Have you discovered it yet?
Personally, I refuse to use cling film. Even in the professional kitchen, I avoid using cling film whenever possible.
Why would you say?
Single-use cling film is near impossible to recycle, meaning the majority of it ends up in landfills where it will take hundreds of years to degrade.
Plastic cling film also ends up in our seas, mixing up with tonnes of other single-use plastic and cosmetics containing plastic, eventually degrading to microplastics, choking our seas and eventually appear in our fish and plates of seafood.
Finally!
Eco Green Living specialises in easy household eco-swaps (so you can have a positive impact on the planet, one small step at a time) and has created a cling film alternative that is 100% certified compostable, meaning it will degrade within 6 months versus the hundreds of years it takes for the plastic in cling film. It is made from 97% PBAT and 3% PLA. These are completely natural plant-based materials, meaning you can feel safe knowing you are not wrapping your food with chemicals from plastic.
We would not recommend cling film to anyone, even an alternative that sounds ‘too-good-to-be-true’ but some strict vegans out there are not using beeswax wrappers (home-made or store-bought), so their alternatives is toxic cling film, which contains known poisonous substances intentionally-added and non-intentionally-added, like BPA, acrylamide, and many more nasties. In fact,
New evidence links the chemicals in plastic to serious health problems, meaning we might all think twice before wrapping our food in cling film. two major studies have linked over 175 compounds in plastic — widely found in cling film and kitchen storage boxes and bottles — to a risk of cancer and fertility and foetal problems.
Nutrunity has been amongst many of the holistic health practitioners that have been warning of the toxicity of plastic for decades, advice that has gone largely ignored by many medical professionals (as a result of continuous learning not being mandatory for medical doctors and your doctor only knows what he knows, or what he can remember from medical school. Considering that a majority of doctors don’t have the time to see every patients — which explains why you may have to wait 3 weeks to see him/her and why your consultation will last for 3-7 minutes — how do you want them to further their studies?).
In 2019, there were 3 million tonnes of cling film being produced for commercial use and shipping only. This is in addition to domestic use. One industry research group found that, in the same year, nearly 80 million Americans has used at least on roll of cling film, but more than 5 million had gone through more than 10 million boxes. Which means that a large portion of the population overuse cling film and may put their health at risk daily. This is potentially a greater health problem because that portion of the population may also consume more products that are not supportive to health, including mass-produced, ultra-refined and ultra-processed manufactured food products which contain a multitude of questionable additives and preservatives.
It is, therefore, not that surprising to find out the ever-increasing rate of cancer sweeping the US and many countries following a similar diet and habits.
Heat is the biggest problem (and so is acidity. e.g., tinned tomatoes, tomato paste and pickled foods found in tin or aluminium tubs, etc.). Even Cancer Research UK, which has so far been sceptical, is now warning that cling film should not be allowed to touch the food it is covering during microwaving. As a matter of fact, cling film should never be microwaved. The steam that is rising and condensing at the top is dripping down and poisoning the food with those highly toxic compounds which you consume by the spoon full. If you mainly eat microwavable meals then this is a huge health hazard.
Andrea Gore, professor of pharmacology at the University of Austin in the US, who has studied the effects of chemicals on reproductive function, says: “They used to be made using BPA, or bisphenol-A, which is a known endocrine disruptor.”
Due to consumers outcry, BPA has now been replaced with even more toxic alternatives: BPF AND BPS.
I don’t know about you, but ‘BP’ are still the letter and so from the same toxic compound. However, manufacturers only get away with it because there will need to be a few decades of studies on human health before they are made to be unhealthy and have consequences on human health, until a similar compound with a near-similar name is created, and the cycle continue, and manufacturers are free to poison the food chain without any repercussion. Thanks to a corrupt system that seems to have no care in human health and protecting consumers. 2020 is the proof!
When it comes to BPA, PET may not be the answer needed. That is because plastic — IN ANY OF ITS FORMS IS A DANGER TO HUMAN HEALTH. Breast Cancer UK is calling for a British ban, bringing us in line with other European countries and concerns are starting to emerge that even PET plastics may contain a possibly harmful chemical called antimony trioxide (and a myriad more).
