Invented in the late 19th century, plastic has become a common household item. From containers to cling wrap, to water bottles, it’s literally everywhere. Unfortunately, recent research has shown that some of the plastics that we use in our everyday lives may actually be hazardous.
Most plastic containers and bottles will contain a label that looks like the recycling symbol. If you pay close attention, you’ll see that these triangles contain numbers inside of them. These numbers indicate the type of plastic and also provide some information as to whether that particular plastic is safe.
The most dangerous types of plastics are those labeled with the numbers 3, 6, and 7.
3- PVC or V (Polyvinyl chloride): Used for cling wrap, cooking oil, peanut butter jars, detergent, and window cleaner bottles
6- PS (Polystyrene): Used in Styrofoam food trays, egg cartons, disposable Tupperware, and carryout containers
7- Other (Polycarbonate): Used in most plastic baby bottles, 5-gallon water bottles, “sport” water bottles, and clear plastic cutlery.
All of the above information and more including the rest of the numbers can be found by downloading the handout from this link.
Unfortunately, it’s near impossible to avoid using plastic. However, this site lists several things that you can do. Some of them include:
- Do not microwave food in plastic containers that do not have a ‘microwave safe’ rating
- Avoid clingwrap, especially in the microwave and especially on fatty foods such as meat and cheese
- Use alternatives to polycarbonate plastic baby bottles
- Avoid plastic water bottles
Do keep in mind that most containers that have a ‘microwave safe rating’ have been tested for how much chemical migration happens as these containers are heated. But at the end of the day it is best to keep your lifestyle as natural as possible; and that includes what you eat from and drink out of.
