Harm of plastic for humans and the environment. Plastic pollution of the planet. Is there life without plastic? Which plastic is harmful to humans

Plastic is so deeply “ingrained” into our reality that we simply cannot imagine our existence without it. Think about how many things and objects made from this synthetic material surround us in everyday life. On the other hand, more and more often these days they talk about the dangers of plastic bottles, dishes and other products, both for human health and for the environment. This article talks in detail about plastic, its varieties and labels, as well as the possibilities of recycling plastic products.

What is plastic

The names "plastic" and "plastic" come from the word "plastic". This means that this material is able to form a certain shape as a result of heating and retain it after cooling. The general name "plastics" refers to a number of organic materials based on high-molecular compounds - polymers.

The production of synthetic plastics is based on polymerization and polycondensation reactions of certain substances. It can be benzene, phenol, ethylene or acetylene. The set of mechanical and physical properties of plastics is approximately the same as that of metals (density, hardness, brittleness, heat resistance, etc.).

In general, plastics are characterized by low strength, relatively low density (no more than 1.8 g/cm 3 ), high resistance to moisture, acids and some solvents. When heated, they usually decompose. Plastics are much more brittle than most metals.

A bit of history

Parkesin was obtained by Parkes from cellulose, by treating the latter with nitric acid and a solvent. The revolutionary new substance was nicknamed "ivory". Parkes planned to mass-produce parkesine and established his own company, the Parkesine Company. However, the company quickly went bankrupt, as the quality of its products was not so good.

Commercial use of plastic began only after the Second World War. Mass production of plastic bottles began in the 1960s. Very quickly they gained wild popularity, both among consumers and manufacturers.

Production of plastic products

Today in the world there are many enterprises producing sweet drinks, mineral water and alcohol. All of them, of course, need a huge amount of appropriate plastic containers. How are plastic bottles made? How complex is this manufacturing process?

The raw material for the production of plastic bottles is granulated polyethylene terephthalate (PET for short). The substance is loaded into a special machine (injection molding machine), where a blank (preform) with thick walls and a formed neck is obtained from it. Then it is placed in the desired shape and a steel tube is introduced there. Through it, air is supplied to the preform under high pressure, which evenly distributes the melt along the walls of the mold.

The mold is then cooled down. The final stage is the removal of all defects obtained by the flow of plastic along the cracks of the mold. After that, the finished bottle is removed from the mold and sent for sorting. It is important to note that in the process of manufacturing plastic bottles, about 25% of the products are rejected and recycled.

Another key feature of plastic production is its energy intensity. So, for the manufacture of one thousand plastic bottles, you will need to spend up to 10 kW of electricity.

Harm of plastic bottles

Excessive cheapness and ease of use of plastic turned into other significant problems for humanity. The harm from plastic bottles and other products made from this material is enormous. Moreover, both for the environment and for the health of the human body.

Almost all plastic food containers contain various harmful substances and toxins. The most common are phthalate and bisphenol-A. Through food and drink, they enter the digestive system and are carried by the blood throughout the body. Toxins found in plastic food containers can affect our bodies in the following ways:

Disrupt hormonal balance.
They accumulate in the liver, gradually destroying its cells.
Reduce the defenses of the body's immune system.
Deteriorate the work of the heart and circulatory system.
Provoke the development of cancer cells.

Many people ask: is it possible to store alcoholic beverages (for example, beer or wine) in plastic bottles? The answer is unequivocal: no. Alcohol is an active chemical medium. Alcohol, being in prolonged contact with polymers, begins to interact with them. You yourself will feel the result of such an interaction when you try plastic wine: synthetic “notes” will clearly be present in the drink.

The same thing happens with beer. In plastic bottles, methyl alcohol absorbs all harmful toxins, turning into a real "organic solvent". Plastic containers cause maximum harm to the body when they heat up. So, for example, polystyrene (one of the varieties of plastic) when heated to 35-40 degrees turns, in fact, into poison. By the way, in many European countries you can hardly find beer in plastic for sale.

Thus, alcoholic beverages are best stored in glass or porcelain containers. Plastic bottles for water (still) are relatively harmless and harmless. However, it is strongly not recommended to reuse such a container.

The harm of plastic bottles and packaging containers for humans largely depends on the labeling of the products themselves. It is worth dwelling on this issue in more detail.

Labeling of food grade plastics

Are you ready to go plastic-free just yet? Then learn how to choose products from it with minimal damage to your health. Special labeling of food plastics will help you with this. It has the form of a triangle, consisting of three arrows. The number placed inside it, as well as the letter symbols under the figure, will tell you what type of plastic a particular product was made of.

So, take a plastic container or bottle and inspect it carefully. It must have one of the following signs:

No. 1 PET (or PETE) - polyethylene terephthalate. Relatively harmless. The most common type of plastic used in the filling of soft drinks and liquid products. Recyclable.
No. 2 HDPE (or PE HD) - high density polyethylene. Plastic with a low level of danger, although the possibility of the release of formaldehyde, a substance that provokes genetic disorders and changes in hormonal levels, is not ruled out. It is often used in the manufacture of bags, disposable tableware, containers for milk and dairy products.
No. 3 PVC (or V) - polyvinyl chloride. Technical plastic used in the production of plastic windows, pipes, furniture parts, etc. Not suitable for food use.
No. 4 LDPE - low density polyethylene. Garbage bags, CDs, linoleum are made from this cheap and relatively safe plastic. It is harmless to humans, but causes significant damage to the environment.
No. 5 PP - polypropylene. Of all, it is considered the safest. It is often used to make children's toys, medical supplies, and food containers.
No. 6 PS - polystyrene. It is used in the production of a wide range of products - meat and vegetable trays, sandwich panels, yogurt cups, etc. May release styrene, which is considered a dangerous carcinogen. Experts recommend minimizing the use of this type of plastic.
No. 7 O (or OTHER) - all others (in particular, polyamide and polycarbonate). With strong heating, they can release bisphenol-A, a rather dangerous substance that provokes hormonal disruptions in the human body.

