Are There Safe Plastics?

As a nutritional coach who cares about health issues, I get asked all the time about which plastics are safe. It is definitely a controversial subject. Almost everything is made of plastic these days. Are there safe plastics? The answer depends on where they are: on the shelf, or in your body!

If you have concerns about safe plastics and you “google” different types of plastics, you won’t like what you find. Plastics are a part of our world, but they weren’t intended to be a part of our body. Plastics made of petroleum and chemicals can give off dangerous fumes, leach chemicals into our food when in contact, or while heated, and pose a serious health threat.

Some plastics are made of less harmful chemicals than others, but all are made from chemicals, so the decision to avoid them or not is up to you.

Safer Choices: These are non-chlorinated.

#1 PET or PETE, #2 HDPE, and #4 LDPE are all polyethylene.

#5 PP is polypropylene.

Do your research before using these:

#3 PVC is polyvinyl chloride, known as the “poison plastic”.

#6 PS is polystyrene.

#7 PC is polycarbonate.

Most of the concern over safe plastics has come up since so much bottled water is being sold in plastic water bottles. Think twice about microwaving plastics, heating them in the dishwasher, or using with oily, fatty foods which can cause chemicals to be released. You may want to wash your plastics by hand with a mild soap. Throw them out if they become cloudy or scratched. Here is a checklist to help you sort out your choices.

Your Plastic Checklist:

#1 Pet or Pete used most for plastic water bottles. One time use only. Do not refill. Right now, these are considered safe plastics, but can leach phthalates when used over and over. See below.

#2 HDPE usually milk, water, and juice bottles, yogurt and margarine tubs, cereal box liners, and grocery, trash, and retail bags.

#3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): avoid these PVC products. Sadly enough, you will usually find that chew toys are made of this, as well as used on deli cling-wrapped meats and cheeses.

#4 LDPE usually used in milk containers, bread and frozen food bags. Seems to keep the chemicals away from food for the most part.

#5 PP used in ketchup bottles, yogurt and margarine tubs. Can be hazardous during production but considered safe afterwards.

#6 Polystyrene (PS): known as Styrofoam and is a known carcinogen. Never heat food in it or drink beverages from it; hot or cold.

#7 Polycarbonate (PC): is often used for baby bottles and sippy cups. Polycarbonate plastic is used for the Lexan hard plastic water bottles used for sports that are usually colored.

If you find plastics that state “no phthalates” or “no Bisphenol A (BPA)”, you might consider using them. Because of our concern over dangerous plastics, some safe plastics are in the works. There is a new group of polycarbonate plastic water bottles being developed that are BPA- free. It should be printed on the bottom.

Beware of plastic wrap, especially when used in the microwave. Consider using glass, or waxed paper to store or reheat food. Pyrex containers are a good choice.

Additional Information on Dangerous Plastics and the Chemicals Involved

Phthalates are endocrine disruptors which have been linked to problems in the development of the reproductive system and brain development.

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a chemical used in the production of polycarbonate plastic (#7). Bisphenol A is a xenoestrogen; a known endocrine disruptor. Xenoestrogens are linked to breast cancer and uterine cancers in women, decreased testosterone levels in men, and are particularly dangerous to children. BPA has even been linked to insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes.

BPA can leach from polycarbonate plastic if it is scratched, cloudy or worn; or if it comes in contact with hot, oily or fatty foods. The FDA says that Bisphenol A is safe and states that “an adequate margin of safety exists for BPA at current levels of exposure from food contact uses.” I’ll let you decide.

PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, #3 uses lead as a stabilizer. We understand the dangers of lead. Lead can be on the surface of the plastic or exposed if the plastic is subjected to heat or light. PVC contains mercury, dioxins, and phthalates. PVC contains DEHP, common toxic additives. DEHP is a phthalate that is a probable carcinogen found in numerous PVC products.

You know that new car smell? That’s the poisonous chemicals gassing from the PVC. Vinyl shower curtains are another example of the smell that screams “dangerous plastic”. Think of the people who work in PVC factories! People who work in PVC manufacturing facilities have been found to have numerous health problems with high concentrations of dioxin in their blood. Look for the #3 or the letter "V" to avoid this plastic. Go to PVC: The Poison Plastic for more information.

You don’t have to listen to me….you can wait until you have accumulated enough plastic in you to apply for a job at Tupperware. Well, that’s not really fair to Tupperware. Most Tupperware products are made of #4 LDPE, and or # 5 PP, and are considered safe plastics for storing food or running thru the dishwasher.

A few Tupperware products are made from #7 polycarbonate. You may want to avoid Rock n Serve microwave line, the Meals in Minutes Microsteamer, the Elegant serving line, the Tupperware baby bottle, the Pizza Keep’n Heat container, and the Table Collection.

I once sold water filters for extra cash, so I have always been very aware of what's in my water, and now, what's in my plastic water bottle. Instead of using bottled water, it's better to filter your water at the source and eliminate the need for bottled water almost entirely. That will take care of a lot of the worry over safe plastic. Carry your filtered water around in stainless steel, glass or safe plastic and you'll eliminate toxins from both. You'll also cut back on the amount of plastic you recycle.

Why Should You Care?

Health risks from unsafe plastics include the possibility of cancer, endocrine disruption, birth defects, and brain and nervous system development problems. The list of health implications with exposure to plastics is just too long to list. The “C” word should be enough to make you stop and think about what you use. Yes, I know everything causes cancer; everything unnatural, that is.

Here is an interesting article from National Geographic about the amount of chemicals found in the average person’s body. Maybe it will affect us; maybe it won’t. I always hear, “well, it ain’t killed me yet”! I think that’s an irresponsible attitude to have about your health.

I know it’s a lot of trouble to always be concerned about what is safe and what is not. As long as there are chemicals and man-made products around, we should be concerned about what we come in contact with; as our bodies absorb almost everything.

Yes, it is possible that all these chemicals in plastics do not harm us at all. But, it is now clear that our health is affected by our environment, now more than ever. Chemicals affect the body in a negative way. A little here, a little there…over a lifetime, it can add up quickly. It is proven that chemicals do leach out of plastics. Make your decision on how hard you want to work to avoid them and what the cost is to you, internally.

Becky is a Health and Wellness Coach using Attraction Marketing principles to build Internet Network Marketing businesses of any type. For more information on Health and Wellness or Internet Network Marketing coaching for your business, and learn how to attract prospects to you, contact Becky.