How many kinds of plastic？

Plastics are divided into different grades. The small triangle symbol is usually engraved on the bottom of the plastic container. The numbers in the triangle range from 1 to 7. Each number represents a specification of plastic container. Let's talk about them one by one! 

"01" Throw away after drinking

"01" stands for PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which is most commonly used in bottled beverages such as mineral water and carbonated beverages. PET is often used to make beverage bottles and sub-bottles. It is usually heat-resistant up to 65℃ and cold-resistant to -20℃. It is only suitable for warm or frozen drinks. It is easy to deform when filled with high-temperature liquids or heated, and substances harmful to the human body will melt out. It is well known that beverage bottles made of this material cannot be used to hold hot water. They are only suitable for warm or frozen drinks. They are easy to deform when filled with high-temperature liquids or heated, and substances harmful to the human body will dissolve out. Scientists also found that this type of plastic product may release carcinogens after being used for more than 10 months. Therefore, it is recommended to throw away the empty beverage bottles and not use them as water cups or storage containers. To avoid harm to health, the gain is not worth the loss.

"02" is not recommended for water containers

"02" stands for HDPE (high-density polyethylene). Plastic containers containing cleaning products and bath products or plastic bags commonly used in shopping malls are mostly made of this material. There are also some industrial products that can withstand high temperatures of 110°C. If they are marked for food, they can be used to hold food. Plastic containers for cleaning products and bath products can be reused after careful cleaning, but they are often difficult to clean and leave residues, thus becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. Unlike other beverage bottles, the bottom of the 4L Nongfu Spring is marked with 02. Although it looks much stronger than ordinary mineral water bottles, it is not recommended to use it as a water container. Long-term use is likely to produce harmful substances. The material itself is also difficult to clean thoroughly, so it is recommended not to recycle it.

"03" Never let it get heated

"03" stands for PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which is commonly seen in raincoats and plastic films. Plastic products made of this material are prone to produce two toxic and harmful substances: one is the single molecule of vinyl chloride that is not completely polymerized during the production process, and the other is the harmful substances in the plasticizer. These two substances are easy to precipitate when encountering high temperature and grease. If they accidentally enter the human body, they are easy to cause cancer. Therefore, it is rarely used in food packaging. If you happen to encounter it, never let it get heated.

"04" will melt when the temperature exceeds 110℃

"04" refers to LDPE (low-density polyethylene), the raw material of cling film and plastic film, which is not very heat-resistant. Qualified PE cling film will melt when the temperature exceeds 110℃, leaving some plastic preparations that cannot be decomposed by the human body. If it is wrapped around the outside of food and heated at the same time, the fat in the food will more easily dissolve the harmful substances in the cling film.

    "05" can be reused after careful cleaning
   "05" stands for PP (polypropylene), which is the only material that can be heated in a microwave oven, so it is used as a raw material for making microwave lunch boxes. It is resistant to high temperatures of 130°C, has a melting point of up to 167°C, and has poor transparency, so it can be reused after careful cleaning.
   "06" Do not heat the bowl directly
   "06" stands for PS (polystyrene), which is the material used to make bowl-filled instant noodle boxes and foamed fast food boxes. It cannot be used to contain strong acids (such as orange juice) and strong alkaline substances, because it will decompose polystyrene (carcinogen) that is not good for the human body. Although it is resistant to heat and cold, it can also release chemicals due to high temperatures, so don't heat the instant noodle box directly in the microwave!
   "07" Use with caution to avoid "Bisphenol A"
   "07" stands for PC and other types of PC, which is a material that is widely used, mostly used in the manufacture of baby bottles, space cups, etc., and is controversial because it contains toxic bisphenol A. Theoretically, as long as BPA is 100% converted into a plastic structure during the production process of PC, it means that the product is completely free of BPA, let alone released. However, there is no manufacturer that can guarantee that BPA has been completely converted, so it is necessary to pay attention to it during use.