Plastic and ecology

Plastics are perhaps one of the most controversial materials. On the one hand, it is a very cheap and convenient material that has found wide application in medicine. Every day, plastic products help save thousands of lives, and it's true. But on the other hand, plastic waste has been rapidly polluting our planet in recent decades. Here is a list of seven impressive facts that will help you realize the scale of this environmental problem:

It takes up to 500 years for one piece of plastic to completely decompose.
Up to 40% of all plastic waste is bottles.
When buying water in a plastic bottle, you pay approximately 90% exclusively for the container.
In Europe, only 2.5% of the total mass of plastic is recycled.
In the US, this figure is 27%, and this is still the highest figure in the world.
13 billion plastic bottles are produced in the world every year.
Every year, about 150 tons of various plastic garbage is thrown into the ocean.

"Garbage Islands": realize the scale of pollution

Pay special attention to the last point. In 2014, environmentalists estimated that there were about 270 thousand tons of plastic waste on the surface of the oceans. And in 2017, Dr. Jennifer Lavers discovered that the coast of the uninhabited island of Henderson, located in the Pacific Ocean, is literally littered with garbage. The pollution index here reaches 670 objects per square meter. Both numbers are amazing!

So much plastic debris has accumulated in the oceans that they have already formed several "spots" or islands: two each in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and one more is located in the Indian. The largest of these is the so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch (Eastern Garbage Patch). Sometimes it is also called the "Eastern Garbage Continent".

The Pacific Garbage Patch is located approximately between 35° and 42° north latitude and between 135° and 155° west longitude. It occupies a relatively stable patch of ocean with an area of 700,000 square kilometers (roughly the size of Turkey). was first discovered in 1988. The whirlpools of the Pacific Current System bring debris and waste from all over the North Pacific Ocean, including the coastal regions of the United States and Japan.

Of course, a garbage patch is not a solid carpet of household waste. According to studies, there is at least 5 mg of whole or partially decomposed plastic per square meter of water surface here. Jellyfish and fish often mistake it for food, confusing it with plankton. Suffer from the plastic pollution of the oceans and birds. So, in the stomachs of dead albatrosses, bottle caps, lighters and other "benefits" of human civilization are often found.

Rejection of plastic and polyethylene: environmental trends of the XXI century

The accumulation of plastic waste in the environment adversely affects the habitat of many animals, contaminates water and soil. Moreover, two things are considered the main enemies of our planet - plastic bottles and disposable plastic bags.

Measures aimed at reducing the plastic pollution of the Earth have long been implemented in various regions and countries. First of all, they are aimed at the collection of plastic bottles, their sorting and recycling, as well as the overall reduction in the consumption of plastic products in the world.

According to environmentalists, every year humanity uses about 4 trillion plastic bags for its domestic needs! As of 2017, about 40 countries of the world have already completely abandoned their production and operation. Among them are states that are quite "advanced" in ecological terms (France, Denmark, Australia, Finland), and, surprisingly, third world countries (for example, Rwanda and Tanzania).

But, one way or another, humanity is not yet ready to completely abandon plastic and polyethylene. Therefore, the centralized reception of plastic bottles (and other waste), as well as their sorting and further processing, plays an extremely important role in each country. For example, in the United States, almost every waste collection point has special containers for collecting plastic products.

Plastic recycling

As mentioned above, the period of complete decomposition of plastic containers can last up to 500 years. It is quite obvious that our planet can turn into one global dump even before it has time to completely “digest” all those deposits of plastic that mankind has already produced.

That is why the industrial processing of products from this material is so important. In addition, PET raw materials can be reused an unlimited number of times. There are also special technologies that make it possible to obtain automotive fuel from plastic raw materials.

But most often plastic is processed into the so-called "granulate". And this process includes several successive stages:

Reception of plastic bottles and other containers, as well as their sorting.
Cleaning PET products from debris and dirt (an extremely important step, because poor-quality removal of dirt and glue from bottles adversely affects the quality of the final product).
The use of crushing equipment and the transformation of plastic into small crumbs.
Re-cleaning (washing) of plastic crumbs from contamination.
Drying and thermal processing of crumbs (agglomeration).
Granulation of the received material to particles of the necessary size.

Necessary equipment

For the first stage of plastic processing (sorting and pressing), it is necessary to have only two units:

Conveyor (or sorting table).
Press machine.

Labels, caps and rings from bottles in this case, as a rule, are removed manually.

Further processing requires a wider range of equipment. This:

Vibrating sieve (removes debris and solid impurities).
Conveyor (sorts raw materials).
Crusher (crushes plastic into small fractions).
Centrifuge (dries the plastic).
Extruder (processes plastic crumb into granulate or other product of a given shape).

The list of optional equipment includes:

dispenser.
Rinsing bath.
Friction screw.
Container for soaking flex.

The minimum cost of one processing line is about 4 million rubles. Domestic equipment is much cheaper (about 1.5 million rubles). However, it is more likely to break down and is less productive. Leading companies in the production of plastic recycling equipment: Herbold, Sorema, Redoma, Shredder.

Finally…

Planet Earth is rapidly becoming polluted with plastic waste. Real garbage islands the size of large states drift in the Ocean. One of the most obvious solutions to this global environmental problem lies in the complex processing of already produced plastic and the complete (or partial) refusal to produce new plastic containers. Many countries of the world are already actively working in this direction.

