Have
you ever noticed how much of the food that we consume comes into contact with
plastics? Since 1976 plastic has been the most widely used material in the United States.
The plastic that protects much of our food is important to keeping it safe, but
some of these plastics may actually be doing more harm than good to the
products we consume. Plastics can cause serious health risks when the chemicals
used to create them leach into the foods and beverages that they come in
contact with. So, should we be afraid of all
plastics and ban them from our homes or should we ignore these warnings and
hope that they don't affect us? The answer lies somewhere in the middle. This
is because not all plastics are created equal. Plastics are generally
classified into one of seven recycling categories. These are the seven
categories and examples of each type of plastic:
#1
polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)
Products: Soft drink, juice and water bottles, medicine, detergent and peanut
butter containers.
#2 high density polyethylene
(HDPE)
Products: Toys, opaque plastic milk or water jugs, bleach, detergent and
shampoo bottles, and some plastic bags.
#3 polyvinyl chloride (V or
PVC)
Products: Pipe, cling wrap, some plastic squeeze bottles, cooking oil, peanut butter
jars, detergent and window cleaner bottles.
#4
low density polyethylene (LDPE)
Products: Most plastic wraps, grocery bags, and some bottles.
#5 polypropylene (PP)
Products: Most Rubbermaid, syrup, yogurt and deli soup containers, straws and
most clouded plastic containers, including baby bottles.
#6 polystyrene (PS)
Products: Styrofoam clam-shell take-out containers, some egg cartons,
disposable cups and bowls, Styrofoam food trays and opaque plastic cutlery.
#7 other (usually
polycarbonate)
Products: Medical storage containers, some Nalgene and other "sport" water
bottles, most plastic baby bottles, 5-gallon water bottles, metal food liners,
children's clear plastic "sippy" cups, some clear plastic cutlery.
Among
these plastics, some are far safer than others. The safest types of plastics
come from categories 1, 2, 4 and 5. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)
(#1) containers are the most safe single-use plastic bottle. This type of
plastic is recyclable but should not be reused. Research suggests that PET
containers that are reused may leach DEHP, an endocrine-disrupting phthalate
and probable human carcinogen into the food or beverage that comes into contact
with it. If you do reuse a #1 bottle, it is important to remember that the
longer you leave a liquid in the bottle, the more chemical leaching will occur.
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) (#2) is unfortunately one of the least
available types of plastics. If you are able to find products in this category,
the plastic is very durable and accepted by most curbside recycling programs.
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) (#4) could be considered the cousin of #2,
HDPE. It is a food-safe plastic, mostly used to make food wraps and plastic
bags. Polypropylene (PP) (#5) has not been shown to leach any carcinogens or
endocrine disruptors. However it is less recyclable than some of the other safe
plastic categories.
Polycarbonate
(#7) plastics should be used with extreme caution. This is because they have
not been proven as dangerous as the following group of plastics but there is a
growing amount of research suggesting that they belong with this unsafe group-
particularly because of its use in baby bottles and subsequent effect on
children. Polycarbonate is used in the popular Nalgene sports bottles and some
baby bottles. It contains bisphenol-A, a known hormone disruptor that may leach
in some circumstances. Bisphenol-A mimics the action of the human hormone
estrogen. Some of the noted adverse affects of bisphenol-A exposure include:
early onset puberty, changes in gender-specific behavior, changes in hormones-
including decreased testosterone, altered immune function, and behavioral
effects including hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, impaired learning
and other changes in behavior. More research is needed before any potential
health risk is definitely known. In the meantime, do not expose bottles to heat
or use when visibly worn and limit your use of #7 plastics.
Plastics
that have been proven most dangerous and should be avoided whenever possible
are those from categories 3 and 6. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) (#3) has been
proven to release carcinogenic dioxins into the environment when manufactured
or incinerated and can leach phthalates. The EPA has estimated that the average
American's risk of contracting cancer from dioxin exposure "may be as high
as one in 1,000--1,000 times higher than the government's current 'acceptable'
standard of one in a million." As well as being a serious carcinogenic,
dioxin exposure can disrupt the immune system, affect reproduction and
childhood development, cause skin disease, acne-like lesions, and in large
amounts, can cause excessive body hair and possibly mild liver damage. In order
to soften PVC #3 so it can be easier to use (often used to wrap meats and
cheese at delis and grocery stores), producers add phthalates- a possible human
carcinogen, which leach out of PVC when in contact with food. Polystyrene (PS)
(#6) can leach styrene, a possible human carcinogen.
All
this can be very overwhelming, so here are a few tips to begin with to make
your kitchen safer:
Avoid using plastic
containers in the microwave. Chemicals are released from plastics when heated.
Instead use glass or ceramic containers free of metallic paint. If you must use
plastic, use one that is marked as "microwave safe," but note that
this does not mean that it will prevent chemical leaching.
Beware of cling wraps and do
not use them for microwaving. Instead use wax paper, parchment paper, or paper
towels to cover food. If you use plastic wraps, do not let them touch the food.
If you purchase foods such as deli meats wrapped in plastic wrap, cut off a
thin slice where the food has touched the plastic and rewrap in a non-PVC wrap
or put in a safe container.
Whenever possible, use
alternatives to plastic packaging. Recent technological advancements have led to the
creation of several types of biodegradable plastics which look and feel like
regular plastic but do not leach chemicals and decompose when composted. These
new plastics are also available in household products like garbage bags, disposable
dinnerware (plates, cups, etc.), flatware, straws and more. Check out www.biobagusa.com and www.simplybiodegradable.com
for household biodegradable plastic alternatives. These along with creative ideas like bringing your own
reusable bag to the grocery
store are great alternative ideas to plastic.
Avoid plastic bottled water.
In many
cases, tap water is more closely regulated for
purity and is far less expensive. Use a filter for even better water quality.
Only use bottled water when
entirely necessary. A great alternative to plastic water bottles are reusable stainless steel
bottles like those found at the Kleen Kanteen's website: http://www.kleankanteen.com
If you use plastic water
bottles, use precaution. Do not use water bottles for warm or hot liquids and discard
them if there is any scratching. It is best to use #1 and #2 plastics for
single use only. Wash any bottles that you are reusing to avoid bacterial
buildup, however avoid using harsh detergents that may break down the bottle
and increase chemical leaching. Be aware that some companies, like Nalgene use different types of plastics for
different products. For instance, their Wide Mouth Round 32-oz., and Wide Mouth
Round 1-gal. bottles are their most safe
alternatives. Available at http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com
Use alternatives to
polycarbonate plastic baby bottles and "sippy" cups. Use glass, polyethylene, or
polypropylene alternatives whenever possible. Bottles made of pliable, milky colored plastics contain no polycarbonates.
If you have any questions about the type of plastic used, call the toll free
number listed on the packaging. For polycarbonate free baby bottles and a wide
array of safe products for babies and children check out: http://naturalbaby.stores.yahoo.net
Use wood instead of plastic
cutting boards.
Spray your wooden board with a mist of vinegar, then with a mix of hydrogen
peroxide, to kill bacteria.
