K12 Education: Learn and Teach the public how to identify Fake News
Learn about and to Avoid
Toxic Plastic Numbers #3 #4 #5 #7
Toxic Plastic Numbers #3 #4 #5 #7
Toxic Plastic Numbers #3,4,5,6,7
“Resin ID Codes.” Each number (1 through 6) signifies a specific type of
plastic and usually appears inside a small triangle (often formed by three
adjoining arrows) imprinted on the bottom of a plastic item. The number “7” is used to represent a group of other plastics or combinations of plastics.
Lax regulations
"The use of these chemicals is totally unregulated internationally," Cooper said. "So even
if
there is a voluntary agreement in domestic markets, the cheap stuff from developing countries or export
processing zones makes it on to our shelves and into our homes."
Among the more worrying materials for contaminate leaching is PVC (polyvinyl chloride), commonly referred
to
as vinyl. The chemicals leached during the PVC lifecycle include mercury, dioxins and phthalates. PVC is
used in numerous consumer products, including adhesives, detergents, lubricating oils, solvents,
automotive
plastics, plastic clothing, personal-care
products (such as soap, shampoo, deodorants, fragrances, hair spray, nail polish), as well as toys and
building materials.
Organizations including the U.S.-based National Toxicology Program, the Environmental Protection Agency,
the
International Agency for Research on Cancer and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
agree that vinyl is one of only 52 chemicals/compounds designated as a confirmed human carcinogen.
Often found on the bottom of plastic bottles, other containers, and shopping bags, the numbers and letters shown with the chasing-arrows "recycling" symbol mean the following:
#1 PETE or PET (polyethylene terephthalate): used for most clear beverage bottles.#2 HDPE (high density polyethylene): used for "cloudy" milk and water jugs, opaque food
bottles.
Number 3 Plastics
#3 PVC or V (polyvinyl chloride): used in some cling wraps (especially commercial brands), some "soft"
bottles
V (Vinyl) or PVC
Found in: Cooking oil bottles, clear food packaging
Harvard-educated Dr. Leo Trasande of the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine advises consumers to avoid number 3 plastics for food and drinks. (If you're unsure, look for the little symbol that should be printed on the container. Some brands have left the symbols off, which is a major problem.)
Why? Number 3 plastics may release toxic breakdown products (including pthalates) into food and drinks.
The risk is highest when containers start wearing out, are put through the dishwasher or when they are heated (including microwaved). PVC manufacturing can release highly toxic dioxins into the environment, and the materials can off-gas toxic plasticizers into your home.
#4 LDPE (low density polyethylene): used in food storage bags and some "soft" bottles.
#5 PP (polypropylene): used in rigid containers, including some baby bottles, and some cups and
bowls.
#6 PS (polystyrene): used in foam "clam-shell"-type containers, meat and
bakery
trays, and in its rigid form, clear take-out containers, some plastic
cutlery and cups. Polystyrene may leach styrene into food it comes into contact with. A recent study in Environmental Health Perspectives concluded that some styrene
compounds
leaching from food containers are estrogenic (meaning they can disrupt normal hormonal functioning).
Styrene
is also considered a possible human carcinogen by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Number 6 Plastics PS (polystyrene) Found
in:
Disposable plates and cups, meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers Number 6 plastics (polystyrene) are made into
soft Styrofoam-style cups as well as rigid foams and hard plastic
products,
so remember to look for those little numbers in the arrows (don't feel
bad if you need a magnifying glass). Avoid using them as much as possible. Why? Number 6 plastics can release potentially
toxic
breakdown products (including styrene). Get this: particularly when heated! That insulated coffee cup --
the
one that 'knows' when to keep your drink warm -- doesn't seem so smart anymore does
it?
#7 Other (usually polycarbonate): replace with 1, 5 or corn-based plastic
used in 5-gallon water bottles, some baby bottles, some metal can linings. Polycarbonate can release its
primary building block, bisphenol A, another suspected hormone disruptor, into liquids and foods. In 1998,
the Japanese government ordered manufacturers there to recall and destroy polycarbonate tableware meant
for
use by children because it contained excessive amounts of bisphenol A. Other sources of potential
bisphenol
A exposure.
Water Stored in Plastic Water bottles are be made from various types of plastic — polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl), and others. To reiterate, they all migrate to some degree. I will focus on just one chemical that migrates out of one plastic that is used to make products with high use and sales profiles. Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a monomer used in the synthesis of PC plastics, epoxy resins, and composites, as well as a heat stabilizer in PVC. The list of products containing BPA is long. Some rigid containers such as water and baby bottles are made of PC. The popular Nalgene® water bottles are made of Lexan® brand PC. In the medical industry, it is used for syringes, containers, lenses, and dental products. Keep in mind that the FDA regulates only plastics in contact with foods and not any of the other exposures a person might commonly experience every day at home, school, or the office. Because the FDA approves plastics for specific uses rather than for individual chemicals, BPA is not explicitly regulated.[20] It is important to note that all exposures, no matter what origin, are relevant and cumulative. Even other chemicals that act in the body in similar ways can be part of the total effect. The body's natural defenses try to breakdown toxins as they enter. These are called metabolites and can be significantly more toxic than the original chemical.