Marking of plastic utensils

In modern stores you can find a huge selection of various types of dishes made from various modern materials. A practical novelty for many homes is kitchenware made from high-quality plastic. All these disposable plates, forks, spoons and cups are quite easy to use. It is especially comfortable to use such dishes at a picnic - you do not need to take used items home and wash them, you can simply take them to the nearest bin for recycling.

Marking is a specific text, as well as conventional signs or even hand-drawn images that are put on goods or on their packages. It is needed to identify a specific product or some of its qualities; it carries information about the material, its properties, and various characteristics of the product.

Main marking features:

• provide complete and most reliable information about the product to the average user;
• encourage a potential buyer to purchase this product after reviewing the quality characteristics.

There are certain requirements for product marking:

• information should be simplified and understandable, as well as reliable.
• the manufacturer must provide the buyer with full details of the product, explaining specific terms;
• no extra information can be placed on the product;
• labeling should not have a double meaning;
• font size of labels or icons should be easy to read and meet certain standards.

Consumer characteristics of plastic ware affect its final choice and are considered the most essential for its operation.

• This kind of dishes should be safe to use. It is imperative that it fully complies with all established hygienic and medical standards.
• The aesthetic side of the issue is also considered important - the dishes should be attractive in appearance. Nowadays, plastic kits are distinguished by a large selection of colors and the presence of stylish patterns.
• Properties of heat resistance - the product must retain all its qualities when in contact with food and drinks in a hot state.
• Use for various dishes, the ability to store food in the refrigerator or freezer, as well as for use in the microwave.
• Increased resistance to alkali, acids or fats.
• Thermostaticity is the ability of the consumer to keep a heated plate or glass in their hands and not burn themselves.
• Elasticity. For plastic knives and forks - the ability to easily cut and puncture food without breaking the devices themselves.
• Persistence in front of a number of impacts.
• Ability to select different forms and parameters.
• Good capacity, compactness and lightness.
• Eco-friendly component and simplified disposal.

It is better not to buy plastic cups at all, since they cannot be recycled at all. Moreover, the material contains a large amount of toxic components, which, when drinking hot drinks, certainly appear in the body and cause irreparable harm to it.

Always look at the labeling of plastic products offered by companies - these detailed designations for disposable utensils almost all tell about its operational properties. For an ordinary consumer, all types of disposable tableware are the same, but in fact not every type of plastic is suitable for active use for domestic purposes, not every one of them will be able to transfer heat or temperature drops.

Ware of beautiful and durable plastic today has a very wide domestic use, which is justified by the low cost and maximum comfort in operation. Most modern cafeterias offer just such kind of inexpensive dishes. Lunches, picnic sets or full meals for the office also imply the use of food grade plastic. A variety of drinks in general, almost all poured into a container at a time.

What notation should look at when buying, and what type of plastic says a particular sign - consider below.

• PS - polystyrene. Intends for cool drinks. It is not recommended to drink tea or coffee in a hot state, as well as alcoholic beverages from these glasses. Polystyrene, which is in the material, is able to accumulate inside the body and as a result can seriously hit the state of the liver.

• PP - polypropylene. Of these products, you can safely drink even very hot coffee and tea, since the material is not afraid of heating to 100 C. However, doctors do not advise seriously to get involved in the use of this type of utensil - it releases toxic phenol, and it will seriously hit the kidneys and even lead to a complete loss of vision. From such plastic often make toys for children.

• PET or PETE - polyethylene terephthalate. It is allowed to use products from this plastic in order to pack juices, mineral water, and other popular beverages. However, its use remains highly undesirable, as it can also cause significant health problems.

• PEHD or HDPE - high density polyethylene. It is most convenient at operation and conditionally it can be called safe. Flasks, bottles, and sometimes packaging for the long-term preservation of dairy products are produced from this material. But even under certain conditions, it begins to emit an extremely dangerous component - formaldehyde.

• PVC or PVC - polyvinyl chloride. Prohibited as food packaging, as it can release a lot of very harmful chemical components. Most often, containers are made of it for storage of detergents and other non-food products.

• LDPE and PEBD - low density polyethylene. Available for packaging non-food products, although called experts almost safe.

• OTHER or O - other. These signs will tell the average person that this plastic cannot be classified under one of the above listed types. Usually refers to one of the safest species (conditionally) for people.

