Toxicological hazards in plastic packaging . The plastic , in all its variations, is present in all areas of our lives. Its massive use generates a significant environmental impact due to its durability in the environment, but do you know that there may also be risks to human health due to the presence of toxic elements that pass into the food contained in plastic containers.
Plastic is a material that has been integrated into our daily life, and it is unthinkable for us to conceive of our lives without it.
Summary
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- 1 Total and specific migration
- 2 Main plastics used for food packaging
- 1 Polyethylene (PE):
- 2 Polypropylene (PP):
- 3 Polystyrene (PS):
- 4 Polyvinylchloride (PVC):
- 5 Polyethylene Terphthalate (PET):
- 3 Monomers of greater toxicological interest
- 1 Vinyl chloride
- 2 Styrene
- 3 Acrylonitrile
- 4 Additives
- 1 Plasticizers
- 2 Stabilizers
- 3 Pigments
- 5 Migration analysis
- 6 Social and health impacts.
- 7 Tips
- 8 Bibliographic reference
- 9 Bibliography
- 10 Source
Total and specific migration
For practical purposes, a distinction must be made between total or global migration and specific migration. The first responds to the sum of all the compounds that are transferred to the food , whether of toxicological interest or not, including substances that are physiologically inert, but could not have an effect on the organoleptic properties of the food. It is a detection method that saves time and resources when a particular risk is not expected. It is carried out by the gravimetric measurement of a residue obtained in food simulants and under established experimental conditions.
Specific migration refers to one or more defined compounds, which are determined by a particular method for toxicological interest. In order to determine the specific migration of each additive or monomer, it is necessary to have a selective, precise and sufficiently sensitive analytical method that allows quantifying the trace amounts found in food .
Migration can be expressed as the amount of substance (or substances, migrated per kilogram of food (mg / kg or per contact area (mg / dm²). The limits of total migration are between 5 and 10 mg / dm² or 60 ppm considering that the surface / volume ratio in most containers is 0.6: 1.
It is not always possible to carry out migration experiments under practical conditions of use, it is necessary to achieve experimental conditions: extraction solutions, contact time and temperature and surface / volume ratio, which additionally makes the results affordable.
The heterogeneous nature of food causes great analytical difficulties in determining colorants , which are also almost always found in trace amounts. To avoid this, food is replaced by model solutions-simulating solutions- that try to imitate the extractive action of food.
The variables that must be trusted for the study of migration under experimental conditions are time and temperature, based on the actual process or storage that the food will have, trying to increase the temperature to save time.
Main plastics used for food packaging
Polyethylene (PE):
It is formed by the polymerization of ethylene gas . There are 2 types depending on the polymerization process: the polyethylene of low density (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE), although there are intermediate materials.
LDPE is slightly translucent, waxy in appearance and very flexible. It provides low permeability to the steam of water and discharge the gases (especially to the oxygen ). It is widely used in bag making alone or in combination with paper , aluminum and other plastic materials.
HDPE is harder, less transparent and flexible. It has lower permeability to water vapor. It is used in bottles, trays and household items.
Polypropylene (PP):
It is produced by polymerization of propylene . It is harder than polyethylenes. The articles obtained by molds have a shiny surface. It is less resistant than HDPE. It has very low permeability to the steam of water and the oxygen . It is used in household items and in containers that are filled at high temperatures, also in bags for packaging cookies , biscuits and other products that require the absence of water .
Polystyrene (PS):
It is formed by polymerization of styrene . When the polymerization takes place only from styrene as a structural unit, a rigid, transparent plastic is obtained , but with great brittleness. If butadiene is added when polymerizing , this fragility is reduced, but at the same time it loses transparency and the so-called high-impact polystyrenes PSAI and medium-impact polystyrene (PSMI) are obtained. This objective is also achieved by the addition of another monomer, acrylonitrile , styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN, maintains transparency, has high hardness and resists high temperatures ).
