Plastics and heat
Continuing on the dangers of plastics, plastics in heated environments (such as microwaves or dishwashers) is another area to watch out for! Even though some plastics are labeled microwave/dishwasher safe, all it means is that it is less likely to heat up. But if they are in contact with food (which does heats up), chemical reactions may occur!
Sometimes the damage to the plastic isn’t obvious, but at high temperatures chemical reactions can occur, invisible stress can happen, and plastics can degrade. Appliance Magazine studied plastics in the dishwasher, and concluded that polycarbonates stood up the best. However, polycarbonates contain BPA (see previous post), a chemical that is linked to developmental, reproductive and immune effects, especially in children. Heat causes BPA and other chemicals to leach at much higher rates, causing concern over washing plastics in the dishwasher.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t just apply to plastic kitchenware, but also plastic wraps! Did you know the instructions are to have an inch of separation with food? That’s to prevent it from heating up and leaching into your food! Don’t take my word for it, go read the warning on the packaging!
Taking all this into account, some people recommend to keep plastic out of the dishwasher altogether. Or, to take it a step further, avoid plastics coming into contact with our food, period.
HungryCactus action items:
- Don’t put plastics, especially in microwave or dishwasher (bowls, plates, utensils, cutting board, chopsticks)
- Safer alternatives: metal, wood, bamboo, glass, stoneware etc.
- Don’t use plastic wraps in microwave (even with an inch of separation)
For additional reading: http://www.5minutesforgoinggreen.com/766/plastic-in-the-dishwasher/
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