A study by the BBC showed that cling film is safe to use. Read below:
“For our test, we purchased cling films made with PVC and marked as “microwave safe” and sent them to Dr Emma Bradley at FERA Science Ltd for analysis.”
“ESBO is a chemical that dissolves well in fatty substances, so the risk of it getting into food is greatest when it’s cooked with fatty foods. So Emma tested our cling film in a ‘real life scenario’ by microwaving it with a very fatty food– a spaghetti carbonara ready-meal.”
“Both the oil and the spaghetti carbonara were analysed to see if any ESBO had been transferred to them from the cling film. We found that some transfer did take place in the ‘worst case scenario’ olive oil test, but this transfer was within legal limits.”
“What does this mean?
Our tests didn’t find anything that transgressed EU law, which suggests that it is safe to use cling film in the microwave. However to keep any risk of transfer to a minimum, it’s advisable to make sure that your cling film isn’t in direct contact with your food when you microwave it.”
The truth is, the study did not include all the nasties listed above. And so, this study in itself is pretty useless. Also, to note: the Food Standards Authority in the UK does not have specific recommendations about microwaving with cling film. Therefore, there is nothing to compare to. The only advice, as given by The Food Safety Authority of Ireland and The United States Department of Agriculture, is that cling film should not touch food during cooking.
What a joke!
Do you really feel safe?
Some cling film is Europe still contains PVC another health-wrecking compound.
The worse of all compounds are phthalates. They are added to any plastic to remain flexible (and to fragrance to make the scent more tenacious, which you spray on your skin!). A study of nearly 3,000 children in the Journal of Pediatrics found that children between the ages of six and 19 who had been exposed to phthalates (measured by levels of breakdown products of the chemicals in their urine) had higher levels of blood pressure than those who didn't. A growing body of evidences, now shows that newborns are already intoxicated with BPA — a compound that can cross the placenta.
Leonardo Trasande from New York University School of Medicine said: "We know that phthalates damage the walls of arteries by oxidative stress [free radical damage] and they may directly damage heart cells." He adds: "We know these chemicals get into food from plastic wrappings and gloves, and that they are in PVC flooring and cosmetics. We think they may have an effect on cardiovascular health and that children and adolescents should have limited exposure."
As always, children pay the highest cost when it comes to chemical over-exposure, particularly indoor pollution.
A report from the WHO said more research was urgently needed (oh really…!) on their effect on rising rates of a range of diseases such as diabetes and ADHD. The report stressed the WHO's concern over the exposure in young children of phthalates and other environmental chemicals that seem to interfere with human hormones. Phthalates have also been linked to allergies and asthma.
Phthalates leach into food through packaging so you should avoid microwaving food or drinks in plastic and not use plastic cling wrap and store your food in glass containers where possible. If you can avoid pre-packaged, processed food to reduce your exposure.
Ban plastic bottles from your life and so cling film unless it is made to be compostable and contains no plastic.
A peer-reviewed study, published in Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy, analysed 22 different cling films and clearly stated: “a considerable transfer of plasticizers from the wrapping material is observed.”
The researchers even wrote further that their findings can held manufacturers responsible: “The multivariate method significantly provides 100% of cross-validation classification along with 99.13% discrimination. In this study, we have developed a method to compare or link a cling film which somebody uses and found that there is a transfer of plasticizers and other additives into the food and if the manufacturing company disown that this specific cling film does not belong to our company. In such type of cases, this method could link the suspected cling film to their manufacturers with precision and accurateness. The chronic effect of plasticizers on human health can also be linked to the type of cling film the accused was using consistently.”
Knowing you can potentially sue the manufacturers, in the same way Johnson & Johnson is being sued for adding asbestos in baby powders and talc*, this opens up a whole new problem for those manufacturers. Even though, they have time to waste and YOUR money to waste (the one consumers given them and the money you will have to pay the legal system); however, the bigger the number of complaints the greater the chance for your claim to be recognised and so, building an association of victims is always recommended, as this spreads the cost and allow for better representation.
* Johnson & Johnson is looking to dismantle its large company into smaller subsidiaries to avoid paying large sums in compensation. This will dictate the maximum the company can payout. However, personally, I don’t understand how this is relevant when the company in question is the one that has sold the products for decades and lying without remorse, all the while poisoning people for money. That company, however, big or small, should be made to disappear and all those working at the higher level condemnable in the eye of the law — their millions confiscated to compensate victims.
