We should all be proud that recycling is becoming more and more the norm rather than the exception. At least in the cities, a majority are heading the call and doing their part for society.

The good news is that there are major successes in paper, glass and metals being reclaimed and reused. Because of this there seems to be a reduction in the amounts of "virgin' materials being used and a reduction in the amounts of these materials in our landfills. This is the reason we take the extra effort to recycle in the first place.

The not so good news is in the plastic arena. While we are collecting a massive amount of used plastic, it is not being reused at a successful rate. As of yet there are no real methods of combining the recycled material and "virgin" material to produce any of the enormous quantities being produced.

Where our metal, paper and glass is being reused over and over, plastics are only being remade into products which themselves cannot be recycled thus making it a very short term advantage. We are not getting an advantage of a decrease of the toxic chemicals used to make the original plastics and we are not getting an advantage of fewer plastics in our landfills.

As a matter of fact, the idea of recycling of plastic has brought about a false sense that it is alright to have everything packaged in or made of plastic.

Plastics have so many wonderful properties which make our lives so much easier. They are lightweight, durable and cheap. They can be made into about any shape man can dream up. They can be supplied with special properties such as heat resistance, chemical resistance and sunlight resistance.

We use them for food storage, freezer to oven or microwave to table with ease. We can purchase individual servings easily and cheaply or hold large quantities. And best of all they can be tossed without a care when we're done. After all when you grind them up they take up very little space, a 2 liter bottle down to about a tablespoon. They can be use for mulch or made into park benches which last 25 years.

Oweee, how much time do you have?

There is an expanse of information about the health issues concerning all the different chemicals which are used in plastics. The following is an abbreviated version of a chart compiled by Ecology Center. (The Ecology Center provides information, tools, technical assistance, referrals, political strategies, and models for sustainable living. We address the public need for non-commercial information about ecologically-sensitive practices and the numerous toxic threats to society and the environment.)

• Plastic - Common Uses - Adverse Health Effects
• Polyvinylchloride(#3PVC) Food packaging, plastic wrap, containers for toiletries, cosmetics, crib bumpers, floor tiles, pacifiers, shower curtains, toys, water pipes, garden hoses, auto upholstery, inflatable swimming pools --- Can cause cancer, birth defects, genetic changes, chronic bronchitis, ulcers, skin diseases, deafness, vision failure, indigestion, and liver dysfunction.
• Phthalates (DEHP,DINP,and others) - Softened vinyl products manufactured with phthalates include vinyl clothing, emulsion paint, footwear, printing inks, non-mouthing toys and children’s products, product packaging and food wrap, vinyl flooring, blood bags and tubing, IV containers and components, surgical gloves, breathing tubes, general purpose lab ware, inhalation masks, many other medical devices Endocrine disruption, linked to asthma, developmental and reproductive effects. Medical waste with PVC and phthalates are regularly incinerated causing public health effects from the release of dioxins and mercury, including cancer, birth defects, hormonal changes, declining sperm counts, infertility, endometriosis, and immune system impairment.
• Polycarbonate, with Bisphenol A (#7) Water bottles, Scientists have linked very low doses of bisphenol A exposure to cancers, impaired immune function, early onset of puberty, obesity, diabetes, and hyperactivity, among other problems (Environment California)
• Polystyrene - Many food containers for meats, fish, cheeses, yogurt, foam and clear clamshell containers, foam and rigid plates, clear bakery containers, packaging "peanuts", foam packaging, audio cassette housings, CD cases, disposable cutlery, building insulation, flotation devices, ice buckets, wall tile, paints, serving trays, throw-away hot drink cups, toys -- Can irritate eyes, nose and throat and can cause dizziness and unconsciousness. Migrates into food and stores in body fat. Elevated rates of lymphatic and hematopoietic cancers for workers.
• Polyethelyne(#1 PET) - Water and soda bottles, carpet fiber, chewing gum, coffee stirrers, drinking glasses, food containers and wrappers, heat-sealed plastic packaging, kitchenware, plastic bags, squeeze bottles, toys Suspected human carcinogen Polyester Bedding, clothing, disposable diapers, food packaging, tampons, upholstery - Can cause eye and respiratory-tract irritation and acute skin rashes
• Urea-formaldehyde- Particle board, plywood, building insulation, fabric finishes. Formaldehyde is a suspected carcinogen and has been shown to cause birth defects and genetic changes. Inhaling formaldehyde can cause cough, swelling of the throat, watery eyes, breathing problems, headaches, rashes, tiredness.
• Polyurethane - Foam Cushions, mattresses, pillows Bronchitis, coughing, skin and eye problems. Can release toluene diisocyanate which can produce severe lung problems.
• Acrylic - Clothing, blankets, carpets made from acrylic fibers, adhesives, contact lenses, dentures, floor waxes, food preparation equipment, disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, paints Can cause breathing difficulties, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, weakness, headache and fatigue.
• Tetrafluoro-ethelyne - Non-stick coating on cookware, clothes irons, ironing board covers, plumbing and tools Can irritate eyes, nose and throat and can cause breathing difficulties.