Many families have plastic dishes in everyday life: salad bowls, plates, mugs, etc. are very convenient to use, easy to clean and do not break. But few of us think about the safety of such a comfortable type of dishes and containers in the kitchen as plastic. But they are in contact with the products that are eaten. Housewives always read the composition of products, but very rarely pay attention to the composition and quality of packaging and containers for storing food and drinks.

In this article, we will try to figure out whether food-grade plastic is harmful and whether dishes made from this material pose a health hazard.

Types of plastic

Plastic is a material made on the basis of synthetic or natural macromolecular compounds and is characterized by a wide range of applications. The most common types of plastic are:

PVC,
polyethylene,
polypropylene,
polystyrene
polycarbonate.

All polymers are obtained by polymerization - i.e. "crosslinking" of short molecules of a substance into longer chains. Upon heating, damage, aging, contact with other substances, these chains break and monomers of the main substance enter the air or food.

How long can plastic utensils be used

Absolutely all types of plastics are subject to destruction when:

aging (they break down, releasing decay products)
damage (cracks, scratches)
heating to critical temperatures (see below)
exposure to alkaline detergents
contact with alcohols
contact with fats.

Reusable plastic products for food can be used for their intended purpose no more than 1 year(provided that their integrity is maintained - without cracks and scratches). Disposable tableware should not be stored with food for more than 3-4 hours after packaging, the more used the second time.

How to determine that plastic is aging? It becomes cloudy, absorbs odors, is poorly washed, unpleasant to the touch. These products can no longer be used. Even if there are only a couple of scratches on the plastic, it is no longer suitable for food purposes.

Harm of plastic

Polymers are inert by nature and non-toxic, which is why they are used for the production of dishes - they do not get into food products. But!!!

By itself, pure plastic is brittle and unstable to high and low temperatures. And in order to give it proper properties, stabilizers are added: the plastic becomes stronger, but also more toxic.
Solvents, technological additives and intermediate substances of production and products of chemical decomposition of the polymer, under certain conditions, get into food and have a toxic effect on the body.

Depending on the type of plastic (see table below), certain toxic substances may be released:

Formaldehyde has a carcinogenic, mutagenic and allergenic effect, negatively affects the reproductive system, affects internal organs and the central nervous system (see).
Phthalates - increase systolic pressure, lead to infertility.
Methanol is the most dangerous poison, affects the organs of vision and the central nervous system, causes chronic intoxication.
Vinyl chloride is a neurotropic poison with carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic effects.
Styrene is a dangerous carcinogen. It has a negative impact on the reproductive system, affects the central and peripheral nervous system, disrupts metabolism and the hematopoietic system.
Bisphenol A - accumulates in the body, causing irreversible changes in the reproductive system, increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, as well as the likelihood of oncology. Causes various complications of pregnancy.
Vinyl chloride - is released during the aging process from a polyvinyl chloride bottle, refers to neurotropic poisons and carcinogens, mutagens and teratogens. When ingested, it turns into chlorepoxyethylene and can provoke the development of cancer of the lungs, brain, liver, lymphatic and hematopoietic systems. The longer the drink bottle is stored (and often this period is 12 months), the more PVC will be in the contents, and the beginning of this migration begins as early as a week after the bottle is filled at the factory.

There is no protective layer in disposable plastic, however, as in reusable plastic - this is a myth that is designed to console our minds. Just a scratch on the dishes can already cause the plastic components to migrate into the food.

Cons of recycled plastic

Another downside is the spread recycling of plastics. In this regard, it is not always possible to identify the composition of the material and the release from it. Therefore, it is so important when buying plastic packaging or products in it to pay attention to the inscription on the bottom - this is a mandatory attribute of certified products. However, not all manufacturers label the goods as expected, and not all goods on the shelves of Russia are certified. Which creates an even bigger problem for the consumer when choosing plastic products.

Some research by scientists on the dangers of plastic

Russian scientists say that certified plastic utensils are absolutely safe, but only if used correctly and replaced in a timely manner.

American researchers claim that the presence of about 80% of "plastic" substances in the human body is the result of the use of building and finishing materials made of plastic, as well as its use in everyday life, and most of all in dishes.

Substance diethylhexyl phthalate, which is used to soften plastics, is associated with an increased risk of:

the development of obesity
cardiovascular disease,
and infertility in boys.

So, children with obesity had an increased level of this substance in the blood. Despite the fact that in the last decade the impact of diethylhexylphthalate on the body of expectant mothers has decreased by about 50%, these risks still exist.

Phthalates:

They lead to an increase in systolic pressure: after a survey of more than 3,000 children who were constantly in contact with plastic products, an increase in the level of phthalates in the urine by 3 times and an increase in blood pressure were found.
During their study, the team looked at data from nearly 800 women and their children. It has been confirmed that if the mother's body was exposed to phthalates in the first trimester of pregnancy, the born boys had a higher risk of developing infertility. Boys may be born with a shorter anogenital distance, which is directly related to infertility and poor sperm quality.
There is no safe level of exposure to phthalates for pregnant women. In order to completely eliminate this substance, one should not only refuse to use plastic dishes in everyday life, but also not use products packed in plastic packaging.
Phthalates will still surround a person - they are in wallpaper, personal care products, medical devices and almost everywhere, but in this form they are less dangerous.

