News

Plastic Safety Worth Considering

Tuesday, April 19, 2011 - 2:13 PM

Some say it's important to learn the 1-2-3’s of Plastic, because some should never be used with food.

Most plastics have a recycling code number on the bottom of the container that tell you what type of plastic it is.

There are also other things to watch for when storing food in plastic. Old containers that are heavily worn or scratched shouldn’t be used.

Don’t microwave food in plastic containers. If you use plastic wrap, make sure it’s free of both BPA and PVC. For an alternative to plastic food storage containers, choose those made of plastic or glass.

Some health advocates has suggested that people should avoid drinking water from plastic garden hoses due to the level of toxicity in PVC 3.

Type of plastic polymer	Properties	Common Packaging Applications
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET, PETE)	Clarity, strength, toughness, barrier to gas and moisture.	Soft drink, water and salad dressing bottles; peanut butter and jam jars
High-density polyethylene (HDPE)	Stiffness, strength, toughness, resistance to moisture, permeability to gas.	Water pipes, hula hoop rings, five gallon buckets, milk, juice and water bottles; the occasional shampoo / toiletry bottle
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)	Versatility, ease of blending, strength, toughness.	Blister packaging for non-food items; cling films for non-food use. Not used for food packaging as the plasticisers needed to make natively rigid PVC flexible are usually toxic. Non-packaging uses are electrical cable insulation; rigid piping; vinyl records.
Low-density polyethylene(LDPE)	Ease of processing, strength, toughness, flexibility, ease of sealing, barrier to moisture.	Frozen food bags; squeezable bottles, e.g. honey, mustard; cling films; flexible container lids.
Polypropylene (PP)	Strength, toughness, resistance to heat, chemicals, grease and oil, versatile, barrier to moisture.	Reusable microwaveable ware; kitchenware; yogurt containers; margarine tubs; microwaveable disposable take-away containers; disposable cups; plates.
Polystyrene (PS)	Versatility, clarity, easily formed	Egg cartons; packing peanuts; disposable cups, plates, trays and cutlery; disposable take-away containers;
Other (oftenpolycarbonate or ABS)	Dependent on polymers or combination of polymers	Beverage bottles; baby milk bottles. Non-packaging uses for polycarbonate: compact discs; "unbreakable" glazing; electronic apparatus housings.