How Safe is Your Plastic Container?

Plastic containers are all around us; they are used to store food, hold water and other beverages, or even house our medications. With all of the different types of plastic being used, do you know which ones are really safe? Recently the discussion about plastic containers has focused mostly on the outrageous amount of landfill waste that is being created from plastic water bottles that are not being recycled. Even though this is a very good topic for discussion, we should really begin the plastic debate by addressing the various types of plastic being made and how harmful some of them may be.

For those that recycle, you may already be fully aware that there is normally a small recycling symbol on the bottom of most plastic containers. Inside the symbol is a number, which informs you of what nature of plastic the container is made, as well as if your recycling center will pick up and recycle the container. For the most part, a majority of recycling centers will always pick up #1 and #2 plastics, but some may even pick up #4 and #5.

So even though we know which number may be recycled and which may not, what does the number actually mean? The following is a breakdown of what the number means, where it is normally found, and if it has been seen as a good or bad plastic.

#1 is Polyethylene Terephthalate, also marked as PET or PETE. Companies normally use this plastic for various beverage containers such as water, soft drinks, and sport drinks. You can also find this plastic for ketchup, peanut butter, salad dressings, jellies, and various other condiments. This plastic is known as one of the "good" plastics since it is not known to leach, or gradually penetrate, chemicals into the products it houses.

#2 is known as High density polyethylene or HDPE. Companies will normally use this container for milk, various waters, juices, yogurt, margarine tubs, and trash bags. Some cereal box liners and grocery/retail bags may also be made of #2 plastics. This plastic is also known as a good plastic since it is not known to leach chemicals into the products.