Rants on Plastic

So, besides recycling I've been endeavoring to be more careful about the amount of plastic we use and types we bring in the house given all the recent news about BPA.

A couple weeks ago I looked at the bottom of one of the Mott's applesauce cups and of course its code was a 7...ugh. I took it to work with me, so I could call Motts to find out exacty what kind of plastic was in it. I was hopeful that maybe the 7 was because of some of the good environmentally friendly plastics that are 7s but knew I was deluding my self. I finally got through after several attempts. The great people at Motts printed the wrong phone number on the applesause containers. It was one digit off from their actual care number that I found on there website where I also found NO information on the plastic they use to make the containers!

So, I called and got to talk to Priscilla. I launched into my question to which Priscillas first response was ask if I was calling from the US or Canada. I'm assuming that is because several days before this Canada announced they were passing laws to ban BPA from products. I told her I was in the US and after several minutes she had a response. Motts chose the type of plastic it uses for the single serve contains because it provides the longest shelf life to keep the product fresh. My response: "Great but that didn't answer my question." Priscilla put me on hold to do a little more research. When she came back, she had nothing. She found a corporate letter referencing the recent studies related to the use of BPA in baby products, but it didn't have any mention about the containers or Motts' future plans. Prisicalla needed to do more research, so she took my contact info and promised to get back to me. Well....it has been a month and NOTHING. My mental To Do list has included a line for going on Mott's site and resubmitting my question for weeks, but I just haven't had time. Maybe tonight will be the night.

On a related note, we decided to get some deli meat for sandwiches last Sunday and I wanted some honey mustard for my turkey. I bought a squeeze bottle of the Inglehoffer brand and of course didn't even think to look at the type of plastic used to make the bottle. I guess I just take for granted that most bottles for food are 1s, 2s, or 5s. Well of course I looked as I was putting it away, after I'd already eaten it on my sandwich. I was shocked. It was a 3!!!! It was a vinyl container...the poison plastic. I couldn't believe they would use vinyl given how dangerous it is and that it is being banned all over the place. It immediately went in the trash (I don't even think I can recycle it). I guess giving the Inglehoffer company a piece of my mind just got added to my mental To Do list too.

Well time to go...I can hear Gabe tossing and turning through the monitor. I hope he sleeps through the night tonight. This latest virus has been a nasty one.