Contamination and Toxins Among Pitfalls of Recycled, Reused Plastic for Food as Reviewed in Unique Study

Unusual research on recycled and reused plastic for food packaging has shown that toxins and contamination are some of its drawbacks.

Recycled and Reused Plastic for Food Packaging

Because they accumulate and emit hundreds of harmful pollutants such as bisphenol, styrene, benzene, heavy metals, formaldehyde, and phthalates, recycled and reused food contact plastics operate as transporters for deadly chemicals.

Many of the largest and most dangerous chemical families, such as flame retardants, heavy metals, phthalates, bisphenols, as well as fluorinated compounds, are directly linked to the creation of plastics, according to a 2021 article by the Health and Environment Alliance.

To present a first-of-its-kind comprehensive analysis of food contact chemicals in food packaging, cutlery, plates, and other objects as well as what is currently known regarding how the substances contaminate food, the study evaluated hundreds of scientific articles on plastic and recycled plastic.

Hazardous chemicals may build up in recycled materials before migrating into foods, subjecting people to long-term exposure, claim the authors.

Plastic bottles manufactured of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are a typical illustration.

There is a discussion about enhancing plastic recyclability in the middle of the worldwide plastic waste problem.

The study does highlight dangers, as 853 compounds were discovered in recycled PET plastic.

Contamination and Toxins

Acetaldehyde and antimony were most frequently identified, along with powerful poisons such as 2 and 4-DTBP, ethylene glycol, terephthalic acid, lead, bisphenol, and cyclic PET oligomers.

Additionally, the chemistries of plastics can be somewhat mysterious.

The US has very few restrictions on the ingredients used in materials, while the EU only requires minimal testing to identify the compounds used in plastic.

According to the study, plastics are extremely complex materials that comprise hundreds of distinct synthetic compounds that are frequently under-characterized in terms of their hazard features.

The investigation points out that some chemicals detected in recycled plastics cannot be identified, increasing the risk of continuous recycling and accumulation.

It's unsafe, according to Birgit Geueke, a senior scientific officer for the Food Packaging Forum in Zurich, because the number of hazardous pollutants increases as the grade of recycled plastic declines.

The study's principal author is Geueke.

Higher levels of VOC are caused by the addition or formation of chemicals during recycling.

Chemical additives made during recycling or from contaminated sources are a few causes.

Also Read: Plastic Easter Eggs Not Recyclable: Best Action Plan and Alternatives 

Illicit Recycling

The assessment also drew attention to the prevalent "illicit" recycling practices, in which businesses employ recycled food packaging made of non-food grade plastic that contains flame retardants and other harmful materials.

Studies have found recycled electronics in markets in the US, South Korea, and Europe despite rigorous controls on the sorts of plastic that can be used for food contact.

According to Geueke, there are unmistakable signs that outdated TVs, laptops, and keyboards had brominated flame retardants, and doing so is undoubtedly illegal.

Similar contamination problems exist with reusable plastic food products like water bottles, tableware, and kitchen equipment.

Initially using something, using cleaning products, or using it incorrectly might cause chemical changes and absorption.

Reduce your use of plastic, choose non-plastic packaging, and move your food into better containers to protect yourself from these risks.

However, the authors of the study concluded that the most practical solution is the total abolition of plastic and the widespread adoption of safer materials.

According to the study, switching to materials that can be securely reused because of their advantageous, inert material features may be a potential way to lessen the negative environmental effects of single-use food packaging and the negative health effects of migratory chemicals, The Guardian reported.

The study by Geueke and several colleagues was recently published by Cambridge Core.

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