| The recent move by the Canadian Government | | | | of polycarbonate plastic. In a food or drink |
| to ban Polycarbonate plastic baby bottles has | | | | application container, studies have shown the |
| stirred up a lot of concern over plastic use for | | | | migration of BPA into the food from the |
| food and drink. The attention also prompted some | | | | container. The big controversy is of course, how |
| issues over the recycling of plastics. | | | | much of the BPA is getting into the food and how |
| There are seven categories of plastics, which are | | | | much do we have to consume before our |
| denoted by a number encased within a recycling | | | | hormones get all disrupted? |
| symbol. The numbers range from #1 through to | | | | We are not going to answer that here. But lets |
| #7. All have different chemical composition that | | | | see how this will effect plastic recycling. |
| ultimately determines their use. | | | | Essentially, there is no change to current plastic |
| The spotlight is on plastic #7 with a PC | | | | container recycling practices. Curbside collection |
| (polycarbonate) designation beside it. In some | | | | and any depot will still collect #7PC plastics with no |
| cases, all that you will see is "PC". #7 plastic | | | | questions. The mixed plastics will be shredded up |
| represents the co-mingle of all the other types of | | | | and made into new #7 plastics, some of which |
| plastics. The addition of PC makes for a | | | | may have a PC designation if the manufacture |
| lightweight, high-performance plastic that | | | | adds a lot of polycarbonate to the #7 mix. |
| possesses a unique balance of toughness, | | | | Just for information purposes, the plastics to |
| dimensional stability, optical clarity, and high heat | | | | avoid for food and drink type activities include #3, |
| resistance. This is why we see it in so many | | | | #6 and #7. The safer plastics to use are #1, #2, |
| applications including food containers and utensils. | | | | #4, and #5. However, there are concerns over |
| The scary thing in a PC container is the addition | | | | reuse of plastic containers and the heating of |
| of Bisphenol A (BPA), which is a key building block | | | | plastics containing food. |