Another possibility is the copolymerization of styrene , acrylonitrile and butadiene to obtain the so-called ABS, less transparent and with good impact resistance. Polystyrene has low permeability to gases and water vapor . Its main use is in pots, tubes and trays for dairy products .
Polyvinylchloride (PVC):
It is produced by the polymerization of vinyl chloride (CV). It is a hard, rigid, transparent and shiny material; In this way, bottles for the packaging of mineral water , vinegar , oil and juices are manufactured . When plasticizers are added, a highly flexible material is obtained that is processed into films to wrap cheeses, sausages , meats , fruits and vegetables , in hoses, for industrial connections and drinking water; in pots and tubes, for jams, pastes and mustards and in the sealing of the caps of knobs and bottles.
It is characterized by having very low permeability to water vapor and gases . It has good resistance to oils and fats .
Polyethylene Terphthalate (PET):
It is produced by the polymerization of terphthalic acid and ethylene glycol . It belongs to the group of saturated polyesters. It is a relatively new plastic that has a growing in its 2 forms: rigid and flexible; In addition to the great transparency and brightness it presents, the most appreciated property is that it constitutes a gas barrier . Bottles are widely used in the packaging of juices and carbonated drinks and beers.
Because it resists high temperatures it is used in its flexible form (which depends on the technological manufacturing process) for the packaging of foods that are usually heated or cooked in the package. This use is lately related to microwave cooking . The films are generally combined with polyethylene , aluminum and other materials to achieve good sealing or when storage takes long.
Monomers of greater toxicological interest
Vinyl chloride
It is a colorless gas that constitutes the structural unit of PVC. It is also used as a monomer in polyvinylidene polychloride (PVDC and other polymers ).
Toxicokinetics and biological effects . PVC is absorbed by inhalation and orally. It is distributed to the liver and kidneys immediately after exposure, and some metabolites remain in the tissues for up to 48 hours. It is metabolized by the monooxygenases by mixed function to chloroethylene oxide , which is momentarily rearranged to chloroacetaldehyde. It is excreted in the urine through its 2 main metabolites: S-carboxymethylcysteine and thiodiglycolic acid , and also unchanged in small amounts by the respiratory route.
Acute poisoning causes irritation of the mucous and respiratory membranes, as well as loss of consciousness. Chronic poisoning develops from 4 to 5 days up to several years after exposure. In its first stage it is characterized by polymorphism, essential viability and disturbance of vascular – vegetative, thermoregulatory, neurotrophic regulation and changes in the skin, acrosteolysis of the terminal phalanges of the fingers. In the second stage, vegetative polyneuritis, disturbance of cardiac activity (arrhythmia), involvement of the central nervous system, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, reduced respiratory function, anemia and leukopenia occur.
The carcinogenic character of the CV is well established. In an experiment with rats, concentrations of 3.33 were given orally; 16.65 and 50 mg / L CV in olive oil; From the second group, squamous cell carcinomas and nephroblastomas appeared. Also in epidemiological studies it was shown that the incidence of cancer mortality was higher in exposed workers than in the unexposed population.
Levels and limits : Studies on the migration of CV to food showed levels of 9.4 mg / L in vinegar, 14.8 mg / L in oil and in alcoholic beverages stored in PVC bottles for 6 years up to 20 mg / L. Migration was studied in relation to time and temperature, using different simulants and different residual concentrations in the container. The highest values of migration were found in 50% alcohol and fatty simulants, and decreased with decreasing residual concentrations in the container until they were not detectable for levels of 1 mg / kg.
Technological changes were made that reduced CV levels in the packaging to the minimum possible, and increasingly sensitive analysis methods were developed that allowed determining amounts less than 1 mg / kg in plastic and 0.01 mg / kg of food, figures that current maximum residue limits (MRLs) are considered.
Styrene
The styrene is a viscous, transparent liquid with a strong , unpleasant odor. Its main use is the production of polystyrene polymers and copolymers , it is also used as a crosslinking agent in the manufacture of unsaturated polyester resins. The first use of styrene, which is still maintained, was in the rubber industry in the manufacture of styrene-butadiene and styrene-acrylonitrile gums.
