1. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) used to make soft drink, water, sports drink, ketchup, and salad dressing bottles, and peanut butter, pickle, jelly and jam jars. GOOD: not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones.

2. High density polyethylene (HDPE) milk, water, juice bottles, yogurt, margarine tubs, cereal box liners, grocery, trash and retail bags. GOOD; Not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones.

3. Polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC) most cling-wrapped meats, cheeses and other foods sold in delicatessens, groceries are wrapped in PVC. BAD: to soften into its flexible form, manufacturers add “plasticizers” during production. Traces of these chemicals can leach out of PVC when in contact with foods. According to the National Institutes of Heath, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), commonly found in PVC, is a suspected human carcinogen.

4. Low Density polyethylene (LDPE) some bread and frozen food bags and squeezable bottles. OK: not known to leach any chemical that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones, but not as widely recycled as #1 or #2.

5. Polypropylene (PP) some ketchup bottles, yogurt and magarine tubs OK: not known to leach any chemicals that are susptected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones.

6. Polystyrene (PS) foam insulation, cups BAD: known carcinogen, Butadiene and styrene are suspected carcinogens.

7. Other (usually polycarbonate) baby bottles, microwave ovenware, eating utensils, plastic coating for metal cans BAD: made with biphenyl-A, a chemical invented in the 1930s to search for synthetic estrogens. A hormone disruptor. Simulates the action of estrogen when tested in human breast cancer studies. Can leach into food as product ages.

Adapted from Freen Remodeling by David Johnston and Kim Master (New Society Publishers, 2004).

• Cancer News from Johns Hopkins
• No Plastic containers in microwave.
• No water bottles in freezer.
• No plastic wrap in microwave.
• Use glass, Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. For things such as TV dinners instant ramen soups, etc, remove from container and heat in something else. Cover food with a paper towel (instead of plastic wrap).

Posted on December 14th, 2007 by neslyn
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