I received a question via ‘Ask Suzanne’ and have wondered about it myself.  The question is “Has anyone figured out a way to remove the smell of Bounce from fabric? Sometimes I buy items at a yard sale or thrift store, and the smell lingers a long time, even through washing and hanging in the sun.”

It’s scary that the scent from Bounce sheets manages to linger long after multiple washes.  I was surprised when researching my article Dryer Sheets and Fabric Softener - A Household Toxin with how many chemicals these sheets contain and how unhealthy they are for your family to inhale or wear.  It is amazing when you receive hand-me-downs if the previous owner of the clothes has used Bounce sheets - you are able to detect the smell immediately. 
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Around the time of writing Home Made Eco Friendly Cleaning Solutions I heard about a company called Norwex and their motto appealled to me because it’s ‘Cleaning Without Chemicals’.  I am so glad I attended a Norwex product demonstration and now after getting my supplies and putting them to work in my messy house…I’m ready to report my findings. 
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I received a question from Jackie regarding an alternative to wrapping her food in plastic to store in the freezer.  Funny enough I was wondering how to eliminate wrapping meat that I buy to freeze in plastic wrap, then popping them into a freezer bag.  I’m no longer comfortable with having my food in close contact with plastic and I’ve realized I have a serious addiction to plastic baggies that I’m trying to break.  They are just wayyy too handy to use.  BUT - after googling Pyrex glass food containers, I’ve found my solution to both of these problems.  We know that glass baby bottles have been recommended rather than plastic for babies and toddlers, well it’s back-to-basics with all food storage. Pyrex is a name that has been around forever and they are very cost effective.  I find it shocking how expensive Tupperware is and they don’t code their products with a plastic recycling code.  Really, it’s scary to know what kind of plastic they use…and it costs a fortune! 

With food storage, Pyrex products can go into the refrigerator, freezer,  microwave, or oven.  They are also dishwasher and microwave safe. Unlike the plastics we are so suspicious about, they won’t absorb food flavors, odors, or stains…including tomato-based sauces.   I always wondered after storing left-overs with tomato sauce, why my plastic was stained from sauce. Well now I know the cheap plastic was probably leaching BPA into my food.  Lovely.

Pyrex is also made in America.  If you’ve purged your kitchen of all plastic containers, it’s time to start fresh with a quality product..and won’t it be nice to have lids that match the container?  <smile>

If you divide up bulk food to freeze from Costco, etc., this 6 piece set looks great for larger items.

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I received a question from Leslie wondering if Ikea plastics contained BPA.  Her concern was the children’s tableware line that I think every family I know owns!  The popular line ‘Kalas’ that includes the colorful tumblers (cups), plates, bowls and cutlery are perfect for kids and is the only tableware plastic my kids are now using.  Everything else has been recycled or thrown out.  When I purged my cartoon character plates and glasses, I found they were all coded number 7, while these from IKEA were coded 5.  They are also inexpensive, easy for kids to use, and dishwasher safe.  Well a few weeks ago I emailed IKEA and asked them to confirm their children’s tableware was BPA-free.  Here was their response but according to other sites; it just might depend on when and where you purchased them from IKEA:

Thank you for your interest in our products. The IKEA product range is subjected to comprehensive tests and complies with the strictest applicable laws and safety standards, and we have detailed regulations on the use of chemicals and other substances in the manufacturing process. If one country tightens its rules, we introduce these new regulations on all IKEA markets, whenever possible.

IKEA is in control of the product development process and through our trading areas we work closely together with our suppliers in place, which is an advantage when it comes to securing product quality. Please be aware that the bisphenol A (BPA) is not allowed in any plastic IKEA product.

A product risk assessment is made during the development of the product. Tests and follow-ups are done both before we start the production and then on continuous basis. We test our products according to our own requirements and applicable international standards/legislation at accredited internal and external test laboratories.

At IKEA, we test our products regularly and we put demands on our suppliers to have verification test reports and certificates available within 24 hours.
The number of tests will vary by product and will depend on the initial risk assessment of that product.

If you have any further concerns about our products, please do not hesitate to contact us.

According to the Z-recs most (I repeat…most) of IKEA’s products are BPA-free…here are their findings.  Please note that any of the products listed with BPA from IKEA, I could only find on the American site (www.Ikea.com).  So I included 2 pictures of the 2 lines that have been sited by Z-recommends as having BPA.  If these items look familiar you need to contact your local IKEA and ask them if they have a recall list for their products.  The Canadian site (www.Ikea.ca) appears to be correct in their statement about their tableware currently not containing BPA.  I say currently because I used that blue spoon in the below picture this morning to give one of my kid’s breakfast.

BPA-Free Products
Cups: Kalas Tumblers, Grossby Tumblers
Utensils: Kalas 18 Piece Cutlery Set, utensils in: Mata set, Mumsa sets, Hungrig set
Tableware: Mata Dinnerware Set, Mumsa 5-Piece Set, Grossby
Mata Bib, Barnslig Djur Bib, Kladd Bib

Products Containing BPA!!
Cups: Hungrig cup (part of 6-Piece Set)
Utensils: (check for imprinting on items not listed here as BPA-free)
Tableware: Hungrig 6 Piece Set (plate, bowl, and cup), Mumsa 3-Piece Dinnerware Set (sippy bottle is polycarbonate)

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I received a question via ‘Ask Suzanne’ from a parent concerned about BPA being placed in their children’s cavity fillings.  Thanks for this question!

With the debates regarding BPA usually targeting baby bottles or canned food items, the topic of BPA in our dental work may have flown under your radar. (I mean really, how much BPA information is one parent able to retain?)   I’ve heard grumblings on other blogs about this issue, but the information on BPA leaching from household plasticsfar outways this topic.  Studies have found detectable levels of BPA in the saliva of patients after they received sealants or fillings.  Maybe not a big deal for adults who have a larger mass to absorb chemicals, but what about a toddler or child that requires dental work?  The thought of BPA leaching even a miniscule amount into my kid’s mouth is a horrible thought.

Most pediatric dentists have said the affect of this is minuscule - no affect.   See more on these opinions via this news clip from CTV news.  But the words of Aaron Freemen, policy director of Environmental Defence, from the same interview, put me on edge. 

“Regardless of how low the exposure level may be, BPA is a toxic substance that shouldn’t be used in any consumer products.  This is not the sort of chemical that we should be putting in people’s mouths, particularly children’s mouths.”

BPA is, after all, the chemical that Canada declared dangerous. Would you want something toxic put in your mouth?  Of course not.

So as parents, what can we do?  If your child (or yourself) is getting a cavity filled, ask your dentist if the sealant or filling contains BPA.  Remember, we’ve just stopped using mercury-based amalgam fillings after years of controversy.  Hopefully your dentist can put you at ease.  If your dentist is using BPA what are the alternatives?  Alastair Nicoll, president of the British Columbia Dental Association says, “derivatives of BPA are still the most common ingredient in sealants and fillings because alternatives such as porcelain don’t work as well and aren’t as practical.”

Health Canada is compiling a list of all materials that contain BPA, but as a mother of 4, I don’t know if I’m more scared or curious to see the next place this chemical is lurking.

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