Green Moms
aug 23

Dangers of the Sippy Cup?

I keep hearing about "bad" plastics. Creepy toxic chemicals of unpronounceable words like phthalates and bisphenol-A that leach into food or drink, especially when heated in a microwave or put in a freezer. But even surface scratches in sippy cups and toys can undermine the safety of your family.

What I understand from the science is that these unpronounceable toxics that can end up in our food and drink can lead to elevated estrogen levels. So does what does that mean for my boys? And my girls? ......I can't even go there! Where are these toxic substances found and how can I protect my toddlers from them?

Where are these substances found? In my toddler's sippy cups! And baby bottles! And who knows where else?

I recently found myself examining the mangled top of a pink sippy cup. Teething can really do a number on those spouts. But I have three young children, and plastic is just part of our lives... easy to clean, carry, unbreakable,

So I sat down at the computer and started looking around. What could replace my toxin-leaching, hormone-disrupting sippy cup? Yet also endure the frequent Newtonian gravity tests of a high-spirited two year old?

An email came in from Co-op America (http://www.coopamerica.org/) listserve touting Sigg sippy cups. Clever in design, clean, and not plastic.  Good Mom. I order two. Credit card charge confirmed. Done.....what's this?  another email from Co-op America, someone was reporting that Sigg sippy cups were made with aluminum, possible leaching, etc. (isn't this the Alzheimer's metal? Can't remember.) Best advice is to buy Kleen Kanteen - made from stainless steel, also sporty with sippy cup tops. Good Mom, get out that credit card again (nothing but the best for my brood). Two more sippy cups ordered. Done. Another incoming email from this "helpful" listserve...don't forget, we are boycotting products manufactured in China. Where do they make these Kleen Kanteens? That's right. China..

What's a clean, green urban mom gonna do?

You know, I don't really have the perfect answer. I don't think anyone does. As for me, I am sure that Sigg cups are fine and that Kleen Kateen cups are fine. And I guess the best thing to do is to keep reading and listening to what people are learning as this type of research broadens. And go with what works for me and my family.

Meanwhile, I love our new sippy cups. They also double as an ice pack in the lunch box (the metal kind- not vinyl - that is a whole other story). I just fill the sippy cup with ice and water and forget the additional ice pack. Easy. Smart. Safe. I think.

by Francesca Olivieri, as told to Viki Psihoyos


MinuteMorningMonth
  • Examine sippy cups and see if there are any major scratches or dents, and, if so, attempt to recycle them.
  • Find a recycling spot that will take your old sippy cups. Many recycling centers don’t take certain of the “bad” plastics like #7. In which case, you could spend the morning thinking of other uses for the cup like a colorful magic maker container or the frame of a paper mache project. I probably would never do that. But I would think about it and think how that might be a good idea!
  • Write to your local take-out restaurants about using alternative plastic containers either recycled plastic containers or containers that are biodegradable. Maybe suggest some places that they could buy them and what the cost difference is between then and the conventional ones.


sageIn 2006, friends Francesca Olivieri and Susan Gluck Pappajohn started their company, sage baby, an online eco-friendly baby store offering everything from organic clothes and skincare to furniture. They continue to watch their green business grow, while seeking to apply their values to their own home and families. Not always easy, as these urban moms strive to keep it green, whatever that can mean. Witness Francesca (mother of a 7, 5 and 2-year-old) and Susan (lively boys, 9 and 6) navigate the waters (clean, we hope!)


Comments (9)
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1. 09/27/2007 02:22:08 PM
I use the small camelback bottles and they are great. If concerned about sippy cups, don't put them in the dishwasher, the heat can change the plastic!
Written by solowiej (Guest)
2. 09/27/2007 03:14:31 PM
Don't use sippy cups! All of my three kids have handled glass glasses since they could hold a glass. IKEA has great small sized glasses for little hands, I think they are 12 for around 4 dollars. Yes there are more spills that way but then kids get to learn how to clean up spills: how to make mistakes and clean them up. Once or twice we've even had a broken glass but then everybody learns what to do when glass is broken. "Nobody move! I'll clean it up!!" 
 