Bisphenol A:

In 2015, scientists from the Saudi Arabian Science Campus conducted a study that proved the harmful effects of bisphenol A on the liver of experimental rats and their offspring. The work focuses on the fact that the presence of bisphenol A in the body can cause genetic damage to DNA.
Bisphenol A scientists attributed to the "multi-stage" carcinogen, which accumulates in the body and has a negative effect both in the body and in offspring. Empirically, the danger of certain concentrations of a substance was clarified. It turned out that even very low concentrations can lead to harmful effects on the health of a person and his children (see).
Studies that were conducted at several foreign institutes with the participation of the US Environmental Protection Agency showed that out of 204 experimental samples of food products (canned food), 73% of them contained the presence of bisphenol A (extracted from the resins that cover the inner layer of metal cans ). At the moment, alternative coatings are being developed that could replace epoxy resins. But in any case, glass is considered the most environmentally friendly container for conservation.
Australian scientists conducted an experiment - examined the urine of volunteers, including pregnant women and children who drink bottled water (which is sold in large bottles). Bisphenol A was found in 95% of them. Yes, under normal conditions, plastic does not release chemical elements into the water, but if the water is heated even a few degrees above room temperature, the “migration” of chemistry from the plastic into the water begins.

Tritan bottles

Tritan is a heat-resistant transparent polymer developed by the American company Eastman in 2007. Billed as a "healthy, ultra-safe" plastic. Literally immediately after the presentation, a line of baby bottles was released from tritan, which quickly spread throughout the world. Currently, tritan is used by many American companies for the manufacture of industrial products, utensils, including 19-liter bottles for water. The material is in high demand in third world countries, where consumers are more concerned about the price of goods than about their own safety.

Eastman was founded by Dr. Andrew Weil, who promotes alternative medicine, including urine therapy. In 2014, chemicals used to manufacture plastics leaked from the facility, polluting water in West Virginia and depriving 300,000 people of drinking water for a month.

The popularity of tritan abroad is more likely due to the lack of alternatives than the sound safety of plastic. Consumers categorically refused to use polycarbonate bottles that emit Bisphenol A, and in the PET container market, demand exceeds supply by 3 times. Companies are forced to buy expensive materials suitable for bottle blowing. Tritan is not seen as a competitor to PET in the US, and companies with access to PET are buying it. Tritan is used only by companies that, due to lack of supply, are unable to purchase PET.

Eastman has repeatedly claimed to have thoroughly tested the safety of Tritan, but the methods used in the studies were not up to business standards. In 2008, Eastman partnered with Sciences International, a science company that lost a high-profile lawsuit. They conducted research for the tobacco industry and misinformed consumers about the side effects of new types of cigarettes for 2 years, which led to several deaths.

Meanwhile, Tritan contains synthetic estrogen triphenyl phosphate, or CHP, which is more harmful than Bisphenol A. But Eastman did not test Tritan as a single element, but split it into several components. CHP was not included in the list of analyzed factors, although it is the most dangerous component of Tritan.

Eastman has done another study involving breast cancer cells, and already the first results were positive for estrogenic activity. The company's researcher released the results for synthetic estrogens as negative, although they were positive. This was told by Michael Denison, professor of toxicology at the University of California at Davis, who evaluated the Eastman Tritan safety report as an independent expert.

In parallel, PlastiPure was also researching tritan, also looking for a safer alternative to polycarbonate. As a result, it was found that the components of tritan are more dangerous to human health than Bisphenol A. Different types of tritan (and there are as many as 5 of them) emit harmful chemicals when exposed to ultraviolet radiation.

In 2010, Eastman began marketing campaigns claiming that Tritan did not contain synthetic estrogens. In early 2010, Philips Avent, a leader in baby bottles and non-spill cups, wanted to see if they could do their own research on tritan, but for unknown reasons abandoned the idea. In the same year, Nestlé researched tritan and found extremely harmful leached synthetic estrogen in it, but, in agreement with the manufacturer, did not publish these results.

Today, Eastman is pursuing litigation with independent labs that provide evidence of the dangers of tritan.

Characteristics of the main types of plastic

The table shows:

Comparative characteristics of plastics used for food products, and the potential risks associated with their use - these data do not mean at all that all food in plastic and utensils from it are deadly dangerous, but harm, unfortunately, is not excluded (the probability of which increases many times with improper use or recycling of disposable products) .
Average softening temperature of plastic- this is the temperature at which the destruction of the polymer begins and the active release of toxic substances into food and air.
The digital designation is in a triangle of arrows- it should be sought at the bottom.

Name	Designation, softening point	Where is used	What might stand out
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET, number 1) The most environmentally friendly polymer, but nevertheless, when recycled or misused, it can release harmful substances	from 245 С	Disposable "soft" bottles for water and drinks, oils, sauces, beer, disposable tableware	Phthalates and formaldehyde
Polyethylene of high (HDPE, number 2) and low density (LDPE, number 4) containing melamine-formaldehyde resins	High density polyethylene from 80C low from 60 С	Packaging for dairy products, reusable tableware, baby bottles, food film, food bags	Formaldehyde and methanol, which are released during photoaging (with prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light)
Polyvinyl chloride (number 3, PVC)	from 75 С	Disposable bottles and caps for them, food film, containers, but more often - bottles for household chemicals	Vinyl chloride, formaldehyde, bisphenol A
Polypropylene (PP, number 5). Relatively safe and most common. There are high, medium and low pressure, only 1 type is allowed for food packaging.	from 140 С	Jars, containers and food containers, glasses can be colored. Reusable tableware.	Formaldehyde, especially in contact with fatty foods and alcohol
Polystyrene (PS, number 6)	from 90 C	Disposable cups, food packaging trays (similar to Styrofoam), jars for dairy products, forks, spoons, disposable knives, disposable containers	Styrene and formaldehyde
Polycarbonate (PC or PC)	from 220 С	Reusable and disposable bottles, including baby bottles, plastic tableware, plastic parts of pacifiers, inner layer of metal cans for canned food	Bisphenol A
Melamine (Melsage, Melamine, M). Prohibited for the food industry!	Melamine melts at 350 C.	Dishes that look very similar to porcelain	Formaldehyde
Mixtures of plastics (number 7). This includes polycarbonate, polyamide and other types of plastics.		Water bottles, packaging	Bisphenol A, formaldehyde and others, summing up the negative effect

ABS plastic and San plastic is harmful or not?