When choosing containers made of plastic, you should familiarize yourself with the decoding of the markers. On any plastic product there must be a special badge that tells what specific material this product is released from. If there are no icons on the product at all, then in no case should you buy it. For example, if there are numbers in the triangle icon at the bottom of the dishes or there are PVC letters, this is a signal to you that this kind of packaging is extremely poisonous.

Any popular plastic packaging today should have its own special designation. It all depends on the type of labeling, thanks to which material that is not very dangerous and extremely toxic to human health can be distinguished.

On a disposable tableware will always be a sign in the form of a small triangle, which consists of 3 arrows. Inside this triangle there are numbers from 1 to 7. Consider what each of the numbers means.

• Number 1 (PET) tell the buyer that this container should be used only once. Such marking is commonly found on disposable plastic containers (bottles). Using them for the second time is strictly prohibited.
• Number 2 (LDPE) - since this polyethylene has an increased density, it is often used again, although its degree of safety is considered conditional.
• Number 3 (PVC) - it is chosen for release of packing from a film. Extremely toxic material capable of releasing toxic components during combustion.
• Number 4 (HDPE) - suitable for the production of various polyethylene bags. Can easily be used a second time, because it almost does not interact with food.
• Figure 5 (PP) - polypropylene. Great for repeated use, is available for the production of food containers.
• Number 6 (PS) - This is a foam that manufacturers use as an additive in the mixture for the release of lids for disposable cups.
• Number 7 or other - completely inappropriate for the food industry, as they can cause serious illnesses.

Marking of dishes suitable for safe heating in a microwave is always placed on the product itself and usually looks like a few times reduced design of the appliance itself with a plate that is placed inside it.

If on the product you saw the number 6, enclosed in a triangle sign of 3 arrows, and below there are the letters PS, then this means that before you are dishes made of polystyrene. This kind of product should never be used for hot dishes, it is forbidden to put on the heating in the microwave. The problem is that if you still slightly warm the food in this form of plastic, you can seriously poison yourself, because during the time of even minimal heating, polystyrene will release extremely dangerous toxins.

A safe option can be called a special plastic utensils for the microwave oven. Before purchasing a container, you should pay attention to the presence of a special stamp, which is usually located on the bottom or the lid of the container. Designated special dishes from plastic for a microwave oven with a combination of letters - PP and PC, and in addition, the container must necessarily have a thematic sign in the form of small waves or a microwave oven pattern.

You should also know that containers that are purchased specifically for the microwave should not be heated strongly or rapidly, especially if they have just been removed from the refrigerator. An exception can only be special plastic containers, in which you can warm dishes immediately, as soon as they are taken out of the refrigerator.

Sometimes on disposable tableware you can see a number of rather amusing icons, the meaning of which is not always clear.

This icon is often found on various types of products and it means literally the following:

• this kind of product is released from non-toxic material;
• can be used to store different types of food;
• All these materials are completely safe.

The symbol “Glass-fork” is most often placed exactly on plastic, in order to reflect for the buyer information about the validity of the product being purchased for direct and safe contact with various products used in the forest. But if this icon is underlined, then the products should not come into contact with food.

This kind of noticeable badge can be put on its own products only by those brands that finance the German eco-friendly plastic waste recycling program, Eco Emballage, and are part of its full recycling system.

Many companies that manufacture plastic products are not part of this system, but this icon nevertheless still puts on their products, which can be considered a clear attempt to mislead customers about the environmental component of goods.

The product, released a second time from recycled materials or still suitable for ongoing processing. The triangle symbol on the package, consisting of 3 arrows, means that this type of cookware is released from the secondary.

Inside the triangle itself most often will be well readable numbers. They will talk about a specific type of processing. So, if you see a number, it will mean:

• from 1 to 19 - plastic;
• from 20 to 39 - paper or cardboard;
• from 40 to 49 - metal;
• from 50 to 59 - wood;
• from 60 to 69 - fabric or textile;
• from 70 to 79 - glass.

Designation of other signs found on plastic containers

• microwave crossed out - such dishes should not be heated in it;
• two alternately rotating arrows - this product cannot be used a second time;
• plate and spoon crossed out - not suitable for hot food;
• crossed refrigerator - do not put in the refrigerator;
• crossed dish with chicken - it is impossible to pour fat;
• image of a thermometer - can withstand temperature drops.

In any case, even using almost safe types of plastic utensils, think about whether it is not worth switching to more traditional materials in everyday use, the thousand-year history of which confirms their health benefits.

See the next video for more details on what the markings on plastic containers mean.