Bad chemistry campaign

You don’t need a doctorate in chemistry to see there’s something wrong with regulation of chemicals in Australia.
 
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  • Updated:11 Jan 2010
 

04.Take Action

While the risk is low there’s growing evidence that food can be contaminated by risky plastics used in some wraps and cans.

Polycarbonate containers and cans lined with epoxy resin can release release bisphenol A ( BPA) which has been linked with serious health issues including an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. Another risky plastic is PVC because of chemicals called plasticisers which are added to it to make it flexible and soft. Plasticisers can migrate from the PVC into the food.

CHOICE is calling on the food industry to phase out the use of potentially hazardous forms of plastics in baby products and food packaging. Read the full CHOICE story here .

 

 

1. Send Choice your risky packaging

Send us your rinsed examples of risky plastic food packaging and baby products: ones you can't identify, or ones market 3 (PVC) or 7 (a catch-all category which includes polycarbonate). We'll present them to health minister Nicola Roxon as part of the campaign for action on harmful chemicals.

Plastic Packaging
CHOICE
Reply Paid 63261
Marrickville NSW 2204
 

2. Reduce your exposure

You can take steps to reduce your exposure to the controversial chemicals by: 

  • Avoiding plastic food packaging and baby products made from plastics you can’t identify. 
  • Avoid food packaging and baby products with the voluntary identification codes 3 (PVC) and 7 (a catch-all category which includes polycarbonate). 
  • Avoid PVC cling film, which we found being used by some supermarkets and many independent greengrocers and butchers to wrap fresh meat and fruit and vegetables. 
  • Consider cutting down on canned foods.
 

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