Toxicokinetics and biological effects . The absorption of styrene is fast and the main route is the respiratory one, it is also absorbed through the skin and orally. It is distributed through all organs and tissues and accumulates in adipose tissue, where the half-life is 2 to 5 days. It is metabolized to 7.8 styrene oxides by mixed-function oxidases. The main urinary metabolites are mendolic acid and phenylglyoxylic acid , which are used to measure recent styrene exposures.
In experimental animals exposed to the styrene fumes irritation of the mucous membranes, depression of the central nervous system and acute lung damage occurred. In oral doses of 200 mg / kg of body weight for several months, hematological and immunological changes and kidney damage occurred in the animals . By both routes including liver damage occurred fatty infiltration of the liver and necrosis of cellsliver. Styrene was found to be a probable carcinogen only in 1 of 3 studies in mice and non-carcinogenic in rats. Its main intermediate metabolite, 7.8 styrene oxide, had a lethality of 4 to 5 times greater than styrene and in vitro studies proved to be mutagenic. Epidemiological studies have found an increased risk of cancer of the lymphatic and hematopoietic systems in exposed workers; however, to date there is insufficient evidence to establish a cause-effect relationship between styrene exposures and cancer development in humans.
Levels and limits . The sanitary significance of styrene migration control is due not only to its toxicity, but also to the fact that it causes organoleptic changes over certain limits.
With the technological development currently achieved, the levels of styrene found in polystyrenes are, as a general range, between 200 and 1,200 mg / kg, and in food they are less than 0.2 mg / kg.
Acrylonitrile
Acrylonitrile is a volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a characteristic sweet odor. When polymerized, only the polyacrylonitrile (PAN) is obtained, with the styrene and butadiene already named SAN and ABS. It has the characteristic of giving its polymer and copolymers impermeability to gases, resistance to greases, oils and humidity, and in a high proportion, transparency. In the manufacture of rubbers, copolymerized with butadiene is used to obtain an oil resistant synthetic rubber. Also in acrylic fibers for fabrics .
Toxicokinetics : Acrylonitrile is rapidly absorbed dermal and pulmonary, also orally. It does not accumulate. It is distributed fairly uniformly in the different tissues and organs , the highest levels are found in erythrocytes, skin and stomach depending on the route of entry. 10 metabolites have been identified. It is metabolized via the mixed-function monooxygenases to glycidonitrile, and this or acrylonitrile itself is conjugated with glutation, giving rise to mercapturic acids that are the main urinary metabolites. It is also partially metabolized to cyanide and excreted as thiocyanate in the urine.
Biological effects : the toxic effects are not specific, they are mainly related to the gastrointestinal and respiratory tract, the central nervous system and the kidneys . LD50 is between 25 and 186 mg / kg of weight; Mice are more sensitive than rats , guinea pigs, and rabbits . The embryotoxic and teratogenic in hamsters and rats.
It is probably not mutagenic by itself, but its metabolites are. It is carcinogenic in rats through food and by inhalation. A conclusive correlation between exposure and cancer incidence has not been demonstrated in epidemiological studies, but the results suggest the possibility that it is also carcinogenic in man.
Analysis : Gas chromatography with the headspace technique is the recommended analysis method to determine vinyl chloride , styrene and acrylonitrile in plastics and food. This method has the advantage that the determination is carried out directly in the food without preliminary preparation (digestion, extraction), and since an aliquot of the gas face is injected into the chromatograph, the interferences of other components of the food or plastic are reduced, which allows to obtain greater sensitivity. The detection limits reached are around 1 mg / kg in plastic and 0.05 to 0.001 mg / kg in food.
Additives
The additives used in plastic materials of greater toxicological interest are plasticizers, stabilizers and pigments.
Plasticizers
Plasticizers are additives that aim to increase polymer flexibility and additionally decrease brittleness and act as internal lubricants, reducing friction forces and processing temperature.
