Plastics are everywhere. Look around you from your home; just how many plastic items can take notice?
Plastic has become a permanent fixture in everyday life, from food containers and household utensils to bags, kid’s toys, shower curtains, cosmetics packaging, and water bottles. This is quite alarming, especially when it comes to safety.
The news about plastics has been distressing public safety. While some are Eco-friendly and may be safe for kids, others contain harmful chemicals and cause dangerous pollution during manufacturing.
People have been told to recycle plastic bottles and containers, but what will happen to the plastic if we throw it away?
It is important to explore the origins of these bottles to understand where they end up. The plastic in their bodies was formed by chemically bonding oil and gas molecules together to make monomers. These monomers, in turn, were bonded into long polymer chains to make plastics in the form of millions of pellets.
These pellets were melted down at manufacturing plants and reformed into molds to create resilient material.
Machines filled the bottles, which were then wrapped, shipped, bought, opened, consumed, and unceremoniously thrown away. It is as if the bottles are ready to be reborn by magic as something entirely new.
In this modern time, it’s impossible to avoid plastics, but you can look for safer plastics for your family and the environment. To be healthier, many of us make a point of carrying water bottles with us everywhere we go.
People buy bottled water for various reasons: convenience, fashion, taste, and many more. But do you know what number of plastic water bottles are safe for you?
What do Plastic Recycling Symbols Mean?
Have you ever considered the logos with numbers or recycling symbols at the bottom of plastic bottles and containers? You should. These symbols tell you what kind of plastic the product is made from, which is the key to becoming a better recycler. Not all plastics are equal.
So, the better you know about your plastics, the safer it is for your family and the environment.
Some plastics are safer than others, and the use of all plastics should be limited if possible. Now is the time to learn more about the plastics you use, drink, or eat daily and their impact on you, your family, and the environment.
The Numbers Behind Plastic Water Bottles
Every plastic container or bottle has a recycling symbol within a triangle, ranging from 1 to 7.
Although you may not think much of these symbols, they can offer much information about plastic's toxic chemicals, biodegradability, likelihood of leaching, and safety.
If you’ve been concerned, understanding the differences between types of plastic will help you make better decisions in choosing and recycling plastics.
Here is some information on the various recycling symbols and numbers. How do you know which plastics are safe for you? Find out here:
Plastic #1 – PETE or PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)
DuPont engineer Nathaniel Wyeth invented PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) plastic bottles in the USA in 1973 and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. It’s the first plastic bottle to withstand the pressure of carbonated liquids.
- PET or PETE is typically recycled into tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, fiber, and polar fleece. It also makes water bottles, juice, soft drinks, mouthwash, sports drinks, and containers for condiments like salad dressing, jelly, ketchup, and jam. Polyethylene Terephthalate is safe but can leach the toxic metal antimony.
- Plastic #1 is intended for one-time use only. As a precaution, these bottles should not be reused or heated. Once used, they can be recycled into new secondary products such as fabric, carpet, or plastic lumber.
Some studies have found that water bottles exposed to prolonged heat discharge antimony (a toxic chemical). Even though PETE does not contain BPA or phthalates, it’s always best to ensure that your water bottles are not temperature-abused.
Plastic #2 – HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)
- It is considered a low-hazard plastic and has a lower risk of leaching. Plastic # 2 is the most commonly recycled plastic, and it is a relatively simple and cost-effective process to recycle plastic for secondary use. This type of plastic is very hard-wearing and does not break down under exposure to sunlight or extremes of heating or freezing.
- It makes picnic tables, plastic lumber, park benches, waste bins, truck bed liners, and other products that require weather resistance and durability. Products made of HDPE are reusable and recyclable, like the stiff plastic used to make milk jugs, detergent and oil bottles, kid’s toys, and some plastic bags.
- Some studies have shown it can leach the endocrine disruptor nonylphenol (added to HDPE as a stabilizer), especially when exposed to ultraviolet light such as sunlight and other possible stabilizer chemicals estrogen-mimicking activity.
Plastic #3 – Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) has toxic chemicals, a popular thermoplastic that contains high chlorine levels, which can reach up to 57%. A white, odorless, and solid plastic that is brittle and can be found on the market in pellets or white powder. It is often supplied in powder forms, and its high resistance to oxidation and degradation makes it possible to store for a long period.
- PVS plastics can be found in condiment bottles, teething rings, toys, shower curtains, window cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, cooking oil bottles, clear food packaging, wire jacketing, medical equipment, siding, windows, and piping.
This type of plastic risks releasing toxic breakdown products, such as phthalates, into food and drinks. Moreover, PVC manufacturing releases highly toxic dioxins into the environment.
- When PVC is burned through waste incineration, car fires, or home fires, dioxins are formed. Dioxins are known human carcinogens and persistent organic pollutants and are considered among the most toxic chemicals.
Plastic #4 – LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene)
- Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is a petroleum-based thermoplastic that can be translucent or opaque. It is flexible, tough, and breakable. LDPE is considered less toxic than other plastics and relatively safe.
However, LDPE is not commonly recycled, but this is changing in many communities today as more recycling programs prepare to handle this material. When recycled, LDPE plastic is used for plastic lumber, landscaping boards, garbage can liners, and floor tiles.
