For a long time, plastics were seen as the material of the future. They can be made very strong and resistant to breaking, they can be formed into any shape and color, and they can be made with all sorts of textures and degrees of malleability and flexibility, they are lightweight, and they’re relatively inexpensive to produce.
I think we’re just beginning to see the problems caused by the long-term use of plastics. Plastics are completely manmade. They come from a lab, not from nature. And the chemicals that form them are destructive to our health, as well as the health of other animals and ecosystems that come in contact with them.
What’s inside plastics that is so bad? The chemicals used to make plastics are not healthy for our bodies. Bisphenol A BPA, phalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA): all of these substances are endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) that can alter hormone expression in all animals — human and nonhuman – that come in contact with them. They can mimic estrogen within your body, disrupt thyroid function, and act as anti-androgens. This can lead to cancers, immune system problems, birth defects, and developmental problems in children. BPA is also associated with obesity and insulin resistance as well as epigenetic issues, such as suppressing a gene that’s crucial for the proper development of the central nervous system as well as other neurodevelopmental disorders
In addition, some plastic compounds contain toxic metals, such as lead, cadmium and mercury. Other plastics are made of monomers, which have known mutation and cancer-causing properties. For example, Polystyrene (PS), #6 – also sometimes called Styrofoam, leaches styrene – a carcinogenic substance linked to an increased risk of leukemia and lymphoma as well as acting as a neurotoxin, among other things
Most plastics leach more chemicals if they’re heated, even to only moderate temperatures. For example, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), #1, leaches antimony and bromine even at room temperature, and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), #3, leaches into water at any temperature, releasing Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP) and other phtalates, which can impact our airways, immune systems, and female fertility, in addition to being known carcinogens. This makes plastics especially insidious if we’re using them for food storage, plan to keep them in a car, or even plan to utilize them outside in the sun. Boiling water, sunlight (UV rays), and microwaving have been shown to release greater amounts of these chemicals.
The Resin Identification Code (the number inside the triangle stamped onto your plastic container, ranging from one to seven) tells us what type of plastic we’re holding. While each type has its own risks, and studies have shown some to be more-harmful than others, none of them are completely without concern. The below table (put together by the Ecology Center) walks you through some of the various types of plastics, how they’re typically used, and their known health effects. And while there is some debate over how much plastic exposure will cause problems, we are all exposed to so much of it – in ways that we can and cannot control – that none of us are without risk.
Now that you understand the potential dangers of plastics, you’re probably wondering what to do next. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably rapidly calculating the humongous number of plastics that we encounter on a daily basis. Plastics are everywhere: in our cars, in our homes, and – most insidiously – on and around our foods. Soon, I’ll discuss some of the ways you can start removing plastics from your environment.
UPDATE article: 40 Ways to Reduce Plastic Exposure
This Adverse Health Effects Grid, put together by the Ecology Center, is a list of commonly used plastics and their known health effects. You can find more details on their site HERE.
| Plastic | Common Uses | Adverse Health Effects |
| Polyvinylchloride (#3PVC) | Food packaging, plastic wrap, containers for toiletries, cosmetics, crib bumpers, floor tiles, pacifiers, shower curtains, toys, water pipes, garden hoses, auto upholstery, inflatable swimming pools | Can cause cancer, birth defects, genetic changes, chronic bronchitis, ulcers, skin diseases, deafness, vision failure, indigestion, and liver dysfunction |
| Phthalates (DEHP, DINP, and others) | Softened vinyl products manufactured with phthalates include vinyl clothing, emulsion paint, footwear, printing inks, non-mouthing toys and children’s products, product packaging and food wrap, vinyl flooring, blood bags and tubing, IV containers and components, surgical gloves, breathing tubes, general purpose labware, inhalation masks, many other medical devices | Endocrine disruption, linked to asthma, developmental and reporoductive effects. Medical waste with PVC and pthalates is regularly incinerated causing public health effects from the relese of dioxins and mercury, including cancer, birth defects, hormonal changes, declining sperm counts, infertility, endometriosis, and immune system impairment. |
| Polycarbonate, with Bisphenol A (#7) | Water bottles | Scientists have linked very low doses of bisphenol A exposure to cancers, impaired immune function, early onset of puberty, obesity, diabetes, and hyperactivity, among other problems (Environment California) |
| Polystyrene | Many food containers for meats, fish, cheeses, yogurt, foam and clear clamshell containers, foam and rigid plates, clear bakery containers, packaging “peanuts”, foam packaging, audio cassette housings, CD cases, disposable cutlery, building insulation, flotation devices, ice buckets, wall tile, paints, serving trays, throw-away hot drink cups, toys | Can irritate eyes, nose and throat and can cause dizziness and unconsciousness. Migrates into food and stores in body fat. Elevated rates of lymphatic and hematopoietic cancers for workers. |
| Polyethelyne (#1 PET) | Water and soda bottles, carpet fiber, chewing gum, coffee stirrers, drinking glasses, food containers and wrappers, heat-sealed plastic packaging, kitchenware, plastic bags, squeeze bottles, toys | Suspected human carcinogen |
| Polyester | Bedding, clothing, disposable diapers, food packaging, tampons, upholstery | Can cause eye and respiratory-tract irritation and acute skin rashes |
| Urea-formaldehyde | Particle board, plywood, building insulation, fabric finishes | Formaldehyde is a suspected carcinogen and has been shown to cause birth defects and genetic changes. Inhaling formaldehyde can cause cough, swelling of the throat, watery eyes, breathing problems, headaches, rashes, tiredness |
| Polyurethane Foam | Cushions, mattresses, pillows | Bronchitis, coughing, skin and eye problems. Can release toluene diisocyanate which can produce severe lung problems |
| Acrylic | Clothing, blankets, carpets made from acrylic fibers, adhesives, contact lenses, dentures, floor waxes, food preparation equipment, disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, paints | Can cause breathing difficulties, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, weakness, headache and fatigue |
| Tetrafluoro- ethelyne | Non-stick coating on cookware, clothes irons, ironing board covers, plumbing and tools | Can irritate eyes, nose and throat and can cause breathing difficulties |
Sources:
Dvorsky, George (2013) How to Recognize the Plastics that are Hazardous to your Health.
Ecology Center. Adverse Health Effects of Plastics.
Hand, Larry (2010) Plastics: Danger where we least expect it. Harvard School of Public Health.
Hoffman, Matthew (2008) Pots, Pans, and Plastics: A shoppers guide to food safety.
National Resources Defense Council (2001) Endocrine Disruptors.
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