The harm of plastic bottles. Labeling of food plastics
Not long ago, the largest retailer of organic and natural products, House of Nubian, published an excursion on the dangers of water in plastic bottles. We have chosen the most interesting from this: why it is still not recommended to buy and drink water from plastic
. Tap and bottled drinking water usually contain fluoride. You may have been led to believe that fluoride is beneficial and will protect you and your family from tooth decay, as we have been led to believe for many years, but this is not the case.
2. A recent study conducted on children in India showed that fluoride not only does not protect teeth, but is also a toxin that causes more cavities. In addition, fluoride can cause health problems, including weakening immune system
. In addition, fluoride accelerates the aging of the body.
3. A study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association showed that fluoride is not only useless, but also harmful to teeth, and the use of fluoride by a child in his first years of life is fraught with fluorosis - chronic fluoride poisoning! Bottled water is generally not tested for fluoride. Keep this in mind. In addition, by purchasing water in plastic, you may not only not be protecting yourself from harmful doses of fluoride, but also expose yourself to even greater health risks.
4. Even pure spring water needs storage capacity, and the plastic industry has long been in cahoots with water producers. Obviously, it’s difficult to come up with a better and more environmentally friendly glass container, but when you choose plastic between glass and plastic, the risk of being exposed to the insidious effects of certain chemicals is enormous.
6. 5. BPA or bisphenol A is a synthetic estrogen that is found in plastic bottles, dishes and plastic children's utensils, among others.:
In many countries, this substance is prohibited in the production of plastic bottles and children's dishes, but Russia is not one of them.
Exposure to BPA is associated with a range of health problems
⁃ problems with learning and behavior; ⁃ changes in the immune functions of the body;;
⁃ problems with fertility in girls
adolescence
7. If you still cannot do without water or plastic food, look for a triangle made up of arrows on the bottle or dish. Is there a number 7 in the triangle? This means the plastic contains BPA. The numbers 3 (polyvinyl chloride), 6 (styrene) or no numbers also indicate the presence of BPA. BPA-free materials are marked with triangles numbered 1, 2, 4 or 5.
8. Another dangerous enemy human health, which awaits us in a plastic bottle - phthalates. This substance is widely used as a cheap substitute for PVC in plastic production.
9. Phthalates destroy the endocrine system and have a detrimental effect on reproductive systems. The most obvious effects of phthalates entering the body:
⁃ decrease in sperm quality;
⁃ testicular atrophy;
⁃ liver cancer.
10. Studies have shown that boys whose mothers had high exposure to phthalates during pregnancy suffer from low testosterone and are less masculine.
11. And another study found that pregnant women exposed to phthalates gave birth earlier. due date for a week than those who were not exposed.
12. If you leave a plastic water bottle in the car or strap it to your bike and go for a ride sunny city, please be aware that ultraviolet rays or high temperatures accelerate leaching - the entry of all of the above substances into the water. So, it is quite possible that if you leave a bottle in the car in the sun in the morning, in the evening, when you take a sip of water from it, you will drink a little pure poison.
13. Dioxin is released from plastic when heated., which is known to be linked to breast cancer.
Your body is made up of 80 percent water, and you can live without it. best case scenario a few days. Most of us are in a constant state of dehydration and don’t even realize it. However, by learning to understand signals from the body and not confuse hunger with dehydration, you will maintain your health. If, of course, you stop drinking water from plastic, replace it with glass, metal or latex.
Plastic has become 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 environment. This article describes in detail about plastic, its varieties and labeling, as well as the possibilities for recycling plastic products.
What is plastic
The names “plastic” and “plastic” come from the word “plastic”. This means that this material, as a result of heating, is capable of forming a certain form and save it after cooling. Under common 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 certain substances. It can be benzene, phenol, ethylene or acetylene. Set of mechanical and physical properties plastics are approximately the same as metals (density, hardness, fragility, heat resistance, etc.).
In general, plastics are characterized by low strength, relatively low density (no more than 1.8 g/cm3), and high resistance to moisture, acids and some solvents. When heated, they usually decompose. Plastics are much more brittle than most metals.
A little history
Parkesine was obtained by Parks from cellulose, as a result of treatment of the latter with nitric acid and a solvent. The revolutionary new substance was nicknamed “ ivory" Parkes planned to establish mass production of parkesine and founded his own company, the Parkesine Company. However, the company quickly went bankrupt, since the quality of its products was not so good.