These types of plastic not used for food. SAN plastic is a styrene copolymer, the same as ABS plastic. It is a rigid, heat-resistant plastic of several classes, which is mainly used for industrial and domestic purposes, but not for products that come into contact with food and drinks. In the temperature range from -40 C to +80 C, both types of plastic do not change their properties and do not emit chemical elements into the environment. In addition, they withstand short-term heating up to 105 C. But they cannot be used for food products.

Plastik San	ABS plastic
Acrylonitrile is a carcinogen. In case of acute action, it causes irritation of the eyes, upper respiratory tract, and adversely affects the reproductive system. The conditions under which these substances would be released from the plastic is a violation of the specified temperature range. styrene - see above	butadiene - a gas with an unpleasant odor that enters the body through the respiratory system, irritates the mucous membranes and has a narcotic effect. Causes chronic neurasthenia, dermatitis, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and upper respiratory tract. styrene acrylonitrile.

Marking

Plastic, which is used for the production of utensils and products in contact with food (food grade plastic), is subject to certification and undergoes a mandatory examination for compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards.

Manufacturers of food grade plastics are required to label their products accordingly. There is a generally accepted marking of plastic utensils - a fork and a glass. But the crossed-out fork and glass indicate that the product cannot be used for food products.

The product may indicate for which products it is intended (cold, hot, bulk, liquid), where it can be used (in a microwave oven, for freezing, etc.).

Some manufacturers sometimes indicate the temperature range of use.
Marking can be words or icons:
snowflake provides for freezing
wave oven - use in the microwave
dishes under the shower - the possibility of washing in the dishwasher, etc.

Plastic for hot food and microwave

Now there are effective methods of polymerization and purification of plastic, which made it possible to develop heat-resistant types of plastic. On the bottom of such containers is written "for hot products." Such containers are filled with devices for preparing hot drinks, it is often used in public catering.

Plastic labeled "for hot food" and for "microwave oven" are different products:

Only those containers can be used in the microwave oven, which are marked with a “wave oven” icon or signed “for a microwave oven”.
Hot food labeling- this means you can drink hot tea or eat hot soup, but do not cook and reheat in the microwave.

With repeated use of dishes for hot food, an “aging effect” occurs: under the influence of oxygen and heat, long polymer molecules break up into short pieces, which fall into food.

Separately about plastic bottles

A plastic bottle (from soft drinks, dairy products) is a very practical and convenient container, which, as a rule, turns from disposable into reusable in everyday life. It especially often happens that caring mothers pour compote, juice into a bottle of baby water with a convenient nozzle on the neck for drinking. are used repeatedly.

Plastic bottles are mainly made from polyethylene terephthalate, which:

transmits ultraviolet rays

passes oxygen

degrading content quality

And PVC- a polymer that is quite dangerous due to the release of vinyl chloride and bisphenol A.

Are there safe bottles that can be used multiple times?

Yes, these are refillable PET bottles, but nothing but water can be poured into them.

In addition, there is a “home” way to identify dangerous containers: you should press the bottle with your fingernail. If a white streak remains, the plastic may pose a health hazard.

How to use dishes and other plastic products so that they are safe for health

Plastic food utensils are unlikely to make it out of most people's daily routine. It is hygienic, inexpensive, lightweight and comfortable. To prevent harm to health, you should follow the safety rules:

If possible, give up plastic dishes altogether and replace them with ceramic, porcelain or glass ones, especially for children: the safest feeding bottles are made of glass. Yes, they are fragile, but today on sale you can find products in a special silicone sheath that will not break if accidentally dropped.

There is also an environmentally friendly disposable tableware made of cane, bamboo, eggshell, cardboard. It is only safe for health, but also does not litter the environment, but, naturally, is more expensive.

Summing up, we note: when a person develops an oncological disease, hardly anyone understands its causes, and all forces are directed to treatment. Of course, this is correct - every day in the fight against the disease is expensive. But it is important to understand that none of us is immune from cancer. So why increase the likelihood of its development and voluntarily introduce carcinogens into the body? Think about it and do not expose your life to unjustified risk!

The problems of nicotine addiction, drug addiction, alcoholism, the spread of HIV infection and a sharp increase in mortality from cardiovascular diseases do exist, they are talked about and written a lot. At the same time, two other major problems remain almost unnoticed: the poisoning of us and our children with plastics and drugs. We wrote about medicines for children in the last article, and now it's time to talk about plastics.

Disposable tableware, plastic food containers, bottles, toys, a plastic kettle, plastic bags - we and our children regularly come into contact with all these and many other plastic products. Plastic has become a part of our lives, and every year we think less and less about its harmful effects on health. Well, except that they bought a new kettle, and the water from it smells of something chemical - this is a reason for reflection, if it doesn’t smell, then we won’t even think about anything.

How long have you been doing repairs in the apartment, even a small one? Surely many of you are happy with brand new plastic windows, new laminate, linoleum, carpet, vinyl wallpaper or stretch ceilings. Congratulations, it is quite possible that your apartment is uninhabitable and more like a gas chamber in the near future.

Salespeople in grocery stores, hardware stores, or home improvement stores will assure you that the products they sell are absolutely safe. The vast majority of them do not even know what they are talking about, and those who know will calmly lie to their eyes, realizing that the consequences of their lies will appear in years.

