Plastic Wrap
For years the plastic wrap you would place around your baked goods and leftovers was made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
PVC
is a hard, resinous material that requires plasticizers, stabilizers,
flame retardants, and lubricants to be of any practical value. These
additives—which aren’t chemically bonded to the plastic’s basic
building blocks—are what make PVC one of the most toxic plastics in our
homes today.
One such additive, phthalic
acid, is often used in PVC to increase pliability. As we learned
earlier, phthalates have numerous adverse health effects, including
metabolism interference, thyroid dysfunction, early puberty, and
allergies. One of the most consistent reports concerns reproductive
impairment of young boys, and this result likely occurs in the womb.
When a pregnant woman is exposed to phthalates—whether from plastic or
personal-care products—this harmful chemical can cross the placenta and
enter fetal circulation. Problems for boys exposed to phthalates in
this manner may include depleted male hormone levels, undescended
testes, decreased fertility, and an increased risk of testicular cancer.
You
read that correctly: It’s possible that an infant boy who is exposed to
phthalates while in his mother’s womb could feel the effects twenty or
thirty years later with testicular cancer.
It’s
possible that an infant boy who is exposed to phthalates while in his
mother’s womb could feel the effects twenty or thirty years later with
testicular cancer.
Due to consumer concerns about phthalates,
most major manufacturers have begun using a different
plastic—low-density polyethylene (LDPE)—to make plastic-wrap products
for regular home use. Although LDPE-based plastic wrap doesn’t contain
phthalates, it’s less effective than wrap made from PVC at clinging to
packaging and sealing in odors. (You may have noticed this yourself and
wondered what had changed.)
Thus, most delis, butchers, caterers, and restaurants continue to use PVC-based wrap.
Fortunately, it’s not that hard to reduce your exposure to PVC, even from deli and grocery store packaging. National Geographic’s
“Green Guide” gives this advice: Unwrap your product when you get home
from the grocery store. If possible, trim away any meat or cheese that
was touching the PVC wrap or Styrofoam tray, and then store it in a
glass container that seals with a lid.
Simple Solution:
If you use plastic wrap, ensure it’s LDPE-based plastic, and regardless of what type it is, never use it in the microwave.
The Plastic Code
Plastics are
categorized based on their chemical makeup and the extent to which they
can be recycled. By learning to recognize the symbols and numbers on
the bottom of your plastic purchases, you can make better choices for
you and your family. These numbers appear in a triangular symbol that
looks like this.
| 01 (PET): | Polyethylene
terephthalate is used in high-impact packaging, water and soft drink
bottles, cooking oil containers, and microwave food trays. Considered safe under normal conditions but will degrade over time. |
| 02 (PE-HD/HDPE): | High-density
polyethylene, the more durable form of PET, is used for opaque or
cloudy containers that hold personal-care products, vitamins,
detergents, milk jugs, and motor oil. Not appropriate for hot liquids. It’s considered safe under normal conditions but will degrade over time. |
| 03 (PVC): | Polyvinyl
chloride is found in shower curtains, meat and cheese wrappers,
binders, some shrink wrap, plumbing materials, vinyl flooring, and
much, much more. Contains highly toxic phthalate plasticizers that can
leach into food or beverages. Avoid whenever and wherever possible, especially in the kitchen. |
| 04 (PE-LD/LDPE): | Low-density polyethylene is used in shopping bags, CD cases, computers, most consumer shrink wrap, and product packaging. It’s generally considered safe. |
| 05 (PP): | Polypropylene
is found in bottle caps, diapers, lots of kitchenware, yogurt and
cottage cheese containers, and electronic product packaging. Heat-resistant, reusable, and considered the safest plastic for human use. |
| 06 (PS): | Polystyrene
is used in take-out food containers, drinking cups, egg cartons, and
building materials. Composed of possible human carcinogens. Known to degrade and leach toxins when exposed to high heat or oil; avoid whenever and wherever possible. |
| 07 (O): | All
other plastics not listed above are placed in this “other” category, as
indicated by the “O,” including polycarbonate, polyurethane, acrylic,
fiberglass, nylon, and more environmentally friendly hybrid plastics. Many are considered safe, but be aware that polycarbonate bottles that contain BPA are considered part of this group. |
These are the key pieces of information you should take away from this chart:
• The safest plastics to use (and reuse) are denoted with the number 5 (PP).
•
Plastics in the 1 (PET), 2 (PE-HD), and 4 (PE-LD) categories are
generally safe, but have some issues with toxicity and a limited shelf
life.
• Avoid products labeled 3 (PVC), 6
(PS), and 7 (O) in regard to food or liquid packaging (unless you know
for certain the number 7 plastic is a special biodegradable hybrid).
Our Plastic World
Most
plastic is made from nonrenewable resources such as crude oil. That
alone should give us pause because it’s a nonrenewable resource upon
which so much depends. But even if we had access to unlimited
petroleum, we would still need to recognize that the same properties
that make plastic so incredible—relative durability and chemical
stability—can also make plastic a major threat to our environment.
If
not recycled or disposed of properly, plastic ends up in our waterways,
degrading so slowly that there are now massive “plastic islands”
floating in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Bit by bit, lighters,
trinkets, grocery bags, and containers break into smaller fragments
that fish, marine mammals, and seabirds mistake for food.
This can be a lethal mistake—both for the animals and for us.
Suddenly,
the toxins we’ve worked so hard to avoid in our home are found in the
marine food chain, where they will make their way back to our dinner
tables.
By making some of the small changes
that we’ve discussed in these pages, such as recycling plastic whenever
possible and encouraging those around you to do the same, you can make
a positive difference in your health and the health of our world.
Simple Solution:
Purchase reusable grocery bags made of natural materials such as cotton and use them as often as you can.
