Plastics, Plastics Everywhere

Plastics keep piling up: in containers, building materials, toys, medical devices, synthetic fibers and more. In 1996, according to the Society of Plastics Industry, the U.S. produced more than 84 billion pounds of resin, the basic component of plastic, an increase of 7% over the previous year. This imposes an insupportable cost upon the environment and our health.

Toxic Releases

The Berkeley Plastics Task Force stated in a 1996 report that the plastic industry released 14% of the most toxic industrial releases--including styrene, benzene and dioxins--into the air. The EPA found that 16% of all U.S. industrial accidents between 1980 and 1987--including explosions, toxic cloud releases, chemical spills and fires--resulted from plastic production. Benzene can cause respiratory irritation, headaches and dizziness when inhaled. Long-term exposure to styrene, a component of Styrofoam and a possible hormone disruptor, can cause fatigue, nervousness and difficulty in sleeping. Dioxins are known carcinogens and probable human hormone disruptors (see "Hand-Me-Down Poisons" in this issue).

PVC: The Poison Plastic

PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, plastic contains nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs), also used in styrene-based plastics, and phthalates. In the late 1980s, Drs. Ana Soto and Carlos Sonnenschein of Tufts Medical School inadvertently discovered that p-nonylphenol, an NPE, caused breast cancer cells, stored in test tubes containing polystyrene, to proliferate. Ninety percent of all phthalates are used in the production of soft PVC, used for shower curtains, hospital I.V. drips and blood bags, and miniblinds. "Phthalates are the most abundant pollutant in the environment," says Charlie Cray of Greenpeace. Phthalates, because they're not chemically bonded to the plastic structure of PVC, can migrate to its surface. In addition, the manufacture and incineration of PVC produces dioxin, and PVC's components can include heavy metals, such as lead and cadmium. "PVC is the poison plastic, partly because so many toxic additives must be added to give it the properties desired in the final product," says Cray. "PVC products can offgas toxic fumes."

Migrating Hormone Hell

There has been evidence of the leaching of hormone disruptors from plastics. In 1996, University of Granada researchers found high levels of bisphenol-A, a component of polycarbonate plastics used to line food cans, in some canned foods. Bisphenol-A also has been found to leach from dental sealants. In March 1996, the U.K. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food announced findings of phthalates in infant formulas, though the source remains unclear.

Evidence also suggests that chemical migration is enhanced when acidic or fatty foods are microwaved or heated. The styrene in polystyrene foam can dissolve in oil or ethanol, both present in food and alcohol. People should avoid fatty foods in Styrofoam packaging and refrain from drinking hot or alcoholic beverages from Styrofoam cups.

Recycling Challenge

We recycle less than five percent of our waste plastic, according to Too Good to Throw Away, a January 1997 report on recycling by the Natural Resources Defense Council. According to the American Plastics Council, soda bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are the most frequently recycled items. But PET recycling rates dropped from 33.1 percent to 29.1 percent last year.

Lack of education may contribute to low recycling rates. Consumers often believe the coding symbols on plastic containers mean the item is recyclable. In fact, the symbols only identify the resin base of the plastics, not all of which are accepted by all recycling programs. These resins are as follows:

"1" polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)

"2" high density polyethylene (HDPE)

"3" polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC)

"4" low density polyethylene (LDPE)

"5" polypropylene (PP)

"6" polystyrene (PS)

"7" other (usually polycarbonate)

Another problem: Mixing of plastics during reprocessing can weaken the recovered plastic, making it less appealing to manufacturers, especially when low-cost virgin resin is available. Most recycled plastic is used to produce items, such as polyester and plastic lumber, that are not themselves recyclable.

Solutions

"The majority of PET bottles are 20-ounce soft drink bottles, sold through vending machines and convenience stores [and] consumed away from traditional curbside recycling programs," says Hiroko Sugimoto of the Container Recycling Institute. Requiring a small deposit encourages people to bring bottles back. Currently, a bottle bill is going through the Georgia legislature, and several other states are considering expanding their deposit laws to include plastic bottles. [2002 update: A nationwide bottle bill has been introduced to both houses of Congress that would require drink makers to recycle 80% of cans and bottles, and mandate a nationwide 10-cent deposit. To weigh in with your representatives, call the Capitol Switchboard, 202/224-3121.]

To decrease plastic waste, consumers should reject over-packaging by manufacturers and use reusable cloth bags for shopping. Avoid items made of PVC, the least-recycled commonly produced plastic. Find out which plastics qualify for curbside recycling in your community, and try not to buy items made of plastics that are not accepted.