Sub-Title
Why you should start tossing those yogurt tubs into the blue box
Content
Although the 1950s housewife with her rainbow of Tupperware may be an ideal of the past, the quest for a well-organized kitchen persists. Seeing stacks of food-filled plastic containers in the fridge is comforting, in a primal kind of way. But then comes the procession of warnings about leaching chemicals, and hormone disruption, and… ACK! So here it is: the lowdown on plastic food containers.
A Simple Solution
Step one: Flip over your plastic food storage containers and check their recycling code numbers. If you spy a number 3 or 7, well, those containers should probably be used to store buttons or screws or something. If there is no number listed, contact the manufacturer. (And to be fair to Tupperware, they do manufacture products that are not made of these plastic types.)
No. 3 is polyvinyl chloride (PVC), also known as vinyl. PVC has garnered the moniker “the toxic plastic” for the presence of DEHA—one of several plasticizers (softeners) used in its production. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, long-term DEHA exposure has the potential to cause reduced body weight and bone mass, damage to the liver and testes, and cancer. The manufacture and incineration of PVC also releases carcinogenic dioxins into the environment and food chain.
Recycling code no. 7 includes several plastic types (it’s the catch-all “other” category—see tips below) but it is predominantly polycarbonate. The problem with polycarbonate is that it harbours bisphenol A (BPA). Studies have shown that BPA damages the reproductive systems of lab animals by interfering with the effects of reproductive hormones, and has other serious health effects. BPA has the ability to mimic the human hormone estrogen—it has been linked to prostate and mammary gland cancers, early onset of puberty, and reproductive-organ defects.
As might be expected, given the strength of the plastic industry, there is controversy. Although there have been more than 100 studies showing BPA to be a concern, the plastics industry says it is harmless. The U.S. Food and Dug Administration admits that “substances used to make plastics can leach into food,” but they maintain that the levels are safe. Safe?! If you aren’t quite ready to give up your plastics, but like me, you find the FDA a rather lackadaisical regulator, why not follow these tips for safer plastic use?
Know your plastics. Plastic items are marked with a resin identification system (the number surrounded by arrows), which stand for: 1 – polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) 2 – high-density polyethylene (HDPE) 3 – vinyl, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 4 – low-density polyethylene (LDPE) 5 – polypropylene (PP) 6 – polystyrene (PS) 7 – other (includes polycarbonate, acrylic, polylactic acid, fibreglass)
- When you need to use plastic food containers, these are the safer choices: 1, 2, 4, and 5.
- Avoid polycarbonate (no. 7). Polycarbonate plastics are hard and clear. Common items made from this BPA-containing plastic are food storage containers, baby bottles, water bottles, and tableware. (And the lining inside food and drink cans, by the way.)
- Retire old, worn, or heavily scratched containers. Plastics tend to leach more toxins as they age.
- Be careful of serving and storing hot foods or foods made with fats or oils in plastic containers, as these more readily facilitate the transfer of plastic toxins.
- Never microwave foods in plastic containers. “Microwave safe” only means the container won’t melt or warp. Heating plastics increases their potential for leaching chemicals.
- Never microwave food in yogurt tubs, takeout bowls, or other one-time-use containers. These containers can warp or melt, possibly causing harmful chemicals to migrate into the food.
- Avoid using plastic sandwich bags or plastic wrap products.
- If you must use plastic wrap, make sure it is a brand free of both BPA and PVC. Ziploc, Glad, and Saran are promoted as being free of BPA and PVC. (But remember they will still live for 1,000 years in our landfills.)
- When sliced cheese and meats are sold in plastic bags and/or plastic deli wrap, transfer them as soon as possible to unbleached wax paper or a safe container.
- Remember that if you are pregnant or nursing, BPA chemicals are passed through your bloodstream directly to your baby.
- Use alternatives such as glass and ceramic rather than plastic containers, or
simply store food in bowls covered with a plate.
Melissa Breyer is a care2.com senior producer who loves the clink of glass storage containers in her kitchen cabinets. Reprinted with permission from care2.com. [1]