Plastic began to be used for commercial purposes only after the Second World War. Mass production plastic bottles were established in the 1960s. Very quickly they gained wild popularity among both 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 number 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 (abbreviated as PET). The substance is loaded into a special machine (injection molding machine), where it is turned into a blank (preform) with thick walls and a formed neck. Then it is placed in the desired shape and a steel tube is inserted there. Through it into the preform under high pressure air is supplied, which evenly distributes the melt along the walls of the mold.
The mold is then cooled. The final stage- this is the removal of all defects resulting from plastic flowing over cracks in the mold. After this, the finished bottle is removed from the mold and sent for sorting. It is important to note that during the manufacturing process of plastic bottles, about 25% of products are rejected and recycled.
Another one key feature plastic production- its energy intensity. So, to produce one thousand plastic bottles you will need to spend up to 10 kW of electricity.
The harm of plastic bottles
The excessive cheapness and ease of use of plastic have resulted in other significant problems for humanity. The harm from plastic bottles and other products made from this material is colossal. Moreover, both for the environment and for the health of the human body.
Almost all plastic containers for food products contains various harmful substances and toxins. Most often these are phthalate and bisphenol-A. Through food and drinks, they enter digestive system and are carried by the blood throughout the body. Toxins contained in plastic food containers can affect our bodies in the following ways:
- Knocks down hormonal balance.
- They accumulate in the liver, gradually destroying its cells.
- Reduce protective forces the body's immune system.
- Impair heart function and circulatory system.
- Provoke the development of cancer cells.
Many people wonder: is it possible to store alcoholic drinks(eg beer or wine) in plastic bottles? The answer is clear: 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 this interaction when you taste wine made from plastic: there will be clearly synthetic “notes” 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 types of plastic) when heated to 35-40 degrees turns, in fact, into poison. By the way, in many European countries you with with great difficulty You will find beer in plastic for sale.
Thus, it is better to store alcoholic drinks in glass or porcelain containers. Plastic water bottles (still) are relatively harmless and harmless. However, it is strictly not recommended to reuse such containers.
The harm of plastic bottles and packaging to humans largely depends on the labeling of the products themselves. This issue is worth dwelling on in more detail.
Labeling of food plastics
Not ready to completely give up plastic yet? Then learn to choose products from it with minimal damage to your health. Special labeling of food plastics will help you with this. It looks like 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 from.
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 for bottling soft drinks and liquid products. Recyclable.
- No. 2 HDPE (or PE HD) - high density polyethylene. Plastic with low level danger, although the possibility of the release of formaldehyde, a substance that provokes genetic disorders and changes in hormonal levels, cannot be ruled out. 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 production plastic windows, pipes, furniture parts, etc. Not suitable for food use.
- No. 4 LDPE - low density polyethylene. This cheap and relatively safe plastic is used to make garbage bags, CDs, linoleum. 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. 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 reducing the use of this type of plastic to a minimum.
- No. 7 O (or OTHER) - all others (in particular, polyamide and polycarbonate). When heated strongly, they can release bisphenol-A, a rather dangerous substance that provokes hormonal imbalances 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 human lives, and it is true. But on the other hand, plastic waste in last decades are rapidly polluting our planet. Here is a list of seven impressive facts that will help you understand the scale of this environmental problem:
- It takes up to 500 years for one unit 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% solely for the packaging.
- In Europe, only 2.5% of total mass plastic.
- In the US, this figure is 27%, which is still the highest figure in the world.
- 13 billion plastic bottles are produced worldwide every year.
- Every year, about 150 tons of various plastic waste are thrown into the ocean.
"Trash Islands": Realize the scale of pollution
Pay special attention to the last point. In 2014, environmentalists estimated that there are about 270 thousand tons of plastic waste on the surface of the World Ocean. And in 2017, Dr. Jennifer Lavers discovered that the coast of the uninhabited Henderson Island, located in the Pacific Ocean, literally words are littered with garbage. The pollution indicator here reaches 670 objects per square meter of territory. Both numbers are amazing!
There is so much plastic garbage in the World Ocean that they have already formed several “spots” or islands: two each in the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean, and another one is located in Indian. The largest of them is the so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Sometimes it is also called the “Eastern Garbage Continent”.
