Safe Plastic Or Bad Plastic

The news about plastics has been pretty alarming lately, causing some of us to go dashing for the water bottles to see what kind of plastic they are and find out if we’ve been unwittingly poisoning our children and ourselves with chemicals leaching into the water from them.

Most plastic container come with a recycle code which is displayed at the bottom in a triangular sign. Each code determine what kind of plastic the container is made up of.

These are the safe plastic.

These are the bad plastic.

After researching intensively on the web, there is a mixture of articles in whether the famous mineral water bottle(recycle code #1) is safe for reuse. Anyway, here are the results:

#1 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)

Current knowledge is that this plastic is generally safe, and is used for things like plastic water bottles. However, in another example of how research is still emerging, an article published in the November 2009 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives provided evidence that PET #1 plastic may leach endocrine disruptors, depending on how it’s used and at what temperature. More research is definitely needed here!

The other concern about #1 plastic is that things like water bottles are intended for one-time use, whereas many people refill them and use them continuously. That increases the chance of the plastic harboring bacteria you might ingest, since it’s difficult to wash and doesn’t resist high temperatures.

Article on PET bottle leaching atimony.
Article about PET bottle is safe

#2 High density polyethylene (HDPE)

HDPE is a usually opaque plastic used in a wide range of containers and bottles, including detergent bottles, shampoo bottles and milk bottles.

One of the features of HDPE, which you will recognize in plastic milk bottles, is that it is slightly cloudy and not totally transparent.

They are safe and not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones.

#3 Polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC)

Polyvinyl Chloride is more commonly known as PVC.

PVC contains phthalates. Phthalates are chemicals which are included because they help make the plastic flexible. That’s why garden hoses contain PVC, as do shower curtains, some cling wraps, teething rings, baby’s vinyl toys and some squeezable bottles.

The trouble is, phthalates are highly toxic and small doses migrate from the PVC to anything that touches it – whether that be food, drink, shampoo or a baby’s mouth.

Phthalates are endocrine disruptors. They mimic estrogen. Because phthalates resemble estrogen, they can mimic or block estrogenic effects in the body.

Endocrine disruptors are associated with a number of health problems that are on the rise on the U.S. and worldwide, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, infertility and heart disease.

By the way – you know that “new car smell” loved by so many people? What you are smelling, and inhaling into your lungs, are phthalates.

#4 Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)

LDPE is used typically used in the manufacture of shopping bags, sandwich bags, some food wrap, squeezable bottles and the kind of plastic wrapping you get when you buy toiled paper and kitchen paper towels.

LDPE is believed to be safe, and is also used to make opaque baby bottles.

#5 Polypropylene (PP)

This is a fairly rigid plastic and is typically used for some baby bottles, some plastic cups and bowls, medicine bottles, ketchup bottle, syrup bottles and straws. It is also used in disposable diapers.

There are no known dangers associated with polypropylene.

#6 Polystyrene (PS)

Polystyrene is used in toys, video cassettes and cases, cafeteria trays, disposable styrofoam coffee cups, plastic utensils, take-out food containers, egg cartons and the packaging of meats, cheeses and other foods in your local supermarket.

What is the problem with polystyrene?

It contains styrene, also known as vinyl benzene. The US Environmental Protection Agency, which is notoriously conservative when it comes to associating plastics with any ill-effects, has described styrene as "a suspected carcinogen" and "a suspected toxin to the gastrointestinal, kidney, and respiratory systems, among others."

Styrene is also listed by the World Health Organization as a possible carcinogen.

When you next drink coffee from a polystyrene cup, also keep in mind that the release of styrene is increased when polystyrene is heated.

#7 Other (usually polycarbonate)

The #7 designation actually includes pretty much every plastic that isn’t included in #1-#6. However, most plastics marked with the number 7 are polycarbonates. Baby bottles, athletic water bottles, microwave ovenware, eating utensils, plastic coating for metal cans are examples of #7 plastic.

Polycarbonates contain BPA, also referred to as bisphenol-A. There are some articles about health hazard of even low dosage of BPA, however, there're also studies showing that the claims are invalid.

BPA is an endocrine disruptor and is only declared as a toxin in Canada. However, on 18 October 2008, Health Canada noted that “bisphenol A exposure to newborns and infants is below levels that cause effects” and that the “general public need not be concerned”.

Most countries include Australia and New Zealand, European Union and US does not see any health risk with bisphenol A if the manufacturer's instructions are followed. Levels of exposure are very low and do not pose a significant health risk.

Polycarbonate plastic does leach BPA, but at an extreme low level which does not need to be alarmed. People had over exaggerate the danger of BPA exposure. More articles and FAQ of BPA can be found here.

The World Health Organization(WHO) is uncertain of possible adverse health effects of low dose BPA exposure, especially on the nervous system and on behaviour, and also the differences of exposure of very young children, announced in November 2009 that it would organize an expert consultation in 2010 to assess BPA safety.

Plastic #7 is a “catch all” category that includes many kinds of plastic that don’t fit the classifications of the other numbers. Not all plastic #7 is BPA. For example, bioplastics made from sugarcane and corn also carry #7, and these are kinds of plastics we definitely want to encourage people to use.

Many manufacturers of items like athletic water bottles that were previously making them out of BPA are quickly transitioning to other materials in light of the "emerging evidence of health concerns". One example is Nalgene as quoted: "We are confident that the bottles which contain BPA are safe for their intended use. However, because of consumer requests for alternative materials, we have decided to transition our polycarbonate product line to Eastman Tritan™ copolyester."

In my opinion, I believe some plastic are safe and therefore theoretically should be ok to use including plastic #7. However, plastic is not something natural. So regardless of the recycle code, try not to subject it to extreme high temperature, use it for very long period or any attempt to "break it down" like chewing on a plastic straw or utensil. Do not use any plastic without any recycle code.

PET plastic #1 bottle is on a grey area and may or may not classified under bad plastic in the future. New information is always coming to light about plastics, and it’s impossible to know with absolute certainty.

If you're still of concern, there are alternatives to plastic here.