March 8th, 2009

Toxic Toys and Tupperware

child-with-teething-ring2

Plastics are everywhere. They are in our homes, in our work places and more often then not, in our children’s mouths. When there is a product so ingrained in our lives and with such potential health risks, how do we know which plastics are good, bad or just down right scary? I’m very excited to share some wonderful information that I found at National Geographic’s online Green Guide to help you wade through the world of plastic.

Here is a break-down of the various plastics out there as classified by the “resin identification code” or, as we are more familiar with, their recycling number on the bottom of the item.

Good:

#1 PET (disposable soft drink and water bottles)

#2 HDPE (milk jugs, liquid detergent bottles, shampoo bottles)

#4 LDPE (cling wrap, grocery bags, sandwich bags)

#5 PP (cloudy plastic water bottles, yogurt cups/tubs)

#7 PLA is also a good plastic that is a little less known. It is made from renewable resources with a high starch content such as corn, potatoes, and sugar cane that, while not recyclable, is biodegradable.

Bad
Well, I decided to skip the bad and just move onto the “down right scary” category.

Down Right Scary
#3 V or PVC (meat wrap, cooking oil bottles, plumbing pipes)
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 (Disposable coffee cups, clam-shell take-out containers.
Polystyrene can leach styrene, a possible human carcinogen, into food.

#7 PC: (baby bottles, some reusable water bottles, stain-resistant food-storage containers)
The only plastic made with bisphenol A. Polycarbonate is used in baby bottles, microwave ovenware, eating utensils, 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 and may interfere with hormones just as phthalates do.

Even before doing the research for these articles I had been making an increased effort to cut back on the amount of plastic products that I purchase.  All my new mixing bowls are ceramic, my cooking utensils are stainless steal, and my shopping bags are brightly colored cloth ones that I made.  While these changes were mainly motivated by a desire to be more environmentally friendly, I now have an even more motivating factor – my health and the health of my children.  I am the first to acknowledge that it isn’t easy to replace plastics in your house – I’m especially reluctant to get rid of my plastic dishes for the kids! – but I think it’s a necessary change that we all should begin making.

So while shopping or at home, keep the three R’s in mind:

Reduce:
Purchase a non-plastic alternative
Buy in bulk with less packaging
Visit a local meat market where they use freezer paper rather than styrene plates and shrink wrap
Carry your stainless steal travel mug in your reusable shopping bag

Reuse:
Yogurt and sour cream tubs are perfect for:

  • leftovers – especially if your sending them home with someone else!
  • organizing craft supplies and paper clips!
  • starting seeds in in the spring (just remember to poke in drainage holes).
  • The possibilities are endless and since they are not often excepted at recycling centers it’s a wonderful way to give them a second life.

Recycle:

Pretty self-explanatory.  I’m just going to add a great big PLEASE!
Also, look for items made from recycled plastic.  They are out there – I’ve even found yarn made out of old plastic bottles – it’s even soft!

For more information please visit National Geographic’s Green Guide. They have more information on the different types of plastics, some wonderful shopping tips, product reviews and information on the environmental impacts of plastic.

To learn more about the hormone-disrupting phthalates found in soft plastic (#3 PVC) which are found in many items from cosmetics to children’s toys, visit www.simplesteps.org

Also, read the article found at www.simplesteps.org to learn about what the courts are doing to protect our children from phthalates.

Looking for healthy, phthalate free toys? Read National Geographic’s buying guide for plastic toys at www.thegreenguide.com

Read an excellent article from The Boston Globe about bisphenol A, or BPA’s, found in clear, shatter-proof containers such as water bottles and children’s sippy-cups.

Children . Health and Wellness . Life Style Design . Living Green