Another study, analysing 8 brans of cling films, found levels of DEHA and DEHP in the cling film are associated with potential human health risks. The maximum level of DEHA ranged from 1.6 to 16 times the safe level.
I made my peace. This is the way I personally feel, but i know I’m not the only one. I am glad to boycott Johnson & Johnson’s products and all those similar companies or products that are known to be health-wreckers. Want to know more?
Sign to our newsletter to be notified of the release of Detox before Energise, a book dedicated to expose the myriad of toxic compounds that are poisoning us daily and the solutions to fight back and help your body heal.
Main problematic compounds in cling film/plastic wrap:
BPAs (Bisphenol A): a chemical compound strongly linked to breast cancer, prostate cancer, and early sexual development issues in women. BPAs are also shown to mimic estrogen in women, causing severe hormonal issues.
LDPE (low-density polyethylene): a chemical compound that is found to contain DEHA (diathylhexyl adipate) which is a known endocrine disrupter linked to breast cancer in women and low sperm count in men.
PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride): a chemical compound that contains extremely toxic additives such as phthalates, lead, and cadmium. When burning, PVDC releases a toxic component known as HCl or hydrochloric acid. It can cause a headache if inhaled briefly, and possibly cancer if the exposure is long term. This is of particular concern for people living near an incinerator. Carbon monoxide, low level cyanides and NOx, and other unidentified products of hydrocarbon degradation are also released.4
DIDP (Di-isononyl phthalate): a chemical compound used in lieu of PVDC, but still riddled with phthalates known to cause high blood pressure in children.
Para-nonylphenol (p-NP)
Polyvinyl chloride is the third most widely used polymer after the polyethylene and polypropylene. All extracted from petrochemicals. These films usually contain harmful plasticisers such as adipates (e.g., bis(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA)), phthalates (e.g., di-2-ethyhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and dibutylphthalate (DBP)), and citrates along with other additives
Other sources of plastic includes bath mats, yogurt containers, and coffee cup lids.
A study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, analysed 34 everyday plastic products (made of eight types of plastic) to see how common toxicity might be. 74% of the products they tested were toxic in some way.
Martin Wagner, Ph.D., an associate professor in the department of biology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and senior author of the new study, explained that it is not only to avoid certain problematic types of plastic because the issues of toxicity are widespread and could be found in nearly any type of plastic.
The researchers detected more than 1,000 chemicals in these plastics, 80 percent of which were unknown.
So, the question remains: is BIO and compostable plastic wrap better for our health or are the compounds used (or unintentionally-added chemicals) as bad as the rest?
Like the ‘green’ pan, there seems to be no evidence that they are better for our health because the processes used may be the same than the ‘really bad stuff’. For example, glueing processes may be the same and PFOAs and other types of non-stick pan.
Personally, I would recommend using compostable cling film only sporadically, and never to reheat food (microwave or sous-vide), and never let it exposed to sunlight. Use homemade beeswax (or similar) cotton wraps instead.
Source:
Carlstedt, F. Jönsson, BA. Bornehag, CG. (2012). PVC flooring is related to human uptake of phthalates in infants. Indoor Air. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0668.2012.00788
Study 1: Sharma V, Nani D, Kumar R. Spectroscopic and chemometric evaluation of cling films used for wrapping of foodstuff and illicit drugs. Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc. 2019 Jan 5;206:558-568. doi:10.1016/j.saa.2018.08.052. Epub 2018 Aug 29. PMID: 30189382.
Study 2: de Jager, C. et al. Genthe (2018): Endocrine disrupting chemicals in commercially available cling film brands in South Africa. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal. doi:10.1080/10807039.2018.1471659
4. https://www.grafixarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GRX1401-Cling-Film-SDS-2019.pdf
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3207138/Don-t-clingy-Amid-mounting-evidence-plastic-food-wrap-harbours-host-toxins-doctors-urge-people-stop-using-it.html
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/story-of-plastic-sticky-problem-of-plastic-wrap
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5mKq06jg32zpzwBTR1sYQp8/is-it-safe-to-use-cling-film-in-the-microwave
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/may/26/is-plastic-food-packaging-dangerous