4 ms·

How relevant is this for plastic food packaging?

readyplayernull 2y ago
> Typically, plasticizers are not chemically bound to the polymer, but can leak out over time and thus can affect humans and other organisms. I wouldn't risk heating food with any kind of plastic.
- londons_explore 2y ago
  I'd like to see a study of the dosage from heating food in plastic containers vs the risks from storing food in plastic for days or weeks while in the supermarket, or transporting water for food making in plastic pipes, or growing crops for human consumption in phthalate contaminated land, or eating food from cans lined with phthalates etc. There are so many potential sources, and it doesn't really make any sense to put effort into something that isn't a substantial source.
  - hinkley 2y ago
    See also high acid foods. It's one thing to store a slice of pie in a plastic bowl in the fridge. It's another to store spaghetti sauce.
stevenwoo 2y ago
Contact is enough to leech into food, though some are easier to leach into than others. Heat, time, acidity, fattiness increase rate of absorption. https://www.npr.org/2024/09/19/nx-s1-5116541/chemicals-from-food-packaging-leach-into-food-affecting-peoples-health https://www.npr.org/2024/09/19/nx-s1-5116541/chemicals-from-... I think since it eventually reaches ground water so everyone's water supply is at risk, we might consider that eliminating usage in one use packaging that is never recycled is better than thinking about individual use cases.
userbinator 2y ago
Vast majority of food packaging is plastics like PP and PE that don't use phthalates (or any other plasticiser) as they are naturally... plastic. PVC (soft) is the major application of plasticisers.
- nerdponx 2y ago
  PVC piping is becoming increasingly common in households in the USA.
  - blincoln 2y ago
    One more reason to use PEX instead of cPVC for supply lines? Or does PEX have phthalates in it as well?
  - userbinator 2y ago
    Hard PVC pipe does not contain plasticiser: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_pipework#uPVC_(unplasticized_Polyvinyl_Chloride) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_pipework#uPVC_(unplast...
- hinkley 2y ago
  Isn't cling wrap PVC?

> Typically, plasticizers are not chemically bound to the polymer, but can leak out over time and thus can affect humans and other organisms. I wouldn't risk heating food with any kind of plastic.

londons_explore 2y ago
I'd like to see a study of the dosage from heating food in plastic containers vs the risks from storing food in plastic for days or weeks while in the supermarket, or transporting water for food making in plastic pipes, or growing crops for human consumption in phthalate contaminated land, or eating food from cans lined with phthalates etc. There are so many potential sources, and it doesn't really make any sense to put effort into something that isn't a substantial source.
- hinkley 2y ago
  See also high acid foods. It's one thing to store a slice of pie in a plastic bowl in the fridge. It's another to store spaghetti sauce.

stevenwoo 2y ago

Contact is enough to leech into food, though some are easier to leach into than others. Heat, time, acidity, fattiness increase rate of absorption. https://www.npr.org/2024/09/19/nx-s1-5116541/chemicals-from-food-packaging-leach-into-food-affecting-peoples-health https://www.npr.org/2024/09/19/nx-s1-5116541/chemicals-from-... I think since it eventually reaches ground water so everyone's water supply is at risk, we might consider that eliminating usage in one use packaging that is never recycled is better than thinking about individual use cases.

userbinator 2y ago

Vast majority of food packaging is plastics like PP and PE that don't use phthalates (or any other plasticiser) as they are naturally... plastic. PVC (soft) is the major application of plasticisers.

nerdponx 2y ago
PVC piping is becoming increasingly common in households in the USA.
- blincoln 2y ago
  One more reason to use PEX instead of cPVC for supply lines? Or does PEX have phthalates in it as well?
- userbinator 2y ago
  Hard PVC pipe does not contain plasticiser: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_pipework#uPVC_(unplasticized_Polyvinyl_Chloride) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_pipework#uPVC_(unplast...
hinkley 2y ago
Isn't cling wrap PVC?