Are There Any Safe Plastics?

Which plastics are safe to eat or drink from? Or to give our children? If you Google “which plastics are safe?”, you’ll find lots of articles on the Internet explaining the resin identification codes (the little numbers 1 – 7 in the “chasing arrows” triangle on the bottom of a plastic item) and which ones are bad and which are good. While there are some variations in thinking, most people who write those articles agree that the worst plastics are #3 (polyvinyl chloride, aka PVC), #6 (polystyrene), and #7 (polycarbonate). PVC contains hormone-disrupting phthalates and is often stabilized with lead or other heavy metals like cadmium. Polystyrene (used to make Styrofoam and also red Solo cups – yes they are both the same kind of plastic) contains styrene, a known carcinogen. And polycarbonate contains hormone-disrupting Bisphenol-A (BPA). Then, most articles about plastic toxicity go on to reassure readers that the rest of them–#2 (high density polyethylene), #4 (low density polyethylene), #5 polypropylene, and to a lesser extent #1 (polyethylene terephthalate)—are safe. But can we trust the “common wisdom”? Almost All Plastics Contain Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals It’s logical to assume that plastics labeled “BPA-free” or “phthalate-free” or “PVC-free” are safe. However, in 2011, researchers in Austin, TX published a study* of 455 everyday products of different kinds of plastic (food containers, bottles, wrappers, etc.) from various re...
Source: Conversations with Dr Greene - Category: Pediatricians Authors: Tags: Perspectives Environmental Health Plastic Source Type: blogs