Ditching Plastics

Category: Tennis

Publish Date: 04-01-2010 05:19 PM -0400

Today at lunchtime I stumbled across this article. Between taking bites of salad out of a Tupperware container and plucking grapes out of a Ziploc bag, I started thinking that it’s time for some new lunch packaging.

The article, titled “The Perils of Plastic,” brings up lots of questions about the possibly harmful chemicals in many plastics. When ingested, some may have unintended effects on the endocrine system, especially when absorbed during developmental stages. They may also be linked to obesity, autism and behavioral problems in children. I write “possibly” and “may” because none of this has been proven. There hasn’t been enough study on many of the chemicals to determine if they have negative effects. I found this quote from Richard Wiles of the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit, especially eye-opening: “Chemicals are deemed safe until the EPA can prove that they are dangerous. It’s completely backward.”

Two stats in the piece, both from CDC studies, also caught my attention: First, researchers found bisphenol-A, chemical found in many plastics that some believe to be harmful, in the urine of 93 percent of Americans surveyed over age 6. And second, in a separate study, researchers found traces of 212 environmental chemicals in those tested.

That’s a lot of chemicals. Plastic is abundant in most parts of life (I’m typing on a plastic keyboard right now, the phone I just picked up is made of plastic, etc.), and that includes tennis. From food you bring for snacks at tournaments to the sports drinks or water you sip on court, most of it is probably contained in plastic.�

So what’s a tennis player to do to avoid chemicals? Many recommend stainless steel reusable bottles like Klean Kanteen or ThinkSport for exercise. I'm thinking of purchasing some new lunch containers like those from the brand Sanctus Mundo.�

What types of containers do you use? Have you shied away from plastic at all, or are you waiting for more information?

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