- Products made using LDPE plastic are reusable but not always recyclable. Check with your local collection service to see if they accept LDPE plastic recycling items. LDPE is found in juice and milk cartons (as the water-proof inner and outer layer), most plastic grocery bags, and some packaging material.
Grocery store bags, plastic wrap for household use, and garbage bags. LDPE is one of the safer plastics, but it is recycled and limits waste using reusable bags, especially when grocery shopping.
- LDPE plastic is often used in shrink wrap, dry cleaner garment bags, squeezable bottles, and other packaging. Today, most grocery bags used in stores are made of LDPE, and some clothing and furniture also use this type of plastic.
Plastic #5: Polypropylene (PP)
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Polypropylene is used for similar applications as polyethylene but is generally stiffer and more heat resistant. It is often used for containers filled with hot food. Its simple chemical structure (many methyl groups of CH3—one carbon and three hydrogen molecules) makes it very flexible.
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Food containers of ketchup, yogurt, cottage cheese, margarine, syrup, take-out, medicine containers, straws, bottle caps, Rubbermaid products, and other opaque plastic containers, including baby bottles, are made of Polypropylene (PP).
Numerous uses, such as disposable diapers and sanitary pad liners, thermal vests, appliance parts, and numerous car parts (bumpers, carpets, fixtures) are made from this type of plastic.
- PP is considered one of the safer plastics, but recycle it if possible. It is relatively stable but has been shown to leach plastic additives (such as the stabilizing agent oleamide). In scientific experiments, PP labware is generally considered safer for food and drink (PP1).
One earlier study has suggested heated PP may be linked to occupational asthma based on the exposure of a worker in a PP factory (PP2). This type of plastic is microwavable and dishwasher safe, and a better tip for an alternative is to use glass containers to heat foods and hand wash plastic instead of using the dishwasher.
Plastic #6 – PS (Polystyrene)
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Polystyrene (PS) is a petroleum-based plastic that can be hard or used as Styrofoam. Because its structure is ultralight, it has a weak base and breaks up easily. It is readily dispersed throughout the natural environment.
An untold number of marine species have ingested this plastic with immeasurable consequences to their health. Recycling is rarely applicable to polystyrene products.
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Egg containers made from Styrofoam, disposable cups and bowls, take-out food packaging, packing peanuts, and bike helmets are products made from Polystyrene, including disposable cutlery & razors, compact discs & DVD cases.
Polystyrene is known to leach, which can significantly damage your nervous system and is linked to cancer in your food—using plastic # 6 for hot foods and beverages, like hot coffee in a polystyrene cup, maybe the worst idea of all.
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Because Styrene is classified as a possible human carcinogen by the EPA and by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a long period of exposure to small quantities of styrene can cause neurotoxic like fatigue, nervousness, difficulty in sleeping, hematological; low platelet and hemoglobin values, cytogenetic; chromosomal and lymphatic abnormalities, and carcinogenic effects.
Package leftover food from a restaurant in glass or stainless steel containers to avoid contaminating polystyrene. Avoid Styrofoam cups or plates; use stainless steel, glass, or bamboo products instead. You might also bring your silverware to fast-food restaurants instead of plastic ones.
Plastic #7 – Other (BPA, Polycarbonate, and LEXAN)
- Various trade names, including Lexan, Makrolon, and Makroclear, are also known as plastic # 7. Its properties are that it is easily molded, has temperature resistance, stiffness, strength, and optical clarity, and is estimated to produce over 300 million tons of plastic worldwide. Nearly all of it is made from oil.
- Plastic #7 is used in sunglasses, iPod cases, computer cases, nylon, 3-—and 5-gallon water bottles, and bullet-proof materials. It is also recycled into plastic lumber and other custom-made products.
Some of the greatest concerns surround early-life, in-utero exposure to bisphenol compounds, which can lead to chromosomal errors in the developing fetus, causing spontaneous miscarriages and genetic damage.
However, the evidence is also very strong, showing that these chemicals influence adults and children too, thus leading to decreased sperm quality, early puberty, stimulation of mammary gland development, disrupted reproductive cycles and ovarian dysfunction, cancer, and heart disease, among numerous other health problems.
In A Nutshell
Plastic water bottles are everywhere in the water, air, and land. It is easy to grab when you need water to quench your thirst: at the office, gym, and beach.
Even though plastic water bottles are undeniably useful, they are dangerous because plastics are made of substances and harmful chemicals that are not recyclable and can cause damage to the environment.
Therefore, you must always avoid plastics when shopping or choosing your kids’ lunches. You would never want your children to swallow chemicals, would you?
Regardless of what plastic you use, not all plastics are created equal. Thus, avoiding exposing your plastics to high temperatures (microwave, dishwasher) and using mild detergents for cleaning is imperative.
There is no guarantee that plastics will not leach out harmful chemicals. The plastics industry has conformed to regulations by applying the required codes to consumer products. Still, it is up to individuals, the consumers, and the moms to read and understand the codes.
Understanding these simple classifications can help people use plastics to their advantage while minimizing the health and disposal issues that may otherwise arise.
Human health and the planet are paying the costs of using plastic water bottles. When will you ever learn to value life and our environment? It is the peak moment to act now. Throw that plastic water bottle now, change it to greener preferences, and never use it again.
Related articles about the Numbers Behind Plastic Bottles
Commercial Bottled Water
Recycle Numbers On The Bottom Of Plastics
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