9 Surprising Items Made With Animal Ingredients

By Paula Alvarado, TreeHugger

If you thought that by quitting meat or at least going weekday vegetarian you were doing your part to avoid the horrors of factory farming, think again.

Even though animal products might not be in as many places as some claim (most tennis rackets are made with synthetic materials now), they spread far beyond just those hidden in food: everywhere from your car to the bathroom and the sky in the 4th of July.

As the Ontario Farm Animal Council clearly puts it, “on average, 98 percent of an animal is used. From that 98 percent, about 55 percent (on average) of the animal is used for edible products and the remaining 45 percent for inedible by-products.”

1. Plastic Bags

Many plastics, including shopping bags, contain ‘slip agents’, which reduce the friction in the material. What are those made of? Animal fat.

In a more technical explanation from Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News: “Although polymers are manufactured from petroleum feedstock, plastics manufacturers often use additives of animal origin to improve material properties and/or to aid in processing of raw polymers” — which blogger Beth Terry proved first-hand.

Also, watch out for new plastics coming out: Companies like Tyson Foods are experimenting with keratin protein found in chicken feathers to produce plastics, adhesives and non-woven materials.

“Someday disposable diapers or hospital gowns could be made from the materials,” said Jeff Webster, the group vice president of the renewable products division to USA Today.

6 Ways to Make Reusable Bags Even Greener

(click through to the end, or click the left arrow, for a printable list)

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

FORT J.

6:38AM PST on Jan 28, 2012

Interesting

send a green star

Sherry C.

12:32PM PST on Jan 15, 2012

Who would have thought plastic was part animal?

Cody L.

12:44AM PST on Jan 2, 2012

Knew most of these. Didn't know about plastic though. :

Grace J.

8:31AM PST on Dec 28, 2011

wow thanks

New G.

2:18PM PST on Dec 26, 2011

Thanks.

Jen H.

9:25PM PST on Dec 22, 2011

Woooooow....very interesting and kind of scary!

Angelica P.

7:15PM PST on Dec 22, 2011

Carole R.

6:01PM PST on Dec 21, 2011

Thank you for the information.

Eternal G.

5:57PM PST on Dec 19, 2011

Good to know.

Nessie B.

12:25PM PST on Dec 18, 2011

Ooops! typos corrected:

Do you think, if everyone became a vegan, that lifestock farmers would continue to raise animals to be used directly as "by products"???

Do you suppose it's possible to get "mad cow disease" from toothpaste?

Do you think our pets will lose their ability to breed if they eat pet food with genetically modified grains added?

Maybe we should turn back the clock and only eat what is grown nearby . . . a problem for people who live in the city for sure! Of course, no guarantee as to the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers - you can't believe everything you read - including food labels!!!