A steady diet.

Last edited Sat Jan 13, 2024, 08:29 PM - Edit history (1)

I process and test plastics and I work on regulatory compliance issues. I have been exposed to a ridiculous number of plastics and plastics additives. But not at the chemical giants this is custom compounding (most of the significant types of plastics and additives used over the last 40 years). A lesser amount of PVC plastic because that is usually kept to separate facilities, although I have been handling it a little in recent years.

All the important polymers as far as I know are considered biologically inert. So then we could consider the effect of the particles as mechanical irritants perhaps. But these particles have to cause less irritation than harder materials. Plastics are relatively soft, the edges won't remain all that sharp if the material has gotten into the environment for any length of time. The particles will have low aspect ratios, and so not shaped like fibers. So then lastly we could look at chemicals that can leach out of the plastic, or the chemicals that the plastic breaks down to. This is one of the more studied aspects of plastics, and is pretty well regulated where necessary.

But I am concerned about phthalates and PFAS. Many phthalates that have been used are known to be possibly hazardous to health. Phthalates are mostly used in flexible PVC. Other uses do not come close in term of environmental impact. Regarding PFAS, there isn't a lot of evidence of damage to health from these chemicals (yet). Problem or concern is they stick around a long time. Another one that we should be concerned about but probably to a lesser degree is BPA and BPS.

If someone has a different view or understanding I would be interested.

Edit to add: There was an article not too long ago about microparticles from auto tires and a stabilizer that is used in the rubber. I am not as familiar with rubber compounds. But a stabilizer was found to be decomposing into a substance harmfu to aquatic life. Link https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016365182

Those of us born in the old days didn't get anywhere as much of them in our youth or died of other things before dying of cancer.

My parents lasted until 90 and 103. I will be lucky to make it to 70. The cumulative chemical effect has it's consequences. Since there are so many, it's difficult to pinpoint which one(s) are causing the problems.

Who knows what else is in our foods. Plus environmental pollution plays a role, along with eating too much processed foods nd getting too little exercise. I recently started paying more attention to the few processed foods I buy. Half the ingredients have unpronounceable names and usually a lot of salt. It’s ridiculous when one small serving of a vegetable based food, like lentil soup, has half the daily salt recommendation.

Remote school means no gym, and schools have all cut funding to sports and after school activities. My friend's daughter played softball on high school but her high school didn't have a team. She played on an expensive 'travel team'. My partner's 19 year old niece, who is morbidly obese, does nothing. Nothing. She won't go for a five minute walk, she won't do yard work, just sits on her phone all day. She doesn't ride a bike or swim or so any of the things I enjoyed doing at 19. And she doesn't want to.

coming out on this topic for several years at least. The Baffled MDs should read DU.

I know a young person, not yet 30, who has had 2 kinds of cancer. He maintains a healthy lifestyle and has no family history of cancer. Illnesses like this in people so young were very rare until the last 20-30 years. It's related to dangerous man-made toxins everywhere in the environment.