Monday, December 7, 2009

How to identify safer plastics

It's not advisable to microwave plastic but sometimes the omnipresence of plastic makes it harder to eschew. Nicholas Kristof column gives an excellent view on the genesis of cancer from the kitchen:

"I asked these doctors what they do in their own homes to reduce risks. They said that they avoid microwaving food in plastic or putting plastics in the dishwasher, because heat may cause chemicals to leach out. And the symposium handed out a reminder card listing “safer plastics” as those marked (usually at the bottom of a container) 1, 2, 4 or 5.
It suggests that the “plastics to avoid” are those numbered 3, 6 and 7 (unless they are also marked “BPA-free”). Yes, the evidence is uncertain, but my weekend project is to go through containers in our house and toss out 3’s, 6’s and 7’s."

First thing I did was went to the kitchen and checked those plastics and luckily all of them were marked 5 but I am going to stop microwaving with them anyways.

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