chemical in plastic (polycarbonate) is dangerous
Xeramatheum
19 years ago
Featured Answer
Comments (17)
LynnCanGrowIt
19 years agocalistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
19 years agoRelated Discussions
How dangerous are pesticides?
Comments (22)My thoughts on pesticide and herbicide use were greatly influenced by a news report I heard on NPR years ago. I was driving so I couldn't write down any of the hard numbers or details so you'll just have to trust my memory. It was the results of a study comparing chemicals in the tissue of regular city dwellers against people that were born and raised on organic communes. I remember them saying that it took many years to compile enough samples to have a thousand of each category and that they were looking at samples taken throughout a persons life, from infancy to adulthood. There was no difference. The organic-food-only people had the same level of chemicals in their tissues. The explanation they gave was that our digestive system is very good at removing bad things from the food we eat and the fluids we drink but that our skin and lungs are very bad at it. So, drinking a glass of water with Chlorine and Fluoride in it had little effect on our health but taking a shower with the same water, where those chemicals are absorbed through our lungs does show up on these tests. Our man made environment exposes us to far more damage than the food we eat. Passing judgement on, and controlling the food people eat is the easy opinion to have even though it is not the truth nor will it solve the problem. I find that a lot of people screaming about chemical free fruit are the same people that scream about the high price of food. What burns me up is when you hear a food expert tell wanna-be chefs to look for the perfect unblemished fruit at the market - the desire for perfect and unblemished is part of the problem....See MoreCleaning Polycarbonate Greenhouses
Comments (1)Generally Windex and other ammonia-based cleaners are not recommended for use on polycarbonate. Unless "ammonia D" has properties that ordinary ammonia doesn't, I'd remove it from your list....See MoreAeroponic enclosure chemical leeching?
Comments (11)Nice link. But if you follow this further after reading your link, you will find that many plant β-glucosides are carcinogenic to rats and humans and toxic to our liver. It seems that the hazard is only from eating (vs. touching, injecting, etc.) since the bacterial flora in our gut further digest man of the class of plant chemicals called β-glucosides. So the original question still stands. Just because something doesn't have a recycle symbol or number on it, doesn't mean it is hazardous, although cheaper generally means less regulation. Check with the manufacturer online or find them from your retailer and call their customer service line and try to get more info. Usually they readily can give you the recycle code, although hazard info is more difficult to get since everyone who knows about it seems to have an axe to grind and you might as well be arguing about the greenhouse gases or politics before you can reach a consensus... Good luck. Just keep in mind that recycle codes are not everything. Code 7 for example has everything from poisonous to approved for repeated food contact. HDPE is code 2 always, but what it is mixed with will determine its suitability for food contact. Even if someone says it is 'virgin' material, that doesn't mean anything if they use some hardener or UV stabilizer that is unsafe for food contact, so you can start in tyhe US by asking the manufacturer if it is FDA, USDA or NSF approved or certified and the manufacturer will know that since they pay about $5000 to get the certification. NSF 61 is lead and other dangerous chemical free, ok for potable water (so irrigation should be fine) but not necessarily for single or repeated food contact which is really FDA approved. Good luck. Learning about plastics is something you can never do completely and all feelings of safety are really not dictated, conditions of use vary so much and there is still a lot that is unproven. It comes down once tyou weed out the obvious one to your risk aversion mentality. Personally, I think eating more veggies from a PVC hydroponic system is healthier than eating less veggies grown naturally in the Garden of Eden, but that is what you run up against. The best we can do is just buy FDA approved (usually PP and HDPE without regulated additives) and hope for the best. To give you an example I am making a similar choice for a possible home hydroponic system in the future with square PVC. Here's the problem: Go to a home improvement store and get a square PVC piece and you don't even know where it is made. My risk aversion says, no way. The reason is that most cheap stuff comes from China and so that is the centers majority of product and they probably couldn't trace a upplier if they tried they way they buy many of these commodities PVCs. So go on line and read, "Virgin Monolayer PVC" ... that must be better, right? They say it is better than the higher cheaper recycled content coextruded stuff, but if it isn't for food, who really knows since it hasn't been tested - what are the stabilizers going into the virgin PVC? So actually - they scared you that co-extruded was a problem, but I personally would prefer coextruded "virgin PVC substrate". Coextruded is cheaper because minimal additives go on the inside layer, the additives are what costs, and the outer shell has the recycles, etc, content with eg UV stabilizers etc additives. Well if you need stabilizers, but don't want additives overwhelmingly contacting the inside, co-extruded seem the way to go......See MoreDanger: Black Utensils
