"There are seven classes of plastics used in packaging applications. Type 7 is the catch-all "other" class, and some type 7 plastics, such as polycarbonate (sometimes identified with the letters "PC" near the recycling symbol) and epoxy resins, are made from bisphenol A monomer.[4] When such plastics are exposed to hot liquids, bisphenol A leaches out 55 times faster than it does under normal conditions, at up to 32 ng/hour.[81] Type 3 (PVC) can also contain bisphenol A as antioxidant in plasticizers.[4] Types 1 (PET), 2 (HDPE), 4 (LDPE), 5 (polypropylene), and 6 (polystyrene) do not use bisphenol A during polymerization or package forming.[citation needed]"
BPA is apparently also found in the lining of tin cans, so they recommend avoiding canned foods also. Hopefully industry will come up with an alternative soon, or forgo the need for using it altogether as consumer pressure builds. (Canada appears to have banned it outright already). Here's the link to the original Wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
I recommend trying to use good old glass bottles if you can manage it - I stick mine in an old (unmatched) sock for cheap protection from breakage on the go. (Hey all you knitters, new project - water bottle socks;). Yes, they are a touch heavier, and require a touch gentler handling in our modern hectic lives, but may be well worth it. I reuse a couple of well-washed and rinsed Tazo Tea bottles myself for carrying water, as the size is just right - enough to keep me hydrated between water stops, and not too big or heavy to carry pretty easily. (You do need to secure the lids a touch more firmly).
And, as promised, here is the always to be included latest update from me on where to recycle almost everything in Portland, so you don't have to hunt through my prior posts;). (Ha, it's the first test of my promise to do so, we'll see if it works;). I realized I may end up throwing odds and ends up between major source updates, and may omit this once in a while. We'll see;). Live well.
The latest on
Recycling in Portland, OR
11/01/08 (no change since 10/30/08)
(Per the good people at Metro among others, who know what's up!)
ALL recycling systems require bottles, tubs and cans to be rinsed, empty, with no lids on. And NO PLASTIC BAGS IN CURBSIDE/APARTMENT RECYCLING AT ALL .Plastic bags must be returned to grocery stores or recycled separately (in mass) at an appropriate depot. (See below). Do not drop off bags of bottles or plastics in any recycling system. The bags gum up the works and cause loads to be tossed. (Nor leave plastic bags or film mixed in, same problem).
In general our curbside/apartment recycling is rather limited. That's why I've researched and listed the many other great other outlets for recycling many more items than curbside can take. I.e, if in doubt, leave it out of your curbside system, and take it to one of the many facilities listed below (e.g. Far West Fibers, Portland Recycling, Total Reclaim, etc.) I've tried to make it as simple as possible.
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Current Portland 2 bin Curbside/apartment Recycling CAN take:
(NO LIDS ON ANY CONTAINERS PLEASE, MUST ALL BE EMPTY AND CLEAN)
A) In separate glass bin only:
Only glass bottles and jars:must keep in separate bin from all other recyclables. Empty, clean, no lids. Also, no light bulbs, lamps, etc. Just jars and bottles from the kitchen. (Take fluorescent and high intensity flood light bulbs to Metro hazardous waste recycling centers. Normal light bulbs can apparently go to Total Reclaim in NE Portland according to Metro Oct 29, 2008).
B) In co-mingled rollout recycling bins:
Plastic bottles and tubs (no lids): bottles with a screw neck top, empty (clean) margarine or yogurt type tubs (No’s 1, 2 and 5 only). NO clamshell food containers (#6). AND NO OTHER PLASTICS WHATSOEVER. (E.g. toys, hangers, lids). All bottles and tubs must be clean, empty, NO LIDS. NO BAGS. (See below for where to take lids and other plastics). You can recycle empty laundry detergent bottles here.
Paper: Newspaper, magazines, and office paper and junk mail. (Envelopes with glassine windows are okay). NO NAPKINS OR TISSUES (this belongs in garbage, or compost). Please enclose shredded paper in a paper bag for ease of handling at facilities. (This is the only time you may contain something in any bag, and it must be paper). No foil lined paper. (e.g. metallic gift wrap).Staples okay. No paper clips. No food-contaminated or waxed containers either. (E.g. no frozen food boxes, or paper coffee cups with waxy insides. These can be composted under proper conditions but are too contaminated for normal paper recycling).
Steel and tin cans: (e.g. soup cans) clean, no lables, flatten as able, and tuck clean lids inside for safety. (I find squishing the top end of the cans with rounded bottoms to help in removing the label, and saving a little space). Clean aluminum foil also okay.
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ALL OTHER RECYCLING:
Call Metro at 503-234-3000 or see www.metro-region.org to keep up on latest recycling outlets for MANY other items including STYROFOAM, ELECTRONICS, batteries and hazardous wastes (old paint, cleaners, fluorescent light bulbs)..
Far West Fibers takes virtually everything except styrofoam and hazardous wastes, and are one of the cheapest and easiest to get to. (Depot at SE 17th and Holgate). This includes ALL RIGID PLASTICS except styrofoam and now PLA #7 (these corn-based plastics). I.e, all the plastic lids, toys, hangers, clean clamshell food containers, other tubs, etc. that the curbside/apartment system does not take (except PLA:). Must be clean. (Apparently Portland Recycling Centers do too (website below) - I just haven't made it there yet, so can't vouch for them yet, but hopefully soon. I've got a bag of crinkly type plastic film saved up to take there, which Far West can't take).
Styrofoam: Total Reclaim on NE 60th and Columbia - $5/car or truck load. Must be clean. Can take clean meat packaging trays. www.totalreclaim.com
Computers and related items (printers, scanners, mice, keyboards): Free Geek www.freegeek.org (SE 10th and Mill, just south of Hawthorne). Reasonable fees apply.
Televisions and electronics: Bear eCycling on SE 63rd just south of Foster (tucked behind the small nursery store) takes ALL ELECTRONICS EXCEPT anything with freon coolant like Fridges and AC's. Far West does take these. This includes TV's, microwaves, blenders, remotes, toasters, batteries, etc. Basically, if it runs, ran, or ran something electronically, he can take it. There are reasonable fees charged for handling all items. Call for more info: 503-788-2235. www.bearecycling.com. Run by Oso Martin, founder of Free Geek, and fellow rabid responsible elecronics recycler. (He keeps toxics from going overseas for improper disposal). Don't forget you can get a government coupon good for $40 off an analog to digital aerial TV converter box to upgrade old analong TV's if you can't afford cable or a new digital TV.
Find additional info and responsible recycling outlets at:
www.metro-region.org (see “Find a Recycler” under Garbage and Recycling links on left side)
www.farwestfibers.com (take all rigid plastics besides styrofoam, plus much more)
www.portlandrecyclingcenters.com (takes all but styro, plus other crinkly plastic films besides stretchy #2 and 4)
www.enviromom.com (has updates on many ways to reduce, reuse, recycle in Portland)
www.masterrecycler.org (has updates on periodic local Plastics Roundups in Portland area that take all but styro)
www.totalreclaim.com (takes styrofoam in NE Portland - yay:) $5/load
www.buyworms.com for a good local source of red worms for vermicomposting
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