Even though it's impossible to live a plastic-free existence, you could be doing the environment and yourself a favor by restricting your use of plastic containers that contain the dangerous toxin bisphenol a. Otherwise known as bpa, this chemical has been known to mimic hormones in your body which in turn could be linked to obesity and certain cancers. Avoid heating liquid or putting acidic food in plastic containers that might leach out bpa into your food and beverages.