Re: Safety issues of plastic containers (HDPE, PET, PETE, LDPE, PP)

The article is correct. Not all plastics are bad. The ones to be really careful with are polycarbonate because bisphenol A (BPA) is used in the manufacturing. And it can leach from the plastic, especially when heated. This is why I recommend using the old steel blenders rather than the newer polycarbonate ones, such as the new VitaMix. There is a BPA free polycarbonate now though that is starting to hit the market. Polystyrene is bad since it can release some really nasty stuff when heated. So don't reheat food in these containers. This plastic is commonly used in the white to go containers we get from restaurants. PVC, the same plastic we use in water lines is also used in some water bottles. It does leach, especially when heated. One plastic they did not mention was urea formaldehyde. This is the plastic used to make the old Tupperware containers. Again, I would not heat these.

One of the most common plastics to really worry about is found in teething rings and baby bottle nipples. These often use plasticizers to make the plastic soft, which are powerful endocrine disruptors. They do make safe rings and nipples free from BPA, PVC and pthalates.

High density and low density polyethylene (HDPE, LDPE) and polypropylene (PP) are safe.

Aluminum foil is alright as long as you do not store acidic substances in it such as products containing tomatoes, citrus fruits, green apples, etc.

Plastic wraps are made from either polyvinylidene chloride (PVdC)or LDPE. If made from LDPE then polyisobutene or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) is added to make it clingy. PVdC is not good, and I don't trust the fumes given off by EVA, so I recommend avoiding plastic wraps as much as possible.

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