Plastic is a collective term for a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials used in the manufacture of industrial products. The production of plastic products is characterized by simplicity and low cost, while the properties of this material allow it to be widely used.

How do you know how dangerous plastic is?

On each plastic product, the manufacturer must indicate the material from which it is made. The vast majority of manufacturers honestly label. If there is no marking, then the plastic is definitely hazardous to health. There are 7 types of markings:

As you can see, they differ only in numbers, each of which corresponds to a certain polymer from which this plastic is made. Under these triangles may contain additional letter designations. Some manufacturers put additional markings, for example, this:

This marking means that this plastic is safe for food use. However, it is not required and you can do without it. The most important thing is to remember what the numbers mean, but first a little background on some dangerous substances:

Phthalates- salts and esters of phthalic (orthophthalic) acid. Toxic, capable of causing serious diseases of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. There is reason to believe that phthalates have a carcinogenic effect and can cause cancer. Banned in Europe and the US for the manufacture of children's toys.
Formaldehydes- methanal or formic aldehyde. It is toxic, affects the nervous and respiratory systems, negatively affects the reproductive system and can cause genetic disorders in offspring. Carcinogen.
Styrenes- phenylethylene, vinylbenzene. Slightly toxic, affects mucous membranes. It has carcinogenic properties, can act as chemical estrogen, which will adversely affect reproductive functions.
Vinyl chloride- an organic substance, which is the simplest chlorine derivative of ethylene. It is toxic, affects the central nervous system, skeletal system, brain, heart, liver, causes systemic lesions of the connective tissue, destroys the immune system. It has a carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic (causes malformations in embryos) effect.
Bisphenol A- diphenylpropane. It is similar to estrogens, causes brain diseases, disrupts the reproductive system, causes cancer, leads to male and female infertility, inhibits the functions of the endocrine system, leads to impaired brain development in children, and the development of cardiovascular pathologies.

All these substances are auxiliary, they are contained in one or another type of plastic and thanks to them the desired consumer properties (elasticity, hardness, heat resistance, etc.) are achieved. The plastic itself will calmly pass through the gastrointestinal tract without causing harm (unless it has a mechanical effect), but the excipients are dangerous. You also need to understand that the final product may not be toxic, but it may contain residues of the toxic raw materials from which it was made.

Types of plastics and their marking

Number 1- polyethylene terephthalate. Letter marking PETE or PET.

Cheap, thanks to which it is found almost everywhere. It contains most drinks, vegetable oils, ketchups, spices, cosmetics.

Safety. Suitable for single use ONLY. Repeated use may release phthalates.

Number 2- high density polyethylene. Letter marking HDPE or PE HD.

Cheap, lightweight, resistant to temperature effects (range from -80 to +110 degrees C). Disposable tableware, food containers, bottles for cosmetics, packaging bags, bags, toys are made from it.

Safety. It is considered relatively safe, although formaldehyde may be released from it.

Number 3- polyvinyl chloride. Letter marking PVC or V.

This is the same PVC from which window profiles, furniture elements, films for stretch ceilings, pipes, tablecloths, curtains, floor coverings, containers for technical liquids are made.

Safety. Prohibited for food use. It contains bisphenol A, vinyl chloride, phthalates, and may also contain mercury and/or cadmium. We would like to say that you need to buy expensive window profiles, expensive stretch ceilings, expensive laminate and this will make your life safe, but this will not be true. The high cost of products does not give any guarantees.

Number 4- low density polyethylene. Letter marking LDPE or PEBD.

A cheap and common material from which most bags, trash bags, CDs, linoleums are made.

Safety. Relatively safe for food use, in rare cases it can release formaldehyde. Plastic bags are not as dangerous to human health as dangerous to the ecology of the planet.

Number 5- polypropylene. Letter marking PP.

Durable and heat-resistant plastic from which food containers, food packaging, syringes, toys are made.

Safety. Pretty safe, but under certain conditions it can release formaldehyde.

Number 6- polystyrene. Letter marking PS.

Cheap and easy to manufacture plastic, from which almost all disposable tableware is made, yogurt cups, trays for meat, fruits and vegetables (they are made from expanded polystyrene, i.e. expanded polystyrene), food containers, toys, sandwich panels, heat-insulating plates.

Safety. It can release styrene, which is why disposable tableware is called disposable.

Number 7- polycarbonate, polyamide and other types of plastics. Letter marking O or OTHER.

This group includes plastics that have not received a separate number. They are used to make baby bottles, toys, water bottles, packaging.

Safety. They contain Bisphenol A, more precisely, some of them contain, and some plastics from this group, on the contrary, are distinguished by increased environmental friendliness.

Conclusion

Mankind has become so dependent on plastics that it is impossible to refuse their use, at least in the food industry. Read the Bisphenol A specification again, and then think about it: almost 100% of all bottles with nipples for artificial feeding of children are made of plastics containing BPA. confidently expect them to flood our market and lower their prices. So this will be another weighty argument in favor of breastfeeding.

Do your best to minimize contact with plastics. This does not mean that you need to shy away from plastic now, just that you need to use it wisely now that you know much more about it. Inspect plastic containers and get rid of everything except polypropylene products (number 5 or PP marking), and even better - give preference to products made of glass, wood, metal. It is quite possible that economical housewives kept plastic containers from ice cream or jam, what plastic are they made of?

Be careful with plastic toys, especially for small children. Make sure that the products have certificates of conformity with hygiene standards.

If you have made repairs using plastic products, then for several weeks it is better not to live in this apartment and come only to thoroughly ventilate the room.

