Seldom can you find a place on this planet, where you would be hardly distant from Plastics. It would be ideal to say that plastics have become a part and parcel of our daily chores of life. But the thing which had always intrigued me was the numeral which would be written below a plastic bottle.
It stands out that these numbers indeed have a numeral significance and has been there to showcase the quality of plastic and whether they are relatively safer or needs to be avoided at all costs.
Have a glance at each of the numeral and what they really say about the plastic you are holding in your hands :
NO : 1 [POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE (PET OR PETE)]
Verdict : AVOID re-using them
NO : 2 [High density polyethylene (HDPE)]
Verdict : Relatively Safe
NO : 3 [Polyvinyl chloride (V or Vinyl or PVC)]
Verdict : AVOID re-using them
NO : 4 [Low density polyethylene (LDPE)]
Verdict : Relatively Safe
NO : 5 [Polypropylene (PP)]
Verdict : Relatively Safe
NO : 6 [Polystyrene (PS)]
Verdict : Relatively Safe
NO : 7 [Other (O) - all other plastics]
Verdict : AVOID re-using them
In the end, however, no plastics can be said to be safe for-ever.
It stands out that these numbers indeed have a numeral significance and has been there to showcase the quality of plastic and whether they are relatively safer or needs to be avoided at all costs.
Have a glance at each of the numeral and what they really say about the plastic you are holding in your hands :
NO : 1 [POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE (PET OR PETE)]
Verdict : AVOID re-using them
NO : 2 [High density polyethylene (HDPE)]
Verdict : Relatively Safe
NO : 3 [Polyvinyl chloride (V or Vinyl or PVC)]
Verdict : AVOID re-using them
NO : 4 [Low density polyethylene (LDPE)]
Verdict : Relatively Safe
NO : 5 [Polypropylene (PP)]
Verdict : Relatively Safe
NO : 6 [Polystyrene (PS)]
Verdict : Relatively Safe
NO : 7 [Other (O) - all other plastics]
Verdict : AVOID re-using them
In the end, however, no plastics can be said to be safe for-ever.