Plasticizers have the particularity, unlike most other additives, which require to be added in a high proportion (10-50%), so that they can exert a flexible action, as you can see, this is already a problem from the point of migration view.
There is a wide range of plasticizers; esters of phosphoric, phthalic, adipic, sebacinic and citric acids, chlorinated paraffins, chlorinated diphenyls and epoxidized vegetable oils. Phosphoric esters, for example, tricresylphosphate, despite being excellent plasticizers, have always been off the positive lists for their known toxicity, as is the case with diphenyls and chlorinated paraffins.
The plastic material most used in relation to foodstuffs where plasticizers are used is PVC. The plasticizers most used for years in PVC have been diethylhexylfalate (DEHP) also called dioctyltalate (DOP) and diethylhexyladipate (DEHA) or dioctyladipate (DOA). DEHP has low volatility, very good retention by plastic, excellent stability to heat and light, as well as providing great flexibility and good resistance to PVC. DEHA has the advantage of having good resistance to low temperatures and, therefore, a particular application in these cases, it is more volatile than DEHP and does not have as good retention by PVC.
In the first toxicological studies DEHP was revealed as a low toxic compound; the LD50 was 31 mg / kg. But already in chronic toxicity studies, it showed a wide variety of subtle biological effects: increase in liver size, decrease in the speed of coronary flow, inhibition of enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism and alterations in liver tissue. On the other hand, information on migration was accumulated, it was found in milk that passed through the milking pipes, in blood stored in PVC bags and in human tissues of people who had received blood transfusions and in food where additionally a direct relation of the migration with the amount of fat was found. The US National Toxicology Program, published results indicating that DEHP caused carcinogenic effects in high doses in rats and mice of both sexes, as well as similar effects were noted in DEHA in female mice and possibly also in male mice. The International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that there was sufficient evidence to declare that DEHP is carcinogenic in rats and mice, and unlimited evidence on the carcinogenicity of DEHA in mice, in addition that there are insufficient data to evaluate in humans.
It is recommended to reduce human exposure to DEHO, and since its levels in plastic cannot be reduced because it would no longer fulfill its function, it would be possible to achieve this through the use of alternative plasticizers that are toxicologically acceptable or other alternative plastic materials. One of the measures taken has been to replace it with DEHA in food wrap films. It has been calculated that the maximum dietary intake of DEHA, considering the consumption of packaged foods and the average level of DEHA in such foods, is around 16mg / person / day, the possibility of health risk with this intake is remote and although there is no reason, therefore, to prohibit the use of packaging materials containing DEHA, that intake should be reduced.
In recent years, the use of PVC adhesive films has been on the rise, both in retail establishments and in domestic uses that include cold storage or microwave cooking. Both the plastic production industry and the food packaging industry have taken measures to continue using this type of film, which were: decrease the thickness of the films, thereby reducing the concentration of the plasticizer in contact, as well as migration and the partial or total substitution of DEHA by a polymeric plasticizer, which due to its greater molecular size should migrate less.
Another material that requires the use of plasticizers and to which health care has been devoted is cellulose. Regenerated cellulose films (cellophane) coated or coated with nitrocellulose or with vinylidene chloride-vinyl chloride (PVDC, commercially Saran) copolymers have different applications in food packaging, for example, wrappers for candies, chocolates, jams, cakes, cakes and others, and are plasticizers with mixtures of glycols.
Technically well-suited monoethylene glycol and diethylene glycol exceeded the established migration limits and have been replaced by a mixture of propylene glycol (PG), triethylene glycol (TEG), polyethylene glycol (PEG), glycerol and urea, which, in addition to eliminating toxicity problems, decrease migration due to its higher molecular weight, especially in the case of TEG and PEG.
There are other plasticizers that, taking into account their little use, do not seem to constitute a sanitary problem and their migration has been little studied. One of them is epoxidized soybean oil, which is used with different plastic materials such as PVC, PVDC and Polystyrene; which in addition to its plasticizing action serve as secondary stabilizers and internal lubricants.
