Plastics that are cloudier now than
the day they were purchased and
containers with scratches
In an effort to save both money and the
environment, Tiffany raided her parents’
cupboards before she moved and took a
few of their unwanted containers and mix-
ing bowls. The downside to her good in-
tention is that many are cloudy and scuffed
up, a sign that they’re deteriorating. Dete-
riorating plastics can leach chemicals into
your food, and although those chemicals
may not pose a direct threat to your health, it’s best to err on the side of safety. Scratches also hide bacteria, odors and bad flavors.
Single-use containers, like yogurt or butter tubs, and take-out containers Tiffany’s attempts at being green didn’t stop at her parents’ cast-offs. She was holding on to yogurt containers that weren’t accepted by her local recycling program but seemed perfect for leftovers. Although these are usually made of safer plastics (#2 high-density polyethylene or #5 polypropylene), their light color and opaque nature
make it difficult to see scratches and other signs of wear and tear. It’s okay to reuse them for freezing or storing cold food in the refrigerator, but don’t use them to store hot foods, even if the hot foods are bound for the fridge (heat speeds deterioration).
If you’re reusing take-out containers, flip them over and see what number appears in the recycling triangle on the bottom. Some are made with #6 ( polystyrene, a bad plastic) and could be leaching carcinogenic styrene into food.
Grooved or stained cutting boards Plastic cutting boards aren’t recyclable and many of us, Tiffany included, are inclined to hold on to them to ease the guilt of sending plastic to a landfill. But hers, stained from years of use and decorated with deep grooves, could be harboring bacteria.
Plastics you’ve used in the microwave As a general rule, microwaving food in plastic isn’t a good idea. “Microwave safe” means that plastics won’t melt, but it does not mean that chemicals won’t get transmitted from a container into your food. Again, they may not pose a direct threat to your health, but use glass just to be safe.
WHAT WE LIKED:
Of all the things in Tiffany’s cabinet, we were most impressed with her reusable sandwich container, which reduced waste when taking her lunch to work, and her reused jelly jars—great for storing hot leftovers.
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Safe
Safe
Avoid
Safe
Safe
Avoid
Avoid
Plastics at a Glance
References:
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