Alternatives to Plastics - 'Least Toxic' Plastics

The general recommendation is avoid plastic. Choose alternatives. In real life this is a little difficult and so we are often left with choosing the least toxic plastics for our children's toys and food containers etc. We are all surrounded with plastics – carpet, vinyl floor covering, paints, furniture, construction materials, food packaging, general packaging. Just look around your home and you will be surprised at the extent of plastic. We cannot remove it all. What we need to do is limit the amount our children come in contact with through touching, eating/drinking, breathing.

There are alternatives to petrochemical based plastics. They may cost a bit more at the point of sale but if you add in the health and environmental costs, they are an inexpensive alternative. The price of alternatives will come down as more of us demand them. Our choices include natural fibre, sustainably-produced wood, and natural clays.

Buy natural clay or make your own modelling clay. Find a recipe that works for you and your children from the internet or books from the library.

A good recipe for play dough is:

1 cup plain flour
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
food colouring (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the clay forms a ball and reaches the consistency of commercial clays. You can store the dough in a tightly sealed container.

If plastic must be used:

*  In the absence of testing, recycling symbol or chemical composition, and other data, as a rule of thumb, the harder the plastic the less leaching – avoid soft plastics.  But in relation to food, it depends on the acidity of the stored materials, the presence of heat and the age and makeup of the plastic.

*  Avoid plastics that leach questionable chemicals: #3 (PVC), #6 (PS), #7 (often polycarbonate, but can be a combination of plastics).

*  Avoid plastics that aren’t easily recyclable: #3 (PVC), #4 (LDPE), #5 (PP), #6 (PS), #7 (often polycarbonate but can be a combination of different plastics)

*  Avoid plastic cutlery and dinnerware.

*  Choose #1 (PETE), or #2 (HDPE).

*  Avoid soft, flexible plastics