The Pacific Garbage Patch is located approximately between 35° and 42° northern latitude and between 135° and 155° west longitude. It occupies a relatively stable area of 700 thousand square kilometers of ocean (roughly the size of Turkey). was first discovered in 1988. Whirlpools of the Pacific current system bring garbage and waste here from all over the northern part Pacific Ocean, including coastal areas of the USA and Japan.
Of course, a garbage spot is not a continuous carpet of household waste. According to research, for one square meter The water surface here contains at least 5 mg of whole or partially decomposed plastic. Jellyfish and fish often mistake it for food, confusing it with plankton. Suffer from plastic pollution oceans and birds. Thus, bottle caps, lighters and other “goods” are often found in the stomachs of dead albatrosses. human civilization.
Refusal of plastic and polyethylene: environmental trends of the 21st century
The accumulation of plastic waste in the environment negatively affects the habitat of many animals and 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 plastic pollution on the Earth have long been implemented in different regions and countries. First of all, they aim to collect plastic bottles, sort them and recycle them, as well as to reduce consumption overall plastic products in the world.
According to environmentalists, every year humanity uses about 4 trillion plastic bags for their household needs! As of 2017, about 40 countries around the world have already completely abandoned their production and operation. Among them are quite “advanced” in environmentally states (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 it is extremely important role In each country, centralized collection of plastic bottles (and other waste), as well as their sorting and further processing, plays a role. Thus, in the USA, at almost every waste collection point there are special containers for collecting plastic products.
Plastic recycling
As mentioned above, the period complete decomposition 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 the deposits of plastic that humanity has already produced.
That's why it's so important industrial processing products from of this material. In addition, PET raw materials can be reused an unlimited number of times. There are also special technologies that make it possible to obtain automobile fuel from plastic raw materials.
But most often plastic is processed into 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 stage, because poor removal of dirt and glue from bottles has a detrimental effect on the quality of the final product).
- Application crushing equipment and turning plastic into fine crumbs.
- Repeated cleaning (rinsing) of plastic crumbs from contaminants.
- Drying and temperature treatment of crumbs (agglomeration).
- Granulation of the resulting material to particles of the desired size.
Necessary equipment
For the first stage of plastic processing (sorting and pressing), you only need two units:
- Conveyor (or sorting table).
- Press machine.
In this case, labels, caps and rings from bottles are usually removed manually.
For further processing a wider range of equipment is needed. This:
- Vibrating sieve (removes debris and solid impurities).
- Conveyor (sorts raw materials).
- Crushing machine (crushes plastic into small fractions).
- Centrifuge (dries plastic).
- Extruder (processes plastic chips into granulate or other product of a given shape).
List additional equipment includes:
- Dispenser.
- Rinse bath.
- Friction screw.
- Container for soaking flex.
The minimum cost of one processing line is about 4 million rubles. Domestic equipment costs much less (about 1.5 million rubles). However, it is more likely to break down and is less productive. Leading companies in the production of equipment for plastic processing: Herbold, Sorema, Redoma, Shredder.
Finally…
Planet Earth is rapidly becoming polluted plastic waste. There are real garbage islands the size of large states. One of the most obvious solutions to this global environmental problem lies in the comprehensive recycling of already produced plastic and a complete (or partial) refusal to produce new plastic containers. Many countries around the world are already actively working in this direction.
Everyone knows that a person cannot live long without water: it is a necessary substance that allows the body to function normally. Doctors recommend drinking a variety of drinks every day, although they clarify that not every water can be beneficial. Special attention it is necessary to pay attention to the quantity and quality of water consumed, which can be harmful. Especially many questions arise regarding drinks from plastic bottles: according to researchers from the Frankfurt University. Johann Wolfgang Goethe found in the chemical composition of such containers substances most similar to estrogens - hormones of the female reproductive glands. These data were obtained from a series of experiments for which university staff selected twenty water bottles from different manufacturers, and harmful substances that could have an unpredictable effect on human health were found in twelve of them.
Also used in the studies was the usual tap water, which served as comparative material. It turned out that compared to bottled water, it contains an order of magnitude less various impurities. Scientists from the University of Frankfurt emphasize that their experiment does not provide a clear answer to the question of how harmful, if at all, it is harmful to constantly drink water stored in plastic containers. However, doctors are well aware of the phenomenon of diffusion of natural hormones in food products, which long time came into contact with plastic packaging. Such an effect of containers remains only a hypothesis, however, doctors say that some substances can get into bottled water during the leaching process. chemical substances, so-called plasticizers. According to Martin Wagner, head of the department of biochemistry, chemistry and pharmacy at the university, in water that was stored in plastic bottles, substances similar in composition and action to estrogens, according to research, are twice as much as in water from glass containers.
