razz, is this article about the whole class of plastics known as endocrine disruptors?
This is from the NIH:
What are some common endocrine disruptors?
Bisphenol A (BPA) — used to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, which are found in many plastic products including food storage containers
Dioxins — produced as a byproduct in herbicide production and paper bleaching, they are also released into the environment during waste burning and wildfires
Perchlorate — a by-product of aerospace, weapon, and pharmaceutical industries found in drinking water and fireworks
Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) — used widely in industrial applications, such as firefighting foams and non-stick pan, paper, and textile coatings
Phthalates — used to make plastics more flexible, they are also found in some food packaging, cosmetics, children’s toys, and medical devices
Phytoestrogens — naturally occurring substances in plants that have hormone-like activity, such as genistein and daidzein that are in soy products, like tofu or soy milk
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) — used to make flame retardants for household products such as furniture foam and carpets
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) — used to make electrical equipment like transformers, and in hydraulic fluids, heat transfer fluids, lubricants, and plasticizers
Triclosan — may be found in some anti-microbial and personal care products, like liquid body wash
How do people encounter endocrine-disrupting chemicals?
People may be exposed to endocrine disruptors through food and beverages consumed, pesticides applied, and cosmetics used. In essence, your contact with these chemicals may occur through diet, air, skin, and water.
Even low doses of endocrine-disrupting chemicals may be unsafe. The body’s normal endocrine functioning involves very small changes in hormone levels, yet we know even these small changes can cause significant developmental and biological effects. This observation leads scientists to think that endocrine-disrupting chemical exposures, even at low amounts, can alter the body’s sensitive systems and lead to health problems.
This is scary stuff.
Gee, it's a downer week for me environmentally-speaking. Not only reading your post, razz, but I was reading the section of Bright Green Lies on recycling, and the part on plastics was just sad. "Industrial humans produce roughly as much plastic each year as the weight of all humans combined. Half of the 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic t his culture has fabricated since 1950 was made in the past 13 years. Like all the other harms to the planet, plastic production is 'rapidly accelerating.'"
Think about it--the mainstream lifespan of plastics is roughly the same as MY lifespan! And this 8.3 billion metric tons of this plastic crap can never go away! And it's everywhere! And while plastic has some utility, it is also harmful.
I don't know what the answer is, but to your point, it's not just the idea of plastic--it's how one thing leads to another as the web of life breaks down.