Representative products of seven common plastics and instructions for use
This part mainly introduces the representative products of these seven common plastics, and what we need to pay attention to in our daily life due to the characteristics of the materials.
1. Polyethylene terephthalate - 01 PET such as: mineral water bottles, carbonated drink bottles
Usage: Heat-resistant to 70°C, only suitable for holding warm or frozen drinks; it will be easily deformed when filled with high-temperature liquids or heated, and substances harmful to the human body may melt out. Therefore, throw away beverage bottles after use, and do not use them as water cups or storage containers to hold other items, so as not to cause health problems.
2. High-density polyethylene - 02 HDPE such as: cleaning supplies, bath products.
Ordinary plastic bags are made of polyethylene (PE), which has relatively good toughness. PE is also divided into HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and LDPE (low-density polyethylene). The difference in density leads to some of its properties. There is a big difference again.
Usage: They can be reused after careful cleaning. However, these containers are usually difficult to clean and retain the original cleaning supplies, becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. It is best not to recycle them.
3. Polyvinyl chloride - 03 PVC such as: some decorative materials.
Usage: This material is prone to produce harmful substances at high temperatures. If it is in use, do not let it get heated. At present, containers made of this material are rarely used for packaging food.
4. Low density polyethylene - 04 LDPE such as: cling film, plastic film, etc.
Usage: It is breathable and impermeable, and its heat resistance is not strong. Generally, qualified PE cling film will melt when the temperature exceeds 110°C, leaving some plastic preparations that cannot be decomposed by the human body. Before putting it in the microwave oven, be sure to check whether the plastic wrap has the word "microwave heating" printed on it. If there is no such sign, it is not suitable for microwave heating.
5. Polypropylene - 05 PP (can withstand temperatures above 100 degrees) such as: microwave lunch boxes.
Usage: This is the only plastic box among the seven that can be placed in the microwave and can be reused after cleaning. It is worth noting that for some microwave lunch boxes, the box body is made of No. 5 PP, but the lid is made of No. 1 PE. Since No. 1 PE cannot withstand high temperatures, it cannot be put into the microwave oven together with the box body. Therefore, you can remove the lid of the plastic box before putting it in the microwave.
Polypropylene also played a big role during this year's epidemic: disposable medical protective clothing and disposable masks are mostly made of non-woven fabrics that spray tens to hundreds of nanometers of silk at high temperatures and then spin it. Made of cloth.
6. Polystyrene - 06 PS (heat resistant to 60-70 degrees, containing hot drinks will produce toxins, and will release styrene when burned) such as: bowls of instant noodle boxes, fast food boxes.
Usage: It is both heat-resistant and cold-resistant, but cannot be placed in a microwave oven to avoid releasing chemicals due to excessive temperature. And it cannot be used to pack strong acid (such as orange juice) or strong alkaline substances, because it will decompose polystyrene that is not good for the human body and can easily cause cancer. Therefore, we'd better not use fast food boxes to pack hot food.Because of its low price, it is now widely used. For example, many disposable plastic tableware are made of it. However, it is difficult to degrade and is harmful to the environment. It is recommended that everyone try not to use this type of plastic products in their lives.
7. Other plastic codes - 07 Others such as: kettles, cups, and baby bottles.
If there are no numbers on the plastic packaging, it will generally be regarded as No. 7 or other categories.