Another is acetyltributyl citrate (ATBC), which is the plasticizer most used in Saran films in a proportion of up to 5%. These films are used when low permeability to oxygen and humidity is required, as well as high resistance to fats, alone in vacuum packaging or in a controlled atmosphere or for domestic uses or as a cellophane coating.
Other plasticizers, dibutylsebacate (DBS), are also used to a lesser extent with Saran. Cellulose acetate films in the form of rigid sheets are used on the windows of cardboard boxes for cakes, cakes and pastries in general, where direct contact with food is not expected, but can occur during handling. These films are generally laminated with 16% diethylphthalate (DEP). Phthalates such as dibutylphthalate (DBP), dicyclohexylphthalate (DCHP) and diisononylphthalate (DINP) are also used to a small extent as plasticizers for nitrocellulose coatings of cellophane and in rubber articles, due to their little use, they have not been given much Attention.
Stabilizers
Stabilizers together with plasticizers are considered the most important additives of plastics, due to their toxicity and because their use is essential.
Stabilizers are those compounds that are added to PVC to prevent or delay its degradation, both the one that can take place during the manufacturing process of the article, since PVC has low thermal resistance, as well as in the conservation of the container or article due to the action of environmental agents (radiation, humidity, heat, oxygen, ozone), which causes alterations in the macromolecular structure and its properties.
Stabilizers are generally added at a rate less than 2% relative to the weight of the plastic.
There are different groups of compounds that have the property of stabilizing PVC; some protect against heat, others against radiation, while others prevent both effects. The toxicity is diverse, since the range of substances from inorganic to organic is very varied.
The most used stabilizers in PVC intended to be in contact with food are calcium-zinc compounds and organic Sn. Organic compounds such as urea derivatives (phenylurea, definylthiourea), 2-phenylindole and esters of a-aminocrotonic acid are also used to a lesser extent.
In calcium-zinc compounds, there is a synergistic effect between calcium that improves durability and zinc that produces better initial coloration. These stabilizers are of no toxicological significance and are primarily used in flexible PVC for packaging, toys, and transfusion and nevolysis equipment.
Organic Sn stabilizers are used in rigid PVC for bottles and sheets, they cannot be used in flexible PVC because the presence of plasticizers considerably increases migration.
Of the organic Sn compounds, dialkyl (R2SnX2) and some monoalkyl (R Sn X3) have stabilizing action. These stabilizers have an effect on heat and light. There are 2 groups, those that contain sulfur in their structure (mono- and dialkylSn thioglycolate) that have the property of giving excellent transparency to PVC, and those that do not contain sulfur (dialkyltin carboxylates), which are odorless but do not confer transparency. to PVC.
Toxicokinetics and biological effects: Organic Sn compounds are absorbed more rapidly than inorganic Sn compounds, and among organics absorption decreases as the length of the alkyl radical increases. The highest concentrations of these compounds have been found in the liver and the lowest in the kidneys; the excretion route depends on the type of compounds.
Trialkyls, which are used as pesticides and are found as impurities in monkeys and if they cause damage to the central nervous system. Dialkyls have an effect on bile ducts, especially short-chain ones.
Dibutyl and other short-chain compounds are prohibited and dioctyls are recommended to stabilize food-grade PVC. Some dimethyl and dioctyl compounds have been found to inhibit the oxidation of keto acids and block mitochondrial respiration by administering high doses of dichloride. Dioctyl and dibutylSn thymic atrophy and suppression of the immune response occurred in rats but not in mice. There is no evidence that Sn organic compounds are carcinogenic, mutagenic or teratogenic.
Levels, limits and analysis : the most widely used organic Sn stabilizer worldwide is dioctylSn di-2-ethylhexylthioglycotalo (TGDO), which is combined with the corresponding monooctyl derivative for its synergistic action. This compound is almost always added in a proportion of 1.5% with respect to the weight of PVC. The limits set for migration are 5 µg Sn / dm² in food or non-fatty simulants and 10 µg Sn / dm² in food or fatty simulants.
