Learning that many types of plastic containers are really not healthy for use with food and liquids, I found it quite confusing to determine on my own which ones I should keep and which ones I should get rid of immediately… Especially since some of the plastic types may leach the chemicals they contain into the food and liquids stored inside. Something I definitely would prefer to avoid. However, it’s quite difficult to deem any container good or bad if you don’t know what all these numbers (each number represents a different kind of resin) on the bottoms really stand for.
So I did some research and here is what I found out:
Safer Plastic:
- #2HDPE (high density polyethylene), #4LDPE (low density polyethylene) and #5PP (polypropylene)—these three do not contaminate food or liquids with chemicals and are generally recyclable. Examples of these types of plastic include: milk jugs, toys, liquid detergent bottles, shampoo bottles (#2); cling wrap, grocery bags, sandwich bags (#4) and syrup bottles, yogurt cups/tubs (#5).
- #1 PET (polyethylene terephthalate)—e.g. disposable soft drink and water bottles, cough-syrup bottles. These containers are fine for one-time use and are widely accepted by recyclers. However, it’s not advisable to reuse these bottles because the plastic they are made of is porous and absorbs flavors and bacteria.
- PLA (polylactide)—made from renewable resources, e. g. corn, sugar cane, potatoes or anything with high starch content. While these plant-based plastic containers are not recyclable, they can be used in composts. The best part—they decompose in about 12 days as opposed to conventional plastic, which takes up to 100 years!
Plastic to Steer Clear of:
- #3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride)—e.g. meat wraps, cooking oil bottles, plumbing pipes. This type of plastic contains phthalates, which disrupt hormonal development and the production of it releases dioxin, a powerful carcinogen. Moreover, the main ingredient in PVC is vinyl chloride, which is also a chemical known for causing cancer in humans.
- #6 PS (polystyrene)—commonly knows as Styrofoam and used in disposable coffee cups, take-out containers and disposable plastic cutlery. It may leek styrene, a known carcinogen and hormone disruptor, into food.
- #7 PC (usually polycarbonate, or PC, but also polylactide, or PLA, plastics made from renewable resources)—e. g. baby bottles, some reusable water bottles, stain-resistant food-storage containers, medical storage containers. This type of plastic is made of bisphenol A (BPA), a hormone-disrupting chemical, which has been linked to a number of health problems including cancer and obesity.
[...] isn’t eco-friendly. And plastic is simply not save for so many reasons (to find out more go to “Buying a New Plastic Container, part I & II” as well as “FDA Deems BPA Save” ) but mainly because it leeches BPA (bisphenol A), [...]