Comments (24)lindac92, you raise a good point, however as I said, there just isn't any credible evidence that I've seen that's going to make me frantic just yet. Just as you cited some examples, there's also a few other examples to be considered: Remember how eggs were going to kill us all? Now they're a nutritious food. Remember how coconut oil was banned from popcorn preparation because it was the next best thing to a poison? Now it's called healthy. Sugar was a killer, then replaced with substitutes and now people are going back to sugar. Aspirin was a killer too, remember? We wouldn't have any children left and the adults would be effectively vegetables. But now it's highly recommended for many to take an aspirin a day (rather than an apple) to keep the doctor away. Etc, etc, etc. Personally, I like to see some CREDIBLE evidence that there's truly an issue before I'm going to follow an hysterical hypothesis because somebody said or wrote online that something "might" be wrong with it (and usually people who aren't really qualified to speak to the topic anyway). If we choose to get so scared of everything, we won't eat ANYTHING, won't drink anything, won't go anywhere or do anything. I advocate common sense and rational thinking. If it's truly so dangerous, then there should be some evidence to support it, shouldn't there? There's a guy named Justin running around the internet causing a lot of ruckus. Starts rumors, gets people to do things without so much as a reason other than him, "Justin Case". Here lies another example of a situation where there isn't one documented death caused by black utensils. Not one hospitalization caused by black utensils. Not one illness caused by black utensils. But Justin Case says it might happen so we're expected to do it Justin Case. Cell phones are a known and proven killer but nobody throws them away... Justin Case. People are free to do what they want of course. I hope people make an informed decision at least. I've been around the block enough times that I'm not getting caught by a Nigerian General, or the (fake) "IRS" calling me and telling me to send them $10k or I'm going to be arrested. Or my credit card has been hacked and I need to give them my SS#, bank account, mother's maiden name, etc. I've seen this stuff just too many times....See Morebarrie2m_(6a, central PA)
19 years agopennsylvania_pete
19 years agochinamigarden
19 years agobambooo
19 years agoPatris
19 years agoeleanor_rigby
18 years agothreeducks
18 years agowoodworm5
18 years agotdscpa
18 years agomudbugtx
18 years agophytomaniac
18 years agoPatris
18 years agocalistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
18 years agoXeramatheum
18 years ago
Related Stories
LANDSCAPE DESIGNNatural Swimming Pools: More Beauty, No Chemicals
Keep your skin and the environment healthy with a pool that cleans itself, naturally
Full StoryMATERIALSMaterials Workshop: Polycarbonate — a Low-Cost Alternative to Glass
Looking for something lighter, stronger and less expensive than glass? Multiwall polycarbonate may be a good option
Full StoryHEALTHY HOMEHow to Childproof Your Kitchen
Knives, cords and chemicals can be a recipe for disaster around babies. Here’s how to make your kitchen safer for kids
Full StoryPETSPet-Proofing Your Home: A Room-by-Room Guide
Not all pet dangers are obvious. Keep furry friends safe and sound by handling all of these potential hazards
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESHow to Switch to an Organic Landscape Plan
Ditch the chemicals for a naturally beautiful lawn and garden, using living fertilizers and other nontoxic treatments
Full StoryCLEANINGEco-Friendly Tips and Tricks for Cleaning Your Home
Are you wary of using chemicals to clean? These simple products and tricks will keep your home spotless naturally
Full StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPING12 Naturally Beautiful Hot Tubs
Prefer a no-plastic look for your patio or yard? Wood, stone and concrete make these hot tubs fit right in with nature
Full StoryHEALTHY HOMEDetox Your Kitchen for the Healthiest Cooking
Maybe you buy organic or even grow your own. But if your kitchen is toxic, you're only halfway to healthy
Full StoryHEALTHY HOMEGive Your Baby the Healthiest, Safest Nursery Possible
Protect your newborn by choosing nontoxic nursery furniture, bedding, rugs and paint. We give you all the details here
Full StoryKIDS’ SPACESEasy Green: The Ecofriendly Nursery
Going green in the nursery isn't as hard as you may think, with more options than ever for ecofriendly furniture, floors and paint
Full Story
upforachallenge