First of all, to reiterate, the 7 types of plastics refer to the 7 types of recycling symbols for plastic products formulated by relevant organizations in the plastics industry in the United States. Its main function is to serve as a recycling symbol to facilitate sorting and recycling, and it does not represent the level of food safety.
The seven signs for recyclable plastic are pictured above. In turn, they are No. 1 PET (polyethylene terephthalate), No. 2 HDPE (high-density polyethylene), No. 3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride), No. 4 (low-density polyethylene), and No. 5 PP ( Polypropylene), No. 6 PS (polystyrene), No. 7 other types (mainly PC polycarbonate, PA nylon).
Among the seven signs, those that can be used as water glasses or beverage packaging are:
No. 1 (PET): mineral water bottles, soda bottles, etc. It is easily deformed above 70 degrees, so it cannot be used to hold hot water, nor can it be placed in the car to bask in the sun. In addition, after 10 months of repeated use of bottle No. 1, the estrogen-like DEHP may be released, so try not to use it repeatedly. Especially some frugal elderly people are used to using old mineral water bottles for oil or wine. It is best to let them use glass bottles instead.
No. 5 (PP): Common soybean milk bottles, yogurt bottles, fruit juice beverage bottles, microwave oven lunch boxes, etc. Because the PP material can withstand a high temperature of up to 167°C, the plastic container made by No. 5 can be used in a microwave oven, and it can be reused after cleaning. Therefore, plastic bottles made of No. 5 PP can be used to hold hot water and can be used many times, but it is not recommended for long-term use.
No. 7 (other): PC, which is common in other plastics, can be used as a water cup. Basically, the water cups and space cups sold in the mall are mainly made of PC materials. The material used by the famous American water cup brand Tupperware is also PC material. PC material is non-toxic and can generally withstand high temperatures of 130°C. However, the quality of PC produced by different companies, origins or different brands will vary. Some PC materials may contain carcinogenic bisphenol A during the production process. Therefore, most countries now prohibit the direct use of PC materials for infant products.
For bisphenol A remaining in PC, the higher the temperature is, the more it will be released and the faster it will be released. Therefore, try to use less PC material to fill boiling water. If the water cup you use is made of PC, then the following methods can reduce the risk: do not heat it for use, and do not expose it to direct sunlight. Dishwasher, dishwasher safe. When using for the first time, wash with baking soda and warm water, and dry naturally at room temperature.
It can be seen that only the bottle made of No. 7 PC can be used as a water cup for a long time, and in real life, we mainly use it.
However, it is recommended that the cups used to hold hot water and brew coffee and tea at home should be made of ceramic or glass.