Although doctors are hesitant to say directly that the water stored in plastic bottles, is harmful to health, research on it chemical composition, conducted by German scientists, make us think about further experiments that can determine the exact level of concentration of hormone-like substances in such water and determine their effect on the body. On at this stage Research can say only one thing for sure: that in water from glass bottles there are much less such substances that have an ambiguous effect on health than in water from PET bottles. Perhaps further experiments will either refute this statement or finally confirm it.
Research into the chemical composition of plastic and its effect on the health of people who consume food sold in such containers is also being conducted in the United States of America. In particular, a series of experiments, the results of which were recently published, were carried out by scientists from the University of Cincinnati. During experiments, his employees found that plastic bottles for infant formula contain small amounts of bisphenol A and plasticizers, which are very harmful to small children, causing Negative influence on the development of brain cells.
In order to reduce the impact of hazardous compounds on the body, you should, if possible, avoid drinking drinks in plastic bottles, preferring glass containers. Water from glass bottles also contains hormone-like substances, but it is two times less than in drinks sold in plastic. Those people who, despite research, prefer drinks in plastic bottles, can be advised to buy water in hard plastic containers, which contain much less chemical plasticizers.
Water in Plastic Bottles, how safe it is for our health and the environment and its natural alternatives.
We need water. It is necessary to regulate body temperature, transfer nutrients into cells, maintain joint mobility, flush out toxins from the body - in a word, we can’t live without water!
Bottled water is sold everywhere we go. And it’s hard to disagree that it’s very convenient. We all need to drink, right? And carry water with you in more ecological bottles Somehow it’s still not accepted here.
But is this water really safe? Or rather, not even water, but the plastic bottles in which it is located? Plastic contains a large number of all kinds of chemicals, which smoothly pass from it into the water, which we then use. But that's not all.
What do Plastic Bottles contain?
Bottled water manufacturers want us to believe that their water better than water from the tap, because it goes through a filtration process, which improves its mineral composition and taste. But by law, such water is not required to be absolutely clean!
A popular EWG project found 38 different contaminants in 10 popular brands of bottled water: disinfection products, chemicals, arsenic, fertilizer residues, medications!
And here are the most common substances that you can find in “plastic” water:
Bisphenol A
I have already mentioned this chemical more than once when I wrote about. Bisphenol is needed to stabilize and make plastic flexible.
When heated (and the bottles are often left either in the sun or in a not particularly well-conditioned room), this chemical goes into the water, where it behaves like a “fake” Estrogen is a female hormone, which in turn leads to malignant neoplasms in the prostate, breasts and ovaries.
Bisphenol especially affects pregnant women, babies and children. It is considered one of the main reasons for the development of hyperactivity and aggressiveness in children.
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
Or code #1 on the bottle. Bottles made from this chemical do not contain BPA, but are instead full of other nasties. They contain Antimony Trioxide, a carcinogen. How longer water sits in such bottles, the more it is filled with this poison. More more speed water poisoning increases with increasing temperature.
Phthalates
Another substance that is used to give plastic its plasticity and flexibility. This is especially true for Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). Phthalates come into water from plastic or from water that flows through pipes containing the chemical. They lead to liver cancer and testicular atrophy.
Water in Plastic Bottles is harmful and dangerous
Here are a few real reasons harms of water in Plastic Bottles, which many people don’t even think about:
- In our country, plastic is not recycled, as in principle, other things that should be recycled. On average, one plastic water bottle requires about 1000!!! years to decompose. When plastic is burned, toxic waste is generated.
- Our land is literally covered 2 million tons used plastic water bottles!
- To produce these bottles we spend approx. 1.5 million petroleum products! This leads to increased emissions carbon dioxide and to the general overheating of the Earth's surface. And this leads
to global disasters: the weather changes, droughts or floods, storms and hurricanes and increased melting of glaciers occur. - And to create 1 liter of bottled water we spend on average 3 liters of water.
- Most of the plastic will end up in the ocean. According to the study Ellen MacArthur Foundation by 2050 there will be more plastic in the seas and oceans than fish. It is also known that fish and seafood absorb this plastic and we can say that in this way we are poisoning our own food.
