Which Plastics to Never Use with Food

Although the apron-wearing, martini-bearing, housewife-in-heels with her rainbow of Tupperware may be a thing of the past, the quest for a well-organized kitchen persists. To see tidy stacks of food-filled plastic containers in the fridge and freezer is comforting in a primal kind of way. But then comes the procession of warnings about storing and cooking food in plastic, and leaching chemicals, and hormone disruption, and ACK! So here it is: The lowdown on plastic food containers.

Flip over your favorite plastic food storage container and check the recycling code number. If you spy a number 3 or 7, well, those containers should probably go to the craft room or garage to store buttons or screws rather than food. If there is no number listed, contact the manufacturer. (And to be fair to Tupperware, they do manufacture products that are not made of these plastic types.)

Number 3 is polyvinyl chloride (PVC), also known as vinyl. PVC has garnered the moniker “the toxic plastic” for the presence of DEHA–one of several plasticizers (softeners) used in its production. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, long-term DEHA exposure has the potential to cause: Reduced body weight and bone mass; damage to liver and testes; and cancer. The manufacture and incineration of PVC also releases carcinogenic dioxins into the environment and food chain. Although PVC is not the most common plastic used for food storage containers, some are made from it and it is often used in plastic wrap to improve performance.

Recycling code number 7 includes several plastic types (it’s the catchall “other” category–see tips below) but it is predominantly polycarbonate. The problem with polycarbonate is that it harbors bisphenol A (BPA). Studies have shown that BPA damages the reproductive systems of lab animals by interfering with the effects of reproductive hormones and has other serious health effects. BPA’s capacity to cause these stems from its ability to mimic the human hormone estrogen–it has been linked to prostate and mammary gland cancers, early onset of puberty and reproductive-organ defects.

Next: 12 tips for safer plastic use

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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.

Past Member .

6:57PM PDT on Sep 23, 2011

L'ingresso per il resto della piumino Moncler 3% al 7% dei dati delle vendite ogni anno per la progettazione e lo sviluppo a partire dall'inizio del 1996. La proporzione è alto quanto l'input allo sviluppo di industrie high-tech. Ha una forte attività di sviluppo di resistenza DuoNian Piumini Moncler. Moncler rende un vantaggio unico. Aperto Moncler Giacche esportare in tutto il mondo. Le donne amano indossare l'abito in questo momento speciale, feste, matrimoni, ecc Quasi tutti i negozi si trovano tutti nel mondo di piumino Moncler. Ora, questi abiti possono anche acquistare on-line attraverso. Moncler Giubbotti vendita Il prezzo di questo tipo di materiale è differente in base al loro design e tessuti.

send a green star

Uncle Don F.

6:43PM PDT on Apr 4, 2011

“BPA-Free” Label No Guarantee That Plastics Are Safe - by Sarah (Steve) Mosko, PhD - 29 March 2011 -

"... Unfortunately, a “BPA-free” label offers no assurance that a product won’t leach chemicals with estrogenic activity (EA), according to a study that appeared in the online March 2, 2011 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives. In fact, the study measured EA leaching from all sorts of food-contact plastic products made with resins other than polycarbonate. ... It is generally assumed that plastics fashioned from common resins other than polycarbonate – like polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) – do not release chemicals exhibiting EA. This study thoroughly debunks this supposition as it reports that most of a sample of 455 commercially available products tested positive for EA. ..."

"The above article is from Dr. Mosko's website BoogieGreen.com, and first appeared in the Surf City Voice in mid March, followed by the Fullerton Observer, both in California."

Diane L.

10:03PM PST on Feb 13, 2011

John S., go look at the peanut butter on the shelves..........they're ALL in plastic jars except maybe the most expensive brand that is organic and has a lot of oil in it. I have four jars in my pantry........all in plastic.

John S.

4:23PM PST on Feb 13, 2011

There is also a free solution. For small and medium storage needs, the glass food jars that you would otherwise throw out or recycle make great storage containers once they have been washed and the label has been removed. Jars with a minimal amount of constriction in the neck—like peanut butter jars or squat-style olive jars—work best. A nice feature of these freebie containers is that you can easily see what's in them when they're in the refrigerator.

Eternal G.

5:42PM PST on Jan 27, 2011

Important info, crucial actually, thanks!

2:45PM PST on Jan 21, 2011

Plastics...choices. Make the good ones.

Sue M.

2:14PM PST on Jan 13, 2011

time to go back to glass containers again.

Andrew H.

6:37AM PST on Jan 13, 2011

It's seems crazy that we have to watch out for these things---or we get cancer?

Cindy P.

10:03PM PST on Jan 12, 2011

WO! ok, just ceramic only then!

Ireland D.

8:09AM PST on Jan 9, 2011

You do not need fancy glass freezer containers: mason/canning jars come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are a nickle or dime apiece at thrift stores or buy fancy ones at kitchen speciality stores. Natural health food stores offer stainless steel Asian type stacking lunch boxes. The plastic toxins I see that older generations are talking about with the tone of 'it don't bother me' is concerning. Not every one is the same. These toxins are bio- accumilative. Some people can expell toxins readily, others can not. Just your day to day exposure sets you up to gather toxins involuntarily. Some people are impacted by their location, others by their genetics/health while some unfortunates get to double dip -- all involuntarily because of other's impact on society/our world. Perfect example: my mother (70y.o.) has no issues; I (50 y.o.) have health issues that are linked to environmental toxins; my youngest child of three (15 y.o.) has several health issues directly linked to environmental toxins. I can't imagine what her life will be like when she reaches my age. I love this article just for the simple fact it sets it out simply as: here is how you can change for the better; these are the risks; here are some solutions AND NOT some emergency! emergency! dump and change now scare tactic. Knowledge is the best weapon for progress and change. I thank the writer for a well thought out article.