Are Plastic Containers Safe for Food?
Rachel Gibson, a health advocate and an attorney for Environment California recently wrote an article about the various plastics in use in households today. Here is a breakdown of the plastics by their recycling codes.
- Code 1, 2, 4, 5 are reasonably safe for food that you buy or store in containers but it is still wiser to use stainless steel or glass containers instead.
- Code 3 is a PVC and it’s found in food packaging and shower curtains. This plastic contains phthalates that make it soft and pliable. Phthalates also disrupt hormones which may cause premature breast development, testicular cancer and lowered sperm count.
- Code 7 contains a chemical that makes this plastic rigid. Unfortunately the chemical disrupts hormones which may cause impaired learning, brain damage, early onset of puberty, altered immune systems and prostate cancer.
Ms Gibson also advises that plastic should not be put in the microwave or dishwasher as heat degrades the plastic and allows the chemicals to leach into the contents.
Photograph by Michael Lorenzo.