For outings, stainless steel or aluminum water bottles are becoming more and more available.
Written by Mama of three (Guest)
3. 09/27/2007 03:15:14 PM
Sigg bottles utilize a baked-on ceramic coating inside. It's stimilar to the finish of a good coffee cup, or your dishes at home. Sigg has madebottles for a very long time in Switzerland and are a standard in Europe (are they always ahead of the US?). Klean Kanteens are also great. Simple stainless steel. Both companies offer children/sippy versions of their bottles. 
 
The Camelbak bottles (mentioned above) are made of the same #7 palstic that Nalgene lexan bottles are made of. #7 continues to show-up on "bad" plastics lists. I think the mistake made with the Nalge fad is that these were products designed for occasional sport use, not everyday all the time drinking. Using these bottles sometimes when your on a hike or travelling probably won't be harmful. Everyday use could be a problem, especially when these plastics begin to age.
Written by G in VT (Guest)
4. 09/27/2007 06:16:10 PM
I have been investigating and reporting on the safety of polymers in toys and other products since 1998 on my website, www.turnertoys.com. Initially, I produced an extensive reference work on PVC (Vinyl), which can be read at http://www.turnertoys.com/PVC_framepage1.htm 
A more recent addition has been an evaluation of all materials, including stainless steel, used in food consumption and storage. This may be read at http://www.turnertoys.com/Polymer_update20051009.htm. 
The outcome of my investigation is that polyethylene and polypropylene are safe for most food-related uses, stainless steel presents virtually no hazards, and, indeed, polycarbonate (lexan, nalgene hard plastic bottles) is indeed a bad choice; and of course, as we know, PVC should not be used in food contact in any manner. A careful reading of this material will provide the reader with a reasonably thorough understanding of this topic.
Written by Ed Loewenton (Guest)
5. 09/27/2007 10:20:57 PM
I keep hearing about the bad plastics too, but my Gerber sippy cups don't have a number on them. How do I know what kind of plastic they are? My daughter has gnawed gashes in every lid, and now I am really getting scared! She has been drinking out of these same cups for over a year... have I been harming her health? What are the bad effects of this? Does anyone know specifically about the Gerber 8 oz. cups?
Written by confused (Guest)
6. 09/28/2007 08:34:28 PM
i respect your ideas regarding plastic misuse, and i'm glad an american site is trying to make their countrymen aware of the problem. But coming from England (not always to be proud of) who honestly calls myself a citizen of the world, the plastic problem is something that we seem to be dealing with. Our councils, you call them states, have recycled plastic, via china, for quite a while now. While travelling regularly to south asia, especially India, the uneducated issues with plastic pollution happening in the developing world will always excede our western self righteous belief every time. While peace loving, devout buddist monks are being abused in bhurma for trying to right the world, we really need to put our world into perpective. Stand up and protest for freedom, for the buddist monks of bhurma, nepal or tibet, and for freedom.We all bleed the same blood. Imagine?
Written by harry (Guest)
7. 09/29/2007 03:30:17 PM
There are now companies inside the U.S. who are taking this issue seriously. One to check out is Green to Grow (www.greentogrow.com), who\'s focus is entirely on producing baby bottles and other baby products that are toxin-free. And as Harry above has said, Europe is already dealing with this issue and plastics here are free of these toxins. Write your legistators and make the issue known.
Written by Toxin-free (Guest)
8. 11/07/2007 12:06:38 PM
I just purchased some of the Green to Grow bottles and they're great. Plus, they're really cute which is something that you cannot say about a lot of bottles. It's nice to be safe and stylish at the same time. I got mine online at their website (www.greentogrow.com).
Written by Campbell (Guest)
9. 04/20/2008 01:19:35 AM
Born-Free makes bisphenol-A free plastic baby bottles and glass bottles as well. They also have BPA-free plastic sippy cups, and the spouts are interchangeable with the glass bottles. I'd rather uses glass sippy for my DS so that's what I did.
Written by Sasha (Guest)

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