Been wondering about no.5 plastic?

[Guest guest]

'Poster's Comment: Safer' does not mean 'safe'. And it used to be 'not

known' that PVCs are toxic, but that didn't change that the fact that they are

toxic.

Been wondering about no.5 plastic?

_http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/ask/sloan2_

(http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/ask/sloan2)

Chances are you are not the only one with a question or two about the

health, safety, environmental or social impact of the products you choose or

even

everyday behaviors or lifestyle decisions. The Green Guide Institute has

received many questions from interested, concerned readers like yourself and

attempts to the best of our ability to answer all of them. Here's just such a

Q & A

on plastics. Click here to send us your question.

Jennifer of Tucson, Arizona writes:

Hello. You all have such wonderful, comprehensive information, and I am

having a hard time coming up with an answer about #5 plastic anywhere else (it

is

also known as " PP " and Polypropylene). I know it is not commonly recyclable,

as you stated in your current issue, however, I am wondering about its

toxicity. I take great pains to be thorough in my efforts to be pure, so when I

saw that the lid for my reusable, portable, stainless-steel drink cup was made

of #5 plastic, (which is sipped through), I was naturally concerned. Do you

have anymore information on this subject? I can't find any anywhere else. Thank

you very much.

The Green Guide's Research Editor, Allison Sloan, replies:

Hi Jennifer,

Thanks for contacting The Green Guide regarding one of our all-time favorite

topics: plastics! Based on current knowledge, polypropylene is one of the

safer plastics. It is not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of

causing cancer or disrupting the hormones, and it's not made with chlorine and

so doesn't produce dioxin when it's made or incinerated. One of the main

problems with giving any plastic a blanket " safe " recommendation is that not

enough health and safety research has been conducted on chemicals that leach.

That said, if we learn anything new that would change this recommendation,

we'll

be sure to report it in the newsletter.

Best wishes,

Allison Sloan

Research Editor, The Green Guide