We are at the crucial can't live with them but also don't want to live without them stage. The simple fact that it would be highly impractical to revert to the old glass, metal or wood for all the different uses of plastic today puts us in a serious situation that must be dealt with.

The most important thing we should all do is to stop the cycle of single serving products with disposal able packaging. This is one area that is only our arrogance in thinking a small amount of time is worth the heavy cost associated with both health issues and disposal problems. Purchasing more bulk products and eliminating individual servings would have a tremendous impact not to mention the money savings it would bring.

Another important thing to do would be to purchase recycled products whenever possible thereby slowing the demand for "virgin" plastics.

Many would say that lobbying your government to regulate or control production is the most desired avenue but unfortunately this has proven ineffective time and time again. The biggest problem is that the decisions of what is good for you is taken out of your hands and placed in the hands of individuals who are notoriously underpaid and underappreciated. Not only is there always a possibility of graft, there is also the problem of weighing the economic impact against safety.

In all aspects of life especially civilization related situations, decisions have to be made by weighing all factors and their impacts. Every time you get into a vehicle you are weighing the risks of an accident, over reaching the destination you wish to arrive at. Every time you pick up a donut you are weighing the desire to taste, over the knowledge that you might gain weight or cause worse health problems by the ingestion of so much sugar. Most times we don't really take it to the conscious level but indecision is a decision in itself.

A case in point is the recent decision by the US FDA which came out saying that BPA (Bisphenol A, a chemical used in many plastics which has been shown to cause many long term health problems at continued low levels of exposures) is adequately safe. It is very important to look at the wording they used…,

"FDA has concluded that an adequate margin of safety exists for BPA at current levels of exposure from food contact uses,"

By using the words, "An adequate Margin of safety" they have stated that the health risks involved with the use is not as important as the economic risks associated with stopping the widespread use in almost all prepared food packages. On the surface this can sound very cold and calculating with the only concern being for the wealthy corporations. Upon further reflection, it is realized that there are a very large number of individuals whose livelihood depends on this industry and a sudden change would affect a whole lot of people in all economic classes.

This one chemical is so ingrained into such a large majority of the products and packaging in use today that a sudden ban would have devastating economic impact all over the world. The really sad part is that there are thousands of similar chemicals and products driving our economies and slowly destroying our health.

We can not lay the blame for reaching this point on any government or industry, No the blame is totally and completely with each and every one of us. We have demanded and willingly given our money in exchange for these cheap products, many simply because they save us time and effort in our busy lives.

There have been alternatives available from the beginning of the Chemical Age but we have overlooked them because their initial cost is higher.

Now we are once again learning the old saying of "The cheapest is not always the best value". The associated cost of lessened overall health and the economic cost of disposal and cleanup are coming due. We are about to learn just how much of a folly we have brought upon ourselves.

It is time to realize that recycling of plastic is not enough by itself. We need to begin the process of changing how the products we buy are made.

We do have the power to bring about these changes without causing widespread economic problems.

We can accomplish this by looking for and purchasing products made and packaged with more sustainable methods even if they cost a little more initially. By supporting these smarter companies we can keep the economy humming along strong with the only losers being those companies who refuse to change their ways.

And finally it is time to face up to the fact that there is a limit to just how convenient we should get in our products and our lives. We should realize that generating too much waste just to make it slightly easier is not good for our health or our environment.

It's time to do more than recycle.