

#Cooking crack in the microwave Pc#
However, today, some manufacturers of food preparation, storage, and serving products have swapped PC plastic for BPA-free plastic like PP. The BPA from these plastics can leach into foods and beverages over time, as well as when the plastic is exposed to heat, such as when it’s microwaved ( 9, 10, 11).

These chemicals - especially BPA - disrupt your body’s hormones and have been linked to obesity, diabetes, and reproductive harm ( 4, 5, 6, 7).īPA is found mostly in polycarbonate (PC) plastics (number 7), which have been widely used since the 1960s to make food storage containers, drinking glasses, and baby bottles ( 8). The primary chemicals of concern are bisphenol A (BPA) and a class of chemicals called phthalates, both of which are used to increase the flexibility and durability of plastic. The main concern with microwaving plastic is that it can cause additives - some of which are harmful - to leach into your foods and beverages. There are several types of plastic that have a variety of applications. Plastic is made primarily from oil and natural gas. These additives include colorants, reinforcements, and stabilizers. Some plastics contain additives to achieve the desired properties of the finished product ( 3).


Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): plumbing pipes, electrical wiring, shower curtains, medical tubing, and synthetic leather products.High density polyethylene (HDPE): detergent and hand soap containers, milk jugs, butter containers, and protein powder tubs.Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE): soda drink bottles, peanut butter and mayonnaise jars, and cooking oil containers.The seven types of plastic and products produced from them include ( 2, 3): The number tells you what type of plastic it’s made of ( 2).
#Cooking crack in the microwave code#
While they’re typically made from oil and natural gas, plastics can also be made from renewable materials like wood pulp and cotton linters ( 1).Īt the base of most plastic products, you will find a recycling triangle with a number - the resin identification code - ranging from 1 to 7. Plastic is a material comprised of long chains of polymers, which contain several thousand repeating units called monomers ( 1).
