By Nneka Nwogwugwu
A nurse working with the Rivers State government, Mrs Sybil Lolomari, has given reasons eating hot foods packaged in polythene bags are unhealthy.
The nutritionist who spoke to NatureNews, stated that research has found out that chemicals used in making these bags are detrimental to the health.
She mentioned that chemicals like styrene and bisphenol-A contaminate foods packaged in both polythene and foils.
She stated that consumption of these foods causes cancer and heart diseases.
Also, a study done by an ecologist, Mrs Nnenna Didigu, who is the Executive Director, Developing Communities for Sustainability Organisation revealed that the use of polythene bags for packaging hot food items is not only harmful to the people but also to our environment.
“There are various chemicals disseminated from plastic bags like polyvinyl chloride.
“Hot foods packaged in polythene bags are contaminated by these chemicals mostly when they are hot or heated.
“Those chemicals include styrene and bisphenol-A which can cause cancer, heart diseases and harm the reproductive problems,” she said.
She further asserted,“When hot food is packed in polythene and plastics, chemical exchange between plastic and food is maximised by high temperature and the nature of the food.”
Didigu said that some experts in the health sector revealed that beans meal or “moi-moi’’ wrapped in polythene bag is poisonous.
“Because the bag contains large dosage of dioxins that do not naturally exist in the traditional leaves that was hitherto used in wrapping the beans meal.
“Added to this is the consumption of sachet water exposed to sun at over 280C is poisonous and as such has resulted in many cases of kidney and liver failures among Nigerians,’’ she
She urged the government to intensify efforts to control the problem and conduct awareness programmes against the use of polythene bags for hot food items.
She said that government should adopt best practices of disposal of polythene bags and other plastic materials.