Pigments
As well as PVC, PET and polycarbonate containers, they are characterized by their transparency, which allows the content to be exhibited; The polypropylene and polystyrene containers for general use are almost always used colored, which gives them a special appeal and also prevents the passage of light and other radiation.
Plastic pigments can be organic and inorganic. In the first group are azopigments: benzidine yellow, Hansa yellow, naphthol red, toluidine red; metallic complex pigments, green and blue phthalocyanines. Among the inorganic pigments are titanium oxide and zinc sulfide (white), carbon black, nickel-titanium yellow, iron oxides (red and black), cobalt blue and green, and Cd sulfides and sulphideselides (yellow and Red).
The sulfur pigments of Cd give colors between yellow and orange, the sulfoselenides between red and chestnut, and depending on the combinations that are made, shades of beautiful colors are obtained. They are alkali resistant but not acid resistant, heat resistant (more than 500 ºC) and stable to light. These characteristics make them technologically appreciated pigments; However, for a few years, from a health point of view its use in plastics for packaging and other uses in relation to food or direct contact with humans has been valued.
In a study of the migration to simultaneous acid solutions of polyethylenes, polypropylenes and polystyrenes, levels between 0.12 to 0.97 µg / dm² were found, which would not exceed the provisional weekly intake entrusted by the Joint FAO / WHO Committee of 0.0070 mg / kg of body weight, and therefore no health risks should be expected; however, considering that Cd is bioaccumulative and carcinogenic, the use of Cd pigments to color plastics is not recommended, so the possibility of replacing them must be taken into account.
The positive lists of the regulations generally do not include pigments, they only specify that they must not migrate to foods, nor in traces, and in some cases the degree of purity of the pigment is evaluated by setting limits for heavy metals and amines, they have also been fixed in the final plastic product when it comes to toys, but not for food.
Migration analysis
The selection of a certain plastic material or combinations of them to package a specific food is a fundamentally technological problem, and the most probable consequences of a good or bad selection are manifested in the quality and nutritional value of the food, on the contrary, the phenomenon of the migration of a substance from the container, has in addition to the previous applications a toxic character that implies strict sanitary control. The conceptual and practical application differences of the total migration, understood as such the sum of all the components that are transferred to the food, whether or not of toxicological interest, is determined by the gravimetric measurement of a residue obtained under experimental and specific conditions.
The limits established for the material derived from the container fluctuate between 5 and 10 mg / dm2 or 60 ppm, considering that the surface / volume ratio in most of the containers is 0.6: 1. The maximum residue limits of the compounds, measured in the specific migration tests, vary in each case.
The variables that must be established in the studies related to the migration of the packaging material under experimental conditions are time and temperature, according to the process or type of storage the food will undergo.
The test methods developed to calculate the level of global and specific migration of plastic materials commonly refer to 4 types of simulants:
- Distilled water.
- Aqueous solution of acetic acid (3%).
- Aqueous ethanol solution (15%).
- Olive oil, within the fatty simulants.
The global migration test procedure, using aqueous simulants, allows determining the amount of component that has been transferred from the container to the food simulant by gravimetry. Interlaboratory tests carried out with this type of simulants have shown that there is good repeatability and reproducibility of the results obtained.
The global migration test procedure using fatty simulants is more complex, since it involves the extraction of the oil absorbed by the plastic and its subsequent quantification using gas chromatography. Interlaboratory tests carried out with this type of simulant indicate that greater experience is necessary to obtain good repeatability and reproducibility of the migration results.
The global migration test is a good reference to determine the stability of a container under conditions of use. However, the specific migration of a specific substance is more interesting from a toxicological point of view. The quantity of a substance that is capable of migrating from a container to a food simulant allows a good toxicological evaluation to be given, by establishing the magnitude of that substance that is transferred to the food, and as a consequence of its toxicity.
