Plastics “Recycling” Codes:
| 1 | PET or PETE | (Polyethylene Terephthalate) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | HDPE | (High Density Polyethylene) |
| 3 | V | (Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC) |
| 4 | LDPE | (Low Density Polyethylene) |
| 5 | PP | (Polypropylene) |
| 6 | PS | (Polystyrene) |
| 7 | Other | (multi-layered plastics) |
General Information
Plastic & Climate: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet (2019 report discussion the plastics production chain, climate impacts and best waste management options for plastics)
Mother Jones magazine reporting
- A Frightening Field Guide to Common Plastics
- The Scary New Evidence on BPA-Free Plastics
- These Popular Plastic Bottles May Be Messing With Your Hormones
The Problems with Plastics (Ecology Center)
Mindfully.org’s Plastic page and history of Plastics.
Plastics that May Be Harmful to Children and Reproductive Health
Warhurst: Chemicals which have been implicated as hormone disrupters (Phthalates, Alkylphenols, Bisphenol-A and more)
BPA-Free Does Not Mean Safe. Most Plastics Leach Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals
Story of Stuff project videos:
Toxic metals in plastics
- Toxic chromium (Cr) in plastic bags: Flow analysis of metals in a municipal solid waste management system 2006 study shows that “Approximately 30% of Cr originated from plastic packaging.” and that “Cr content was extremely high in plastic shopping bags, whose contribution ratio to Cr in plastic packaging was about 80%.”
- Toxic lead is also found in PVC plastics, used as a stabilizer, even in childrens’ toys and PVC venetian blinds
- Toxic antimony can leach from PET plastic, like common water bottles. See links below.
- Antimony (Sb), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr) and other metals found in plastics in this 2000 study published in the Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry: Characterization of Inorganic Components in Plastic Materials
Recycling
- Plastics Recycling: Youre Doing it Wrong. And So is Everybody Else!
- Recycling Plastics: An Oxymoron
- Seven Misconceptions about Plastic and Plastic Recycling (Berkeley Plastics Task Force)
Specific Plastics
#1 (PET):
- Polyethylene
- Polyethylene Terephthalate Migration and Toxicity
- [The migration of acetaldehyde from polyethylene terephthalate bottles for fresh beverages containing carbonic acid] (1990 German study); Acetaldehyde is toxic and causes cancer
- Endocrine Disruptors: Estrogens in a Bottle? (Environmental Health Perspectives journal, 2009)
- Endocrine-disrupting compounds: a review of their challenge to sustainable and safe water supply and water reuse (Environmental Health Perspectives journal, 2006)
- PET bottles potential health hazard
- Toxic antimony leaches into water from PET bottles:
Toxic antimony species found in beverages stored in PET containers (2006)- Detection of antimony species in citrus juices and drinking water stored in PET containers
- Contamination of Canadian and European bottled waters with antimony from PET containers.
- Contamination of bottled waters with antimony leaching from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) increases upon storage.
#5 (PP):
#7 (Other):
Teflon
- Mother Jones: Did 3M and DuPont ignore evidence of health risks?
- Teflon mystery raises safety questions
- Environmental Working Group: PFCs Global Contaminants
http://www.ejnet.org/plastics/