| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| nampafarmgirl |
Posted - Apr 10 2009 : 12:20:50 PM
Farmgirls, I found this info and thought it may be of some use....
Oh, and this also comes courtesy of www.thegreenguide.com - which looks like it's part of National Geographic.
What To Buy:
#2 HDPE, #4 LDPE and #5 PP: These three types of plastic are your best choices. They transmit no known chemicals into your food and they're generally recyclable; #2 is very commonly accepted by municipal recycling programs, but you may have a more difficult time finding someone to recycle your #4 and #5 containers.
#1 PET: Fine for single use and widely accepted by municipal recyclers; avoid reusing #1 water and soda bottles, as they're hard to clean, and because plastic is porous, these bottles absorb flavors and bacteria that you can't get rid of.
PLA: plastics made from renewable resources such as corn, potatoes and sugar cane and anything else with a high starch content; although you can't recycle these plant-based plastics, you can compost them in a municipal composter or in your backyard compost heap.
Plastics to Avoid:
#3 PVC: Used frequently in cling wraps for meat, PVC contains softeners called phthalates that interfere with hormonal development, and its manufacture and incineration release dioxin, a potent carcinogen and hormone disruptor.
#6 PS: Polystyrene-foam cups and clear plastic take-out containers can leach styrene, a possible human carcinogen, into food.
#7 PC: The only plastic made with bisphenol A, polycarbonate is used in baby bottles, 5-gallon water-cooler bottles and the epoxy linings of tin food cans. Bisphenol A has been linked to a wide variety of problems such as heart disease and obesity.
Shopping Tips
Plastics are classified by their "resin identification code"—a number from #1 to #7 that represents a different type of resin. That number is usually imprinted on the bottom of your container; flip it upside down, and you'll see a recycling triangle with the number in the middle.
When purchasing cling-wrapped food from the supermarket or deli, slice off a thin layer where the food came into contact with the plastic and store the rest in a glass or ceramic container or wrap it in non-PVC cling wrap.
Usage Tips
Avoid storing fatty foods, such as meat and cheese, in plastic containers or plastic wrap.
Hand-wash reusable containers gently with a nonabrasive soap; dishwashers and harsh detergents can scratch plastic, making hospitable homes for bacteria.
A "microwave-safe" or "microwavable" label on a plastic container only means that it shouldn't melt, crack or fall apart when used in the microwave. The label is no guarantee that containers don't leach chemicals into foods when heated. Use glass or ceramic containers instead.
Plastics are classified by their "resin identification code"—a number from #1 to #7 that represents a different type of resin. That number is usually imprinted on the bottom of your container; flip it upside down, and you'll see a recycling triangle with the number in the middle.
Here's a quick breakdown of plastic resin types:
#1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)
Examples: Disposable soft drink and water bottles
#2 high density polyethylene (HDPE)/
Examples: Milk jugs, liquid detergent bottles, shampoo bottles
#3 polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC)
Examples: Meat wrap, cooking oil bottles, plumbing pipes
#4 low density polyethylene (LDPE)
Examples: Cling wrap, grocery bags, sandwich bags
#5 polypropylene (PP)
Examples: Cloudy plastic water bottles, yogurt cups/tubs
#6 polystyrene (PS)
Examples: Disposable coffee cups, clam-shell take-out containers
#7 other (plastics invented after 1987; includes polycarbonate, or PC, and polylactide, or PLA, plastics made from renewable resources as well as newer plastics labeled "BPA-Free")
Examples: Baby bottles, some reusable water bottles, stain-resistant food-storage containers
What To Buy:
#2 HDPE, #4 LDPE and #5 PP: These three types of plastic are your best choices. They transmit no known chemicals into your food and they're generally recyclable; #2 is very commonly accepted by municipal recycling programs, but you may have a more difficult time finding someone to recycle your #4 and #5 containers.
#1 PET: Fine for single use and widely accepted by municipal recyclers; avoid reusing #1 water and soda bottles, as they're hard to clean, and because plastic is porous, these bottles absorb flavors and bacteria that you can't get rid of.
PLA: plastics made from renewable resources such as corn, potatoes and sugar cane and anything else with a high starch content; although you can't recycle these plant-based plastics, you can compost them in a municipal composter or in your backyard compost heap.
Plastics to Avoid:
#3 PVC: Used frequently in cling wraps for meat, PVC contains softeners called phthalates that interfere with hormonal development, and its manufacture and incineration release dioxin, a potent carcinogen and hormone disruptor.
#6 PS: Polystyrene-foam cups and clear plastic take-out containers can leach styrene, a possible human carcinogen, into food.
#7 PC: The only plastic made with bisphenol A, polycarbonate is used in baby bottles, 5-gallon water-cooler bottles and the epoxy linings of tin food cans. Bisphenol A has been linked to a wide variety of problems such as heart disease and obesity.
Shopping Tips
Plastics are classified by their "resin identification code"—a number from #1 to #7 that represents a different type of resin. That number is usually imprinted on the bottom of your container; flip it upside down, and you'll see a recycling triangle with the number in the middle.
When purchasing cling-wrapped food from the supermarket or deli, slice off a thin layer where the food came into contact with the plastic and store the rest in a glass or ceramic container or wrap it in non-PVC cling wrap.
Usage Tips
Avoid storing fatty foods, such as meat and cheese, in plastic containers or plastic wrap.
Hand-wash reusable containers gently with a nonabrasive soap; dishwashers and harsh detergents can scratch plastic, making hospitable homes for bacteria.
A "microwave-safe" or "microwavable" label on a plastic container only means that it shouldn't melt, crack or fall apart when used in the microwave. The label is no guarantee that containers don't leach chemicals into foods when heated. Use glass or ceramic containers instead.
Kim
Farmgirl Sister # 302 |
| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Annab |
Posted - Apr 12 2009 : 07:53:25 AM
In this same vein, I sure wish there was a petition out there to help get rid of the polystyrene take home containers most all restaurants use.
You have no idea how nervous I get when my still warm food is placed in these.
Went to a place the other day that actually used a stiffer kind of paperboard...almost like chicken carton material.
What a refreshing change |
| Annab |
Posted - Apr 12 2009 : 07:49:32 AM
All our big nalgene bottles have slowly been replaced w/ either stainless or the BPE free.
I no longer microwave ANYTHING in plastic or cover any food w/ plasitc until it has cooled.
Here's someting scary...
A friend decided to use a pre made salad lid to heat water for ramen noodles.
He put the water and nooldes in the lid and nuked itm all for a whopping 5 minutes! Of course the lid melted, and I 'm releived it didn't turn out.
so many out there have no idea how bad using some of these plastics is!
thanks for a great refresher! |
| City_Chick |
Posted - Apr 10 2009 : 12:44:54 PM
This is a good resource.
Just today I replaced all of our old Nalgene drinking bottles. Of course I had 4 of them and only bought 2 to replace those. Nalgene have always been favorite to carry arround with me. So it was nice to see the company gave us as consumers what we demanded. BPA~Free drinking containers. I still wish they would have done a full recall of the older ones though. The store I bought my new ones at still had some of the older ones on the shelf. So beware if you go buy new ones that you find the BPA FREE ones. They are marked on the bottom!!
Christina
Farmgirl Sister #195
City Chick & Friends Chapter Mama
http://justacitychick.blogspot.com/
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