and oil," urging people to minimize their use. Lin Jie-liang, director of the Clinical Toxicology Department at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, also called on the public to avoid using plastic wrap for heating, emphasizing that plastic products should be "used as little as possible."
Environmental groups pointed out that plasticizers are "lipophilic," meaning they easily dissolve when in contact with fats. Beyond high temperatures, simply wrapping food can lead to contamination, disrupting normal hormone metabolism in the body. This may contribute to breast cancer, birth defects, and negatively affect sperm count and quality in men.
In modern households, plastic products are ubiquitous—from PET bottles, food storage containers, travel mugs, plastic bowls and plates, plastic bags, cling film, instant noodle cups, baby bottles, microwave lunch boxes, to even breakfast paper cartons. Additionally, hot foods like noodle soups are often served in plastic bags. Research from National Cheng Kung University found that even household dust in Taiwan contains DEHP concentrations of 1.23 micrograms, ranking first in the world.
Fang Jian expressed deep frustration during the interview, noting that he had reported on this issue 25 years ago as a journalist. "This is hardly news," he said, "and it's hard to believe the government is unaware." He stressed that only source control would be effective, lamenting that Taiwan has become a "plastic kingdom" due to excessive use. "Economic growth comes at a price—this is a devil's bargain," he remarked.
"A piece of fried pork chop placed in a plastic bag was found in lab tests to contain plasticizer concentrations ranging from dozens to hundreds of ppm," Fang Jian said. Plastic is everywhere in daily life, leaving people with no escape and no way to know if they’ve been affected. Infertility, hyperactivity, intellectual disabilities, and regression of sexual characteristics could all be linked to plasticizer exposure. He urged elementary and middle schools to conduct comprehensive urine tests, reduce plastic use, and called for stricter government and food industry controls over the food chain.
Lin Jie-liang also warned that whether made of PE or PVC, plastic wrap has limited heat resistance and can release carcinogens when heated. He strongly advised against using plastic wrap for heating. If unavoidable, it should be kept at least 2.5 cm away from food, with holes poked to allow gas to escape. If plasticizer-contaminated food is accidentally consumed, drinking more water can help flush it out.
Additionally, he noted that only high-density PE plastic wrap is suitable for refrigeration. To safeguard health, he recommended opting for high-density PE wrap to minimize carcinogen release. PVC plastic wrap, however, fails under both refrigeration and heating conditions and should be "used as little as possible."
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……rl/ d/ a/ 110602/ 115/ 2sn8y. html
Say No to Plastic: Experts Advise Less Plastic and Wrap Use
Taiwan has become a "plasticized" kingdom. Fang Jian, chairman of the Green Consumers Foundation, stated in an interview today that compared to holding cold water, plastic bags can leach dozens to hundreds of times more plasticizers when exposed to "heat and oil," urging people to minimize their use. Lin Jie-liang, director of the Clinical Toxicology Department at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, also called on the public to avoid using plastic wrap for heating, emphasizing that plastic products should be "used as little as possible."
Environmental groups pointed out that plasticizers are "lipophilic," meaning they easily dissolve when in contact with fats. Beyond high temperatures, simply wrapping food can lead to contamination, disrupting normal hormone metabolism in the body. This may contribute to breast cancer, birth defects, and negatively affect sperm count and quality in men.
In modern households, plastic products are ubiquitous—from PET bottles, food storage containers, travel mugs, plastic bowls and plates, plastic bags, cling film, instant noodle cups, baby bottles, microwave lunch boxes, to even breakfast paper cartons. Additionally, hot foods like noodle soups are often served in plastic bags. Research from National Cheng Kung University found that even household dust in Taiwan contains DEHP concentrations of 1.23 micrograms, ranking first in the world.
Fang Jian expressed deep frustration during the interview, noting that he had reported on this issue 25 years ago as a journalist. "This is hardly news," he said, "and it's hard to believe the government is unaware." He stressed that only source control would be effective, lamenting that Taiwan has become a "plastic kingdom" due to excessive use. "Economic growth comes at a price—this is a devil's bargain," he remarked.
"A piece of fried pork chop placed in a plastic bag was found in lab tests to contain plasticizer concentrations ranging from dozens to hundreds of ppm," Fang Jian said. Plastic is everywhere in daily life, leaving people with no escape and no way to know if they’ve been affected. Infertility, hyperactivity, intellectual disabilities, and regression of sexual characteristics could all be linked to plasticizer exposure. He urged elementary and middle schools to conduct comprehensive urine tests, reduce plastic use, and called for stricter government and food industry controls over the food chain.
Lin Jie-liang also warned that whether made of PE or PVC, plastic wrap has limited heat resistance and can release carcinogens when heated. He strongly advised against using plastic wrap for heating. If unavoidable, it should be kept at least 2.5 cm away from food, with holes poked to allow gas to escape. If plasticizer-contaminated food is accidentally consumed, drinking more water can help flush it out.
Additionally, he noted that only high-density PE plastic wrap is suitable for refrigeration. To safeguard health, he recommended opting for high-density PE wrap to minimize carcinogen release. PVC plastic wrap, however, fails under both refrigeration and heating conditions and should be "used as little as possible."
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……rl/ d/ a/ 110602/ 115/ 2sn8y. html