Secara umum ada 7 macam simbol yang dipakai dengan kelebihan dan kekurangan masing-masing. Selain berguna, ada pula bahan yang berpotensi membahayakan kesehatan jika kita salah dalam pemakaiannya. Beberapa bahan ada yang tidak aman jika digunakan untuk makanan, ada juga yang hanya boleh digunakan sekali saja.
Untuk itu sebelum memilih wadah makanan dari plastik, perhatikan lebih dulu simbol daur ulang yang umumnya ada di bagian bawah, untuk kesehatan kita bersama.
Number 1 PlasticsPET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) Found in: Soft drink, water and beer bottles; mouthwash bottles; peanut butter containers; salad dressing and vegetable oil containers; ovenable food trays.Recycling: Picked up through most curbside recycling programs.Recycled into: Polar fleece, fiber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, straps, (occasionally) new containers PET plastic is the most common for single-use bottled beverages, because it is inexpensive, lightweight and easy to recycle. It poses low risk of leaching breakdown products. Recycling rates remain relatively low (around 20%), though the material is in high demand by remanufacturers. (Plastik nomor 1 – PET atau PETE – polyuretane terephtalene – biasa dipakai untuk botol bening/transparan seperti botol air mineral dan minuman ringan. Botol ini direkomensasikan untuk sekali pakai, jangan mengisinya dengan air hangat atau panas)
Number 2 Plastics HDPE (high density polyethylene) Found in: Milk jugs, juice bottles; bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles; shampoo bottles; some trash and shopping bags; motor oil bottles; butter and yogurt tubs; cereal box linersRecycling: Picked up through most curbside recycling programs, although some allow only those containers with necks.Recycled into: Laundry detergent bottles, oil bottles, pens, recycling containers, floor tile, drainage pipe, lumber, benches, doghouses, picnic tables, fencing HDPE is a versatile plastic with many uses, especially for packaging. It carries low risk of leaching and is readily recyclable into many goods. (Plastik nomor 2 – HDPE – high density polithylene – umum berupa botol berwarna putih susu dan digunakan untuk botol susu, minyak pelumas dan shampoo. Botol dari bahan ini juga direkomedasikan untuk sekali pakai)
Number 3 : PlasticsV (Vinyl) or PVC Found in: Window cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, cooking oil bottles, clear food packaging, wire jacketing, medical equipment, siding, windows, pipingRecycling: Rarely recycled; accepted by some plastic lumber makers. Recycled into: Decks, paneling, mudflaps, roadway gutters, flooring, cables, speed bumps, mats
PVC is tough and weathers well, so it is commonly used for piping, siding and similar applications. PVC contains chlorine, so its manufacture can release highly dangerous dioxins. If you must cook with PVC, don’t let the plastic touch food. Also never burn PVC, because it releases toxins. (plastik nomor 3 – V atau PVC – polyvinyl chloride – biasa digunakan untuk pipa, plastik pembungkus dan botol cairan pembersih kaca. Hindari plastik jenis ini bersentuhan dengan makanan. Jangan membakar plastik jenis ini karena dapat menimbulkan racun. Bahan ini sulit di daur ulang)
Number 4 : Plastics LDPE (low density polyethylene) Found in: Squeezable bottles; bread, frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping bags; tote bags; clothing; furniture; carpet Recycling: LDPE is not often recycled through curbside programs, but some communities will accept it. Plastic shopping bags can be returned to many stores for recycling.Recycled into: Trash can liners and cans, compost bins, shipping envelopes, paneling, lumber, landscaping ties, floor tile
LDPE is a flexible plastic with many applications. Historically it has not been accepted through most American curbside recycling programs, but more and more communities are starting to accept it. (plastik nomor 4 – LDPE – low density polyethylene – biasa digunakan untuk plastik pembungkus makanan dan botol botol yang lembek. Bahan ini fleksibel dan kuat, baik untuk makanan)
Number 5 : Plastics PP (polypropylene) Found in: Some yogurt containers, syrup bottles, ketchup bottles, caps, straws, medicine bottles Recycling: Number 5 plastics can be recycled through some curbside programs. Recycled into: Signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, auto battery cases, ice scrapers, landscape borders, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, trays
Polypropylene has a high melting point, and so is often chosen for containers that must accept hot liquid. It is gradually becoming more accepted by recyclers. (Plastik nomor 5 – PP -polyprophylene – adalah plastik yang paling baik untuk kontak dengan makanan dan minuman. Cirinya transparan tapi tidak bening)
Polystyrene can be made into rigid or foam products — in the latter case it is popularly known as the trademark Styrofoam. Evidence suggests polystyrene can leach potential toxins into foods. The material was long on environmentalists’ hit lists for dispersing widely across the landscape, and for being notoriously difficult to recycle. Most places still don’t accept it, though it is gradually gaining traction. (Plastik nomor 6 – PS – polystryne – biasa dipakai untuk tempat makanan styrofoam dan tempat minuman sekali pakai. Bahan ini bisa membocorkan bahan styrine yang berbahaya untuk otak dan sistem syaraf. Beberapa negara sudah melarang pemakaian bahan ini untuk tempat makanan)
A wide variety of plastic resins that don’t fit into the previous categories are lumped into number 7. A few are even made from plants (polyactide) and are compostable. Polycarbonate is number 7, and is the hard plastic that has parents worried these days, after studies have shown it can leach potential hormone disruptors. (Plastik nomor 7 – OTHER – lain lain, dapat berupa polycarbonate yang merupakan plastik keras. Bahan ini dapat mengeluarkan Bisphenol-A ke dalam makanan dan dapat merusak sistem hormon)
