7 plastics
I always thought plastics were safe and great….until recently.
Probably the most well known danger in certain plastics (i.e. Nalgene bottles) is chemical leaching — specifically BPA, a type of endocrine disruptors (which act like hormones). For that reason it’s best not to use BPA plastics with food and beverages. Identifying BPA plastic requires understanding the printed recycle signs:
PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate): AVOID
Common Uses: Soda Bottles, Water Bottles, Cooking Oil Bottles
Concerns: Can leach antimony and phthalates.
HDPE (High Density Polyethylene): SAFER
Common Uses: Milk Jugs, Plastic Bags, Yogurt Cups
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride, aka Vinyl): AVOID
Common Uses: Condiment Bottles, Cling Wrap, Teething Rings, Toys, Shower Curtains
Concerns: Can leach lead and phthalates among other things. Can also off-gas toxic chemicals.
LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene): SAFER
Common Uses: Produce Bags, Food Storage Containers
PP (Polypropylene): SAFER
Common Uses: Bottle Caps, Storage Containers, Dishware
PS (Polystyrene, aka Styrofoam): AVOID
Common Uses: Meat Trays, Foam Food Containers & Cups
Concerns: Can leach carcinogenic styrene and estrogenic alkylphenols
Other this is a catch-all category which includes:
PC (Polycarbonate): AVOID – can leach Bisphenol-A (BPA). It also includes ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), SAN (Styrene Acrylonitrile), Acrylic, and Polyamide. These plastics can be a safer option because they are typically very durable and resistant to high heat resulting in less leaching. Their drawbacks are that they are not typically recyclable and some need additional safety research. New plant-based, biodegradable plastics like PLA (Polylactic Acid) also fall into the #7 category.
The first 6 recycle signs identify 6 different plastic types, while the 7th is the catch-all category containing all the other plastics not in the first six. Even though BPA plastics fall into #7, not all #7 plastics contains BPA. So the safest way is just not to use plastics, especially #1,3,6,7 (http://healthychild.org/5steps/5_steps_5/)
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To wrap this up, here are some clever ways to repurpose (instead of trashing) your nalgene bottles: http://thegreenists.com/dear-allie/tip-of-the-day-repurpose-your-old-nalgene-bottle/1698
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