The appearance of a new package on the market must maintain a balance between the technical and toxicological requirements required of it, that is, between the technical functions required for the package, such as food preservation and consumer safety. The specific migration test technique also involves the use of simulants; however, once the exposure period has ended, it is necessary to separate the plastic Monometers from the simulating liquid and identify them. Among the most commonly identified toxicological Monometers of interest are vinyl chloride, styrene, butadiene, acrylonitrile and terephthalic acid.
Chemical analysis of these monometers involves the use of the Head Space gas chromatography technique, using FID detectors and HPLC chromatography plus mass spectrometry.
Of all the plastic-food container interaction processes, migration is the one that can influence the toxicological and organoleptic quality of packaged food to a greater extent. Currently, solid food simulants are being worked on to avoid the problem of working with matrices as complex as the food itself. It should be noted that currently, most of the simulants that have been used are liquids.
In a study carried out by researchers (from the Laben Chile packaging laboratory, in conjunction with the Department of food science and technology, both belonging to the University of Santiago de Chile), the validity of using a solid simulant was determined , called TENAX, in carrying out the migration tests, together with the determination of the effect of microwaves on the overall migration of polypropylene plastic containers and Saran (PVC), a material used as a stretch film for food packaging.
In each case, the material was placed in contact with the simulant, heating in a 1,000 W microwave oven for 2 and 5 min. On this occasion, a wide range of volatile components was observed, which are released after microwave heating and are retained by TENAX, and which in no case exceeded the maximum levels allowed by international legislation, which favors their use as a simulant alternative solid.
Social and health impacts.
Styrofoam articles contain toxic chemicals such as styrene and benzene. Both substances are considered carcinogenic and can lead to additional health complications, including detrimental effects on the nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems, and possibly the kidneys and liver. [1] Several studies have shown that toxins in Styrofoam containers can be transferred to food and beverages, and this risk appears to increase when people reheat food by keeping it in the container. [two] In resource-poor regions, household wastes, including plastics, are often burned for heating and / or cooking, thus mainly exposing women and children to prolonged toxic emissions. Illegal methods of disposing of plastics usually take the form of open burning, increasing the release of toxic gases including furan and dioxin.
Research has shown that, in both developed and developing countries, waste from plastic bags and Styrofoam containers can lead to perceived “welfare losses” associated, for example, with the visual displeasure of a park that is contaminated with waste. This increases the indirect social costs of plastic pollution. [3]
In developing countries where there are inadequate solid waste management regulations, plastic bag waste can exacerbate pandemics. By clogging sewers and providing breeding grounds for mosquitoes and pests, plastic bags can increase the risk of the spread of carrier-borne diseases, such as malaria. [4]
As mentioned earlier, if fish or other marine life ingests plastic and microplastic waste, it can enter our food chain. Microplastics have already been found in conventional table salt [5] , as well as in tap water and bottled water. 41 Although research on the effects of microplastics has increased in recent years, little is yet known about the exact impacts they have on human health.
Tips
- It is preferable to use glass containers with a plastic lid to store food, since the plastic contains bisphenol A (BPA), PCBs, PBDEs, phthalates, dyes and other dangerous toxins. PBDE can cause infertility, and BPAs wreak havoc on the endocrine system by behaving the same as estrogens.
- Avoid Styrofoam trays and glasses (similar to white cork), especially with hot liquids, because in addition to bisphenol A, they release polystyrene, a toxic that is very harmful to the body. Avoid this type of material especially to put it in the microwave and for hot drinks.
- It is also not recommended to use transparent film or aluminum foil to preserve food. The accumulation of aluminum in the brain is one of the main causes of Alzheimer’s. Replace them with Zip-type hermetic bags, made with HDPE, a plastic type that does not release toxins.
- The best thing you can do is reduce the use of plastics. Look for natural alternatives such as fabrics, wood, bamboo, glass, stainless steel, etc. Also, when shopping for products, look for items with less (or no) plastic packaging. If you buy plastic, choose products that can be recycled or reused (for example, a glass of yogurt that can be reused to store crayons).