When buying another plastic product, make it a rule to smell it. It is simple and takes literally a second, which will be enough to capture the unpleasant smell. Its absence does not mean safety, but if it is, then even a simple hair comb should be abandoned.

Everyone can protect their own health and the health of their children, after all, it is not so difficult.

MOSCOW, November 10 - RIA Novosti. Valery Spiridonov, the first candidate for a head transplant, talks about how the land and oceans of the Earth are rapidly "overgrown" with plastic debris, how it affects the functioning of ecosystems and how it can be combated.

The era of plastic

Often, the modern benefits of civilization create not only convenience for people, but also cause irreparable damage to nature. In the last 10 years alone, more plastic products have been produced worldwide than in the previous century.

Disposable tableware, bags, packaging, bottles and various containers are the most common types of plastic waste that we "produce" every day. Only five percent of its volume is ultimately recycled and reused in everyday life and life.

Plastic causes serious damage to the environment, from its production to disposal. Factories producing plastic products release up to 400 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per year, and approximately 800 species of animals are now under threat of extinction due to eating and poisoning with plastic.

Disposable bags clog city sewer systems and create flood threats, plastic debris litter beaches and recreational coastal areas, hurting the tourism industry.

The soil

Scientists: Stomachs of 90% of seabirds were filled with plasticOceanologists conducted a large-scale study of the diet of seabirds, which unexpectedly showed that the stomachs of 90% of sea birds contain particles of plastic, which indicates a greater scale of plastic pollution in the sea than previously thought.

It is known that plastic decomposes for about two hundred years. Once in the ground, plastics break down into small particles and begin to release chemicals added to them during production into the environment. It can be chlorine, various chemicals, such as toxic or carcinogenic flame retardants.

Microgranules of plastic and its chemicals seep through the groundwater to the nearest water sources, which often leads to the mass death of animals.

Ocean

According to UN environmentalists, about 13 million tons of plastic waste enters the ocean every year.

Attempts to stop the catastrophic trend have been going on since the middle of the 20th century. Even then, environmentalists sounded the alarm about the growing "Great Garbage Patch", which currently, according to various estimates, covers up to one percent of the Pacific Ocean.

According to forecasts by the British Ellen MacArthur Foundation, by 2025 for every three kilograms of fish in the world's oceans there will be a kilogram of garbage, and by 2050 the mass of waste will be higher than the combined weight of all fish on Earth.

Plastic makes up 80 percent of all debris in the world's oceans. Under the influence of sunlight, it breaks down into small particles. Plastic microgranules accumulate persistent toxic substances on their surface.

Undecomposed plastic bags end up in the stomachs of marine mammals and birds. Environmentalists have calculated that tens of thousands of birds, whales, seals, and turtles die from this every year. Animals die of suffocation, or indigestible debris accumulates in their stomachs and interferes with their work.

The result is that the same waste that we throw away is returned to us back on the dining table along with food or water.

Salt is no longer

Recent studies by scientists confirm that these fears are well founded. For example, NYU professor Sherry Mason argues that plastic is already everywhere: "In the air, in the water, in the seafood, in the beer we drink, in the salt we use."

In his work, the scientist examined 12 different types of salt from grocery stores around the world. The found particles of plastic indicate that people constantly consume it in food. The calculation showed that Americans eat over 660 plastic particles a year, with an average recommended salt intake of 2.3 grams per day. The consequences of plastic consumption for human health are still little studied, but it is undoubted that it has a negative impact, as it does on any living organism.

Spanish ecologists have also found microplastics in two dozen samples of table salt. Most often, they found in them polyethylene terephthalate, a polymer used in the production of plastic bottles. Another international team of scientists has found other types of plastic in salt, such as polyethylene and polypropylene.

Sources of pollution

According to environmentalists today, China is the leader in pollution of the world's oceans. It is followed by other Asian countries - Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The inhabitants of the sea coast in these states do not always care about its cleanliness and all the garbage here, as a rule, ends up in the ocean.

The total number of daily discarded plastic products in the US, EU, Norway and China reaches 37 thousand tons, in Russia - no more than 10 thousand tons. Existing plastic recycling technologies can only partially solve the environmental problem.

Legislative regulation

Proposals are being put forward for a consolidated international action plan to address the problem of plastic waste.

Experts from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) acknowledge that the problem has been exacerbated by prolonged inaction. Under the auspices of UNEP, the World Campaign to Combat Marine Litter has been launched.

An illustrative example is the Italian city of Capannori with a population of 46,700 people. In 2007, a zero waste strategy was introduced here. In ten years, the volume of garbage has been reduced by 40 percent. At the same time, only 18 percent of waste ends up in landfills.

It is worth noting that such a strategy requires certain investments and should include mechanisms for financing the fight against garbage. Alternatively, there is the "polluter pays" principle. For an industry with $750 billion in annual revenue, it could be quite effective.

More than 40 countries have established legal restrictions and bans on the use of plastic bags in their territories.

There are no such laws in Russia yet. According to current estimates by environmentalists and economists, Russian industrial enterprises produce approximately 26.5 billion plastic bags. If all of them were collected, then it would be possible to cover an area three times the size of Moscow.

In this regard, Greenpeace Russia launched the campaign "Package? - Thank you, no!" The purpose of the campaign is to call on the largest supermarket chains to abandon plastic bags. Anyone can support the program by sending a letter of appeal to retailers on the organization's website.

Personal culture of consumption

Every day we have an alternative: buy mineral water in a glass or plastic bottle, take disposable paper utensils or plastic plates for a picnic, use reusable shopping bags or shopping bags. Environmental concern or personal convenience? The choice determines the level of a person's self-consciousness.

