what do those numbers on plastic containers mean?

hi all,
did you ever wonder what those numbers.. 1, 2, 7.. on your plastic containers mean?
there is so much to learn about plastic!
here is some info from the national geographic green guide:

Plastic Containers

What To Look For

Plastic is the most widely used material in the United States, and it crops up in everything from toys to clothes to food containers. But not all plastics are created equal, particularly in regards to food storage: Some plastics can transmit chemicals into your food, while others are perfectly safe [Kerry's note: safe for sea turtles?].

Before you know which type of plastic container to buy the next time you hit the store, you first need to know how to tell them apart. Plastics are typically classified by a number from #1 to #7, each number representing a different type of resin. That number is usually imprinted on the bottom of your container; flip it upside down, and you'll see a recycling triangle with the number in the middle.

Here's a quick breakdown of plastic resin types:

#1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)
Product examples: Disposable soft drink and water bottles, cough-syrup bottles

#2 high density polyethylene (HDPE)/
Product examples: Milk jugs, toys, liquid detergent bottles, shampoo bottles

#3 polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC)
Product examples: Meat wrap, cooking oil bottles, plumbing pipes

#4 low density polyethylene (LDPE)
Product examples: Cling wrap, grocery bags, sandwich bags

#5 polypropylene (PP)
Product examples: Syrup bottles, yogurt cups/tubs, diapers

#6 polystyrene (PS)
Product examples: Disposable coffee cups, clam-shell take-out containers

#7 other (misc.; usually polycarbonate, or PC, but also polylactide, or PLA, plastics made from renewable resources)
Product examples: Baby bottles, some reusable water bottles, stain-resistant food-storage containers, medical storage containers

Now that you know what each of the numbers represents, here are the kinds you should look for at the store:

Safer Plastics

#2HDPE, #4LDPE and #5PP

These three types of plastic are the healthiest. They transmit no known chemicals into your food and they're generally recyclable; #2 is very commonly accepted by municipal recycling programs, but you may have a more difficult time finding someone to recycle your #4 and #5 containers.

#1 PET

#1 bottles and containers are fine for single use [Kerry's note: what is fine about single use???] and are widely accepted by municipal recyclers. You won't find many reusable containers made from #1, but they do exist. It's also best to avoid reusing #1 plastic bottles; water and soda bottles in particular are hard to clean, and because plastic is porous, these bottles absorb flavors and bacteria that you can't get rid of.

PLA

PLA (polylactide) plastics are made from renewable resources such as corn, potatoes and sugar cane and anything else with a high starch content. The starch is converted into polylactide acid (PLA). Although you can't recycle these plant-based plastics, you can compost them in a municipal composter or in your backyard compost heap. Most decompose in about twelve days unlike conventional plastic, which can take up to 100 years.

Plastics to Avoid

#3 PVC

#3 polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is often used frequently in cling wraps for meat. However, PVC contains softeners called phthalates that interfere with hormonal development, and its manufacture and incineration release dioxin, a potent carcinogen and hormone disruptor. Vinyl chloride, the primary building block of PVC, is a known human carcinogen that also poses a threat to workers during manufacture.

#6 PS

Extruded polystyrene (#6 PS; commonly known as Styrofoam) is used in take-out containers and cups, and non-extruded PS is used in clear disposable takeout containers, disposable plastic cutlery and cups. Both forms of PS can leach styrene into food; styrene is considered a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. It may also disrupt hormones or affect reproduction.

#7 PC

#7 Polycarbonate (PC) is found in baby bottles, 5-gallon water bottles, water-cooler bottles and the epoxy linings of tin food cans. PC is composed of a hormone-disrupting chemical called bisphenol A, which has been linked to a wide variety of problems such as cancer and obesity.

Source: http://www.thegreenguide.com/products/Kitchen/Plastic_Containers

No plastic for me doc

I have been very busy this last week finishing up my materials to turn in for my doctoral competency exams. And now I can say I have turned everything in...with as little plastic as possible (I did have to turn in a CD, no two ways about that). Some people put together three-ring binders (plastic of course) to house all the papers we had to submit, but not I. I just put everything in a good old manila envelope. Why use plastic when you don't need to? Besides I'm being judged on the content of my materials not the glossy plastic packaging...right?

racing without plastic

Our course got flooded, so we ran today instead.
At the last minute, I decided my Sigg would be too heavy to run with.
So I re-used the same waxy paper cup for the whole 2 hours of racing.
At each water station I asked them to pour the water right into my cup.
Compared to the hassle of running half a marathon on muddy trails, it was really no trouble at all, and I must have saved at LEAST 10 cups.

If you read this blog you know that Erin and I dislike wasteful one-time use products more than anything, so today was a major victory in the crusade against OTU!

pictures to come.

running without plastic

I'm running a half marathon tomorrow morning, and I'm going to do it without plastic!! This means no plastic water bottles and no cups at the water stations. I'll bring my Sigg and I haven't totally hammered out my plan for water stations, but I may bring a small cup that I can re-use.

I'll let you know how it goes, and cross your fingers that the race doesn't get cancelled because of Hurricane Hanna!

Small victories + small questions=small changes

Today I drank punch from my travel tea mug at a welcome reception because the alternative was a plastic cup.  I was thirsty and wanted punch.  I think people noticed, but no one said anything.  I walked away happy, thirst quenched and victorious over the plastic cup menace.

I was taken out to lunch with my new internship cohort by our supervisors and the place we went to served everything on plastic.  I asked at the counter if they had nonplastic, what I like to call "dish washer" plates, but they didn't.  I took as little plastic as possible--a plate and bowl.  I was happy I at least asked and will bring my own plate if we go out there again.

Every new day brings another chance to make small changes.

Art to inspire change

Chris Jordan's art is amazingly moving. How can you not try to make changes in your life to reduce plastic after seeing these images? This is truly inspirational art!

Cell Phones, 2007
Depicts 426,000 cell phones, equal to the number of cell phones retired in the US every day.

Up close.


Plastic Bottles, 2007
Depicts two million plastic beverage bottles, the number used in the US every five minutes.

Up close.


Check out more of this amazing art at http://www.chrisjordan.com/

A very plastic-y move

At a certain point I just had to let go. A plastic-free move is just going to have to wait for a plastic-less world and that world just does not exist right now. Everything I needed to help set up the new place is either plastic or wrapped in plastic, for example: curtains and curtain rods(metal rods do not need to go in plastic!), cleaning supplies (at least I bought environmentally happy Mrs. Meyers), a vacuum (all plastic), paper towels (wrapped in plastic-this is why I don't buy them often), book shelf pieces for assembly (all wrapped in plastic), Internet hook-up thing...the list goes on, and on, and on! It is depressing. Why does everything need to be encased in plastic? My plastic usage heap grew exponentially this weekend and that does not make me happy. I did buy wood/metal alternatives where ever possible and found brief glimpses of satisfaction in those purchases. One purchase that made me particularly happy was my organic cotten shower curtain...it is so tightly woven I don't even need to buy a plastic liner for the shower now-yeay!