Alternative to Plastic Bottles
Buy a natural bottle
Or the so-called safe alternative to plastic. Nowadays, you can easily find eco-friendly water bottles made from stainless steel or glass. I bought myself a steel bottle a long time ago (it’s in the picture for this post) and I take it with me everywhere when I leave the house.
Don't buy water in plastic
If you still find yourself somewhere where there is no access to ordinary water or you forgot your bottle at home - buy water, but only in glass!
Invest in a good filter
Many families now buy water in large bottles because they are not satisfied with the quality of the tap water. This can be easily fixed by purchasing one that will purify and make your water tasty and safe! And believe me, this is not only better for your health, but also for your wallet.
The most common material for making water bottles is plastic. The most commonly used raw material is polyethylene terephthalate - PET (PET). It is indicated by a special icon - a triangle with the number 1 inside and the inscription PET or PETE. Polyethylene terephthalate is highly recyclable and reuse and is considered one of the most safe species plastic.
Advantages
- PET bottles are lightweight and durable, convenient to use and transport
- Not only water is poured into them, but also juices, lemonades and other cold drinks
- Water in plastic bottles is cheaper than in glass bottles
Flaws
- It is not recommended to reuse bottles made of this plastic, and most importantly, do not pour hot or even warm drinks into them: when heated (for example, in the sun), plastic bottles release toxic substances
- PET containers allow ultraviolet rays and oxygen to pass through, and during long-term storage this can affect the quality of water
Much less often, another type of plastic is used for water packaging - polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Indicated by a triangle with the number 3 and the inscription PVC. Polyvinyl chloride is called a plastic poisoner. According to research, the carcinogen vinyl chloride contained in it has the ability to penetrate into food and then into the human body.
Advantages
- Low cost
Flaws
- High toxicity: production process, use and PVC recycling accompanied by education large quantity dioxins ( dangerous poisons) and other toxic chemicals.
POLYCARBONATE
For reference:
Bisphenol A- a highly toxic substance that, accumulating in the human body, causes oncological diseases, suppression of reproductive function and endocrine system, delayed brain development, diabetes mellitus, obesity and cardiovascular diseases.
Used to produce large 18-19 liter water bottles. Polycarbonate bottles are durable, unbreakable and convenient. They can be used many times and have a long service life.
Polycarbonate is produced on the basis bisphenol A, the harm to human health was officially recognized in 2010 by the US Food and Drug Administration. When food is heated or stored in containers for a long time, bisphenol A transfers from the plastic to the food.
However World Organization In the same 2010, the Health Service recognized bisphenol A as safe, and the European Commission approved its use for all food containers, except, perhaps, baby bottles.
Also, based on the results of the research, it turned out that the leaching of harmful substances from polycarbonate occurs only in the first 2-3 portions of water. Then the container is filled, emptied and washed dozens of times, and the migration of toxic substances from the container into the water comes to naught. Therefore, if the bottle of water for the cooler that was brought to your home or office looks clearly used, this is more of a plus than a minus - it means that it has been washed many times, and harmful substances from the polycarbonate have already been released into the water.
GLASS
A better container for any food and drink than glass has not yet been invented. Glass is chemically inert, and water does not react with its components.
Previously, glass containers were widely used, and many remember buying water, lemonade and other drinks in the same glass bottles, and then handed them over. And this was not only economically profitable, but also caused less harm to the environment.
CONCLUSIONS
Yuri Rakhmanin, Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Director of the Research Institute of Human Ecology and Environmental Hygiene named after. A.N. Sysina:
“If you choose water in a plastic bottle, pay attention to its smell when purchasing. Good, high-quality and safe plastic does not smell of anything. If you smell plastic, you shouldn't buy this water. If the bottle itself does not smell of anything, but when you open it you smell a musty smell, then the problem is not in the container, but in the water. Most likely, the filters in production have not been changed for a long time, and microbes have accumulated on them. It’s better not to drink this kind of water.”
Andrey Mosov, head of the expert direction of NP Roskontrol, doctor:
“Bottled water is a product like any other and it has an expiration date and must be stored under certain conditions. Read the label and follow the instructions.Regardless of the container, water should not be stored in the sun. Particularly dangerous Sun rays and increasing the temperature for water in plastic bottles - toxic substances can get into the water. Choose water that has been recently produced. The longer the water was stored, the more harmful substances from the plastic managed to get into it.”