Safe Plastics
We all know that there are “safe” and “unsafe” plastics. But, with all the information out there – it is very easy to get confused.
| Plastic # | What | Good | Bad | Recyclable |
| 1 Polyethylene terephthalate | Water Bottles, Ketchup and Salad Dressing Bottles, Peanut butter, pickle and jam jars | Not know to leach any chemicals know to cause cancer. | Easy | |
| 2 High density polyethylene | Milk, water and juice bottles, yogurt and margarine tubs, cereal box liners, grocery, trash, and retail bags | Not know to leach any chemicals know to cause cancer. | Easy | |
| 3 Polyvinyl chloride | cling-wrapped meats, cheeses, and other foods sold in delicatessens and groceries are wrapped in PVC | Traces of these chemicals can leach out of PVC when in contact with foods – suspected carcinogen | ||
| 4 Low density polyethylene | bread and frozen food bags and squeezable bottles | Not know to leach any chemicals know to cause cancer. | Not as easily as #1 & #2 | |
| 5 Polypropylene | Some ketchup bottles and yogurt and margarine tubs | Hazardous during production but Not know to leach any chemicals know to cause cancer during use. | Not as easily as #1 & #2 | |
| 6 Polystyrene | Foam insulation, cups and some toys | Basics of this type are known carcinogens | Difficult | |
| 7 Others- usually polycarbonate | Baby bottles, eating utensils, plastic coating for metal cans | Can leach into food as product ages. A synthetic estrogens is released – hormone disruptor. | Most difficult |
Now how to remember these numbers when you are out shopping.
Lift up your hands. Your fingers corespond to the plastic numbers. Everything on your left hand, expect your middle finger is safe. Nothing on your right hand is.
So, #1, #2, #4 and #5 are safe. #3, #6 and #7 are not.