Does anyone know...........?

[monkijr]

Question: Can someone tell me what the different numbers and words mean on the bottom of a plastic container?

I was reading an article about breast cancer and the concern of packaging everything in plastic was talked about, the author mentioned the numbers and labels on the bottom of plastic bottles.

I live in an area, well who doesn't it seems, where breast cancer numbers are growing. I am interested for my own knowledge and how to answer the question should I be asked.

C'mon, can anyone help me out? Would appreciate any and all information.:)

[colleen10]

Hi there,

If you are referring to PETE, 2, 1 etc. try this site

http://www.americanplasticscouncil.org/benefits/about_plastics/resin_codes/resin.html

It explains it all.

[colleen10]

In my area, Pittsburgh, we are only able to recycle PETE 1 and HDPE 2

[monkijr]

Colleen10,

Thanks, I have not had much time to explore the site and determine if it had the risks and statistics associated with plastic.

Anyway, thanks for your response.

It's strange how we don't talk about these things until they become an issue in our area, our family, or it makes news.

[renerian, BSN, RN]

Plastics number one and two are usually the only ones curbside recycling will take. It has to do with the contents I believe. I wish I could find someone to take 3 through 8.

renerian

[boggle, ASN, RN]

Hi Ursula, just a friendly word of caution to check the source of that article carefully. There are a lot of very frightening articles about health hazards that are based on conjecture or on little or no research.

It's so hard to be a critical thinker with so much information (or mis-information) in the media right now. CDC and NIH have some great websites. Sorry, I can't remember the cancer web site I used last.