Of course, such a culture in society is instilled over the years. The less each of us begins to use plastic in everyday life, the faster manufacturers will reduce its production. Don't choose "disposable" plastic solely because of its low price - often many plastic items can be replaced with reusable products made from more environmentally friendly materials.

For example, calculations by British analysts show that the reuse of plastic packaging will save up to 120 billion dollars every year. Decreasing plastic production, it seems to me, can increase the demand for more environmentally friendly reusable products from other raw materials and make them cheaper by increasing their mass production.

It is quite likely that we will be able to turn the tide in a few years and stop or at least slow down the environmental catastrophe.

There are other futuristic views on pollution problems. According to some scientists, irreversible changes are already taking place on our planet, we are threatened by a shortage of drinking water, global warming and other things that will make the Earth unsuitable for human life.

Some of them suggest not to look for new ways to save the Earth, but to focus on finding new planets that are most suitable for the resettlement of mankind. Even leaving aside questions of ethics and morality, it seems to me that such a path is not reasonable from a strategic point of view. It’s easier to put your “beautiful and well-equipped house” in order by cleaning it than to build and settle in a new one.

PVC (polyvinyl chloride material or just vinyl) is today the cheapest, and therefore the most common, type of plastic. PVC is mainly used in construction areas (building cladding, plastic windows, wall panels, pipes, etc.) and less than 20% of products made from this type of plastic are used in household and other areas of life. Moreover, in Russia this figure is almost 50%, while in Europe they try to refuse this type of plastic as much as possible. Why is this happening? After all, the advantages of PVC are obvious: cheapness, practicality, strength ...

In Europe, the name has long been fixed for PVC "poison plastic" (poison plastic). The harm of polyvinyl chloride for the environment and human health is enormous: it not only contains many dangerous components, but also emits poisonous gas when heated or burned.

Unfortunately the material polyvinyl chloride - a very common type of plastic. It can be found everywhere. This includes linoleum in the apartment, plastic windows, stretch ceilings, vinyl wallpaper, and plastic toys (from dental rings that kids put in their mouths to dolls), and different types of packaging (bags, bottles, food containers).

When buying PVC products, you should remember:

To make polyvinyl chloride elastic, plasticizers are added to it, which, when entering the body, reduce its immune properties, and can also cause damage to the kidneys and liver, cause infertility and cancer. This is the main harm of PVC. In addition, PVC may contain other hazardous elements: chromium, cadmium, lead, etc.

The advantages of PVC are absolutely incomparable with the danger posed by burning polyvinyl chloride material. During combustion, up to 50 mg of harmful dioxins are formed from 1 kg of polyvinyl chloride. This amount is capable of causing cancerous tumors in about 50,000 small laboratory animals.

There is no safe technology for PVC processing, as well as for the production of PVC products. Polyvinyl chloride material is not recyclable, and the highly toxic dioxins released during the disposal of products made from this plastic spread over thousands of kilometers.

The production of PVC products carries no less danger to the environment. The harm of plastic windows, for example, lies in the fact that 20 g of toxic waste is generated during the manufacture of one window. A complete apartment renovation using polyvinyl chloride generates about 1 kg of toxic waste.

How to identify PVC products?

In countries that monitor the environmental situation and give preference to safe materials, it is customary to mark the types of plastic - put an icon with a number surrounded by arrows. In Russia, the labeling of plastic products is not yet mandatory, which means that all plastic products have such a label, but it is also useful for us to know what this or that sign means.

1. PETE or PET (polyethylene terphthalate) - a type of plastic that is used in the manufacture of bottles, boxes, cans and other packaging for bottling water, juices and soft drinks. This material is also used in packaging for powders and bulk food products. Polyethylene terphthalate is one of the most common and safest types of plastic. In addition, it is highly recyclable.

2. HDPE or LDPE (high pressure polyethylene). This type of plastic is used in the manufacture of bags and mugs for water or milk, bottles for shampoos, bleaches, cleaners and detergents, canisters for machine oils. It is considered a safe type of plastic, lends itself well to recycling and recycling.

3. PVC or PVC (polyvinyl chloride) belongs to one of the most dangerous types of plastic. We are talking about him today. It is used for the packaging of cleaning liquids, the production of windows, pipes, wall and floor coverings, garden furniture, stretch ceiling films, oilcloths, blinds, bathroom screens, etc. Food containers and children's toys can also be made from it. However, the harm from PVC is quite large, because it contains heavy metals and plasticizers, which can cause damage to the kidneys and liver, infertility, and cancer. At the same time, it is difficult to process, and when burned, it releases dangerous poisons into the air - carcinogenic dioxides. If possible, it is better to abandon this type of plastic or reduce its use to a minimum.

4. LDPE or HDPE (low pressure polyethylene) - a type of plastic that is used to make plastic bottles and other flexible plastic packaging. Thanks to this material, we have plastic bags. This kind of polyethylene is also a safe plastic.

5. PP or PP (polypropylene) far from the most durable type of plastic, but absolutely harmless to the environment and human health. Polypropylene is mainly used for lids, discs, yogurt cups, syrup and ketchup bottles. This plastic is also used for the manufacture of children's products: toys, feeding bottles, etc.

6. PS or PS (polystyrene) - a type of plastic resulting from the polymerization of carcinogenic styrene. Hence its harmful effect. And although polystyrene is often used to make dishes, cutlery, egg containers or meat trays, it is better to refuse such products.

7. OTHER or OTHER. This category includes polymers blends of various plastics not listed above. For example, polycarbonate is a dangerous type of plastic that, when heated or washed frequently, releases a substance that causes hormonal disorders in the human body. But harmless environmentally friendly plastics can also be marked with this figure.