today...
Sunday, 20 April 2008
The triangle with the number in the middle on the plastic bottle
During cell we have some very interesting conversations. It’s almost like a learning seminar sometimes with 3 engineers who bring much knowledge to the table. Anyway, we came onto the topic of talking about drinking water (because J.Leo just happens to drink A LOT of water) which is good because most guys don’t drink as much water as they should.
I think it also started because Vera was drinking water from the tap and she could taste the “off-ness” of the water. Living in Perth for so long, I’ve never drunk tap water. Maybe a total of like 2 times in my whole entire life. We’ve always boiled our water or when we moved into our new house, we had a water filter built into the sink. I can’t stand the taste of tap water. There’s a funny smell to it and plus I think people have this misconception that Perth's tap water is actually clean. Actually it's not that clean, I think the standards are a little below what they should be.
So then, somehow the conversation got heated because J.Leo and Kenny drink water from the tap and from their water bottles that have been lying around, as in THEY DRINK ONE WEEK OLD WATER!!! *faints* They also put hot water into their plastic bottles and drink water that’s been in the car for too long on a hot day. Mind you, this is just the normal plastic water bottle you get when you buy a bottle of water from the shops.
So the education seminar begins with Vera, Pauline and me telling them that they cannot drink such water because the water molecules would have changed from staying in the plastic bottle too long, or the hot water would have changed the water content – and it becomes something different to pure water mixing with the plastic.So then we get the engineers point of view. Good thing the engineer – Ah Fook, did an assignment on plastic packaging for this thesis. He explained to us that on everything that is packaged in plastic it will have a triangle with a number in it. *Yup... go take a look* I looked on the coke bottle, the water bottle and even the barbeque sauce bottle. They all have the recycle logo (the plastic triangle with arrows) imprinted on the plastic with a number in the middle.
So I did a little research about this and this is what I found.
PETE, aka PET (polyethylene terephthalate) Used for most transparent bottles, such as water, soda, cooking oil, and medicine bottles. Generally safe to use (not reuse); generally recycled.
HDPE (high density polythylene) Sturdy, rigid plastic found in reusable food storage containers, milk and detergent bottles. Generally safe; generally recycled.
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) Used for plastic wrap, and detergent and cooking oil bottles. Additives in PVC can increase the risk of birth defects and hormone-related cancers. Its production can be hazardous to workers and the environment. Generally not safe; not recycled.
PPE, aka PP (polypropylene) Pliable plastic found in squeeze bottles, reusable food containers, and yogurt and margarine tubs. Generally safe; generally recycled.
PS (polystyrene) Used in rigid take-out containers and foam meat trays. Can leach styrene when heated, a possible endocrine disruptor and human carcinogen. Not safe when heated; generally not recycled.
Other; most often refers to PC (polycarbonate) This plastic is most commonly used for baby bottles, five-gallon water jugs, and reusable sports water bottles. It can leach out the hormone-disruptor bisphenol A, especially when heated. Because this group can include various other plastics, it has limited recycling potential.Recommendations: The Do's and Dont's
For Microwaving: Do use microwave-safe glass or ceramic. Don't use any plastic, including plastic wrap, Tupperware, and Styrofoam. Cover foods paper, not plastic, but don't use recycled paper towels-they may contain metalic flecks (from ink or ground-up staples) that can combust.
For Refrigerator Storage: Do use glass, ceramic, stainless steel, or PVC-free plastic wrap. Don't use plastic containers for anything that will leave behind a residue that will require scouring, which can create scratches. Don't store or cover hot food in or with plastic-let it cool first.
For Packing Lunches: Do use foil or waxed or butcher paper to wrap sandwiches and snacks. If you prefer the convenience of bags, look for ones made from number 4 plastic. Don't use any plastic for high-fat foods such as meat or cheese; plastics contain chemicals that are attracted to fat.
For Water: Do use glass or stainless steel or pitchers made from number 2 or 5 plastic. Don't use pitchers made from number 7 plastic. (OMG my drink bottle is number 7)
For Freezing: Do use foil, freezer paper, or number 4 plastic freezer bags. Don't use any glass or plastic not labeled FREEZER SAFE-extreme cold can cause both to crack. Don't put hot food in plastic bags or containers-let it cool first.
For Pantry Storage: Do use glass, aluminum, stainless steel, or number 5 plastic. Don't store food in any plastic container made from number 3,6, or 7 plastic.
Now... let's see if I still remember how to reference. =)
1. Sage, 2006, "Decoding Your Plastic Containers", Retrieved: 19 April, 2008 from http://domesticgoddesses.tribe.net/thread/243d1968-ce4d-4345-9a60-286eb3705e62
2. Department of Polymer Science, Univ. of Souther Mississippi, 1998, "What Do Those Recycling Numbers Mean?", Retrieved:19 April, 2008 from http://www.pslc.ws/mactest/work/recycle.htm
But that's only a quick 10 minute research. Don't take my word from those articles... conduct more extensive research if you want to be sure. But yeah, just make sure you're using the right plastics for the right purposes!
today...
@4:11 pm
bye bye~