Plastic Containers

Hi C.,

My sister provided me this article which gives you the basic guide identifying the diffrent types of plastic.
Hope this helps!
http://www.healthobservatory.org/library.cfm?refid=77083

This is important to be aware of. A great book about improving your health and avoiding toxicity in daily life is Jillian Micheals "Master Your Metabolism". This list of coded #'s for plastics is adapted from Green Remodeling, by David Johnston and Kim Master (New Society Publishers, 2004).

#1 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)
Used to make soft drink, water, sports drink, ketchup, and salad dressing bottles, and peanut butter, pickle, jelly and jam jars.
GOOD: Not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones.

#2 High density polyethylene (HDPE)
Milk, water, and juice bottles, yogurt and margarine tubs, cereal box liners, and grocery, trash, and retail bags.
GOOD: Not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones.

#3 Polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC)
Most cling-wrapped meats, cheeses, and other foods sold in delicatessens and groceries are wrapped in PVC.
BAD: To soften into its flexible form, manufacturers add “plasticizers” during production. Traces of these chemicals can leach out of PVC when in contact with foods. According to the National Institutes of Health, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), commonly found in PVC, is a suspected human carcinogen.

#4 Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
Some bread and frozen food bags and squeezable bottles.
OK: Not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones, but not as widely recycled as #1 or #2.

#5 Polypropylene (PP)
Some ketchup bottles and yogurt and margarine tubs.
OK: Hazardous during production, but not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones. Not as widely recycled as #1 and #2.

#6 Polystyrene (PS)
Foam insulation and also for hard applications (e.g. cups, some toys)
BAD: Benzene (material used in production) is a known human carcinogen. Butadiene and styrene (the basic building block of the plastic) are suspected carcinogens. Energy intensive and poor recycling.

#7 Other (usually polycarbonate)
Baby bottles, microwave ovenware, eating utensils, plastic coating for metal cans
BAD: Made with biphenyl-A, a chemical invented in the 1930s in search for synthetic estrogens. A hormone disruptor. Simulates the action of estrogen when tested in human breast cancer studies. Can leach into food as product ages.

Here's what I do. I got rid of all of our plastic (water) bottles and bought stainless steel instead. I use plastic for some dry storage, including reusing the plastic packaging from items you purchase at the grocery store. I do not heat anything up in plastic, though. I purchased pyrex food storage containers that are glass. I primarily use these for food storage and for reheating food in the microwave. Very little pyrex is made any more so you will find it on ebay at a very reasonable cost. Good-luck.

I use wide-mouth mason jars for storage-they are one dollar apiece at OSH, glass, and have passed the test of time as they've been in use for a hundred years. The quart size is convenient for leftovers. Our bodies are apparently full of plastic--why add more when there's an alternatve?

Cheers,
J.

My children's pre-school has requested that all parents that need their children's food heated - send in glass containers. They sell little lunch box style glass containers at Bed, Bath and Beyond and Target. That is all I use now for lunch box meals or the metal insulated containers that keep food hot or cold. I don't think it is ever a good idea to heat food in plastic containers.