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Plastics are poisoning us

newyorker.com

331–340 of 528 posts

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#331

People consider it a shocking or impossible policy to ban single use plastics, but future generations will look back on plastics the same way we do at lead paint or asbestos. We're poisoning ourselves and our planet.

My city banned single use plastics ages ago. Plastic bags banned over a decade ago now. Plastic cutlery and containers banned in 2020. People freak out at the start and complain but no one cares and life continues on. Personally I bring my own bags to the supermarket since the paper ones are a bit annoying, but its trivial to just stuff one in my pocket before I leave.

> My city banned single use plastics ages ago.

So what is the food from the supermarket packaged in? I assume mostly in single use plastics.

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#332

I became a minimist to save the planet as much as i could. Its easier than any one could think you know. Here is what i have been doing for a decade and would receommend 1. Reusing plastic bags (i love cotton bags but not ideal). Fold and keep one or two in your pocket before you leave home 2. Support and use light software so you dont need to upgrade your gadgets (12y laptop i use) 3. Prepare and eat home cooked mea…

4. Biking - way more energy efficient - you'll get more MPG (Miles-Per-Gnocci).

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#333
post #279

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I consider the government interfering in commerce to be authoritarian, correct.

Then this world must be difficult for you. May I suggest relocating to Somalia or another failed state?

Somalia is a shithole, but the problems of Somalia are not caused by free commerce.

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#334

The word 'Plastic' needs to die. Instead we should be more specific on the type of plastic. Teflon, PLA, ABS, resins, foams, etc... are all plastics, but they are so unrelated outside their long chains, its terrible to stereotype them all into one category. You aren't going to get cancer from PLA or Teflon, but rather the manufacturing process. You can eat these plastics as far as I know and you'd be fine. Eat someth…

Maybe the solution is better labeling.

No, we are awash in labels already and I am sick of everything having a legal treatise attached to it. Labels just throw the problem back in the laps of consumers, an approach which clearly does not work.

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#336

I became a minimist to save the planet as much as i could. Its easier than any one could think you know. Here is what i have been doing for a decade and would receommend 1. Reusing plastic bags (i love cotton bags but not ideal). Fold and keep one or two in your pocket before you leave home 2. Support and use light software so you dont need to upgrade your gadgets (12y laptop i use) 3. Prepare and eat home cooked mea…

I’ve had a lot of water bottles over the years. This is quite an unpopular take, but I believe PET to be lesser of all evils. I’ve spent a lot of money on numerous steel and plastic water bottles. They all break and good luck recycling them. Most likely they end up in landfill. PET bottles use less raw resources, are cheap, lightweight, extremely durable, and when they reach end of life they’re easier to “recycle” (d…

How does a steel water bottle break

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#337
post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Teflon Aka Polytetrafluoroethylene cookware represents a health hazard. The stuff contains a great deal of Florine and breaks down at 300C, but that’s not purely binary instead it becomes increasingly unstable as your approach the temperature. Further no manufacturing process is perfect, I wouldn’t therefore assume eating significant quantities would be safe. That said, it’s generally used as a coating rather than a…

> Teflon Aka Polytetrafluoroethylene cookware represents a health hazard. Are you saying, then, that this claim [1] is false? It states that PTFE is safe, whereas PFOA — what Teflon used to contain — was the component that made Teflon unsafe. [1] https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/is-teflon-coating-safe

Here’s a direct quote from your link: “Health Risks of Teflon Coating

Teflon is generally safe, but heating it to above 300 degrees Celsius or 570 degrees Fahrenheit poses a danger to your health.”

Note they didn’t say Teflon was safe at 299C, the risk is chemical breakdown not a phase transition like water which boils at a specific temperature and pressure. When used properly pans shouldn’t get anywhere close to that temperature range but it’s very possible to get to a dangerous temperature if there isn’t food in the pan.

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#338
post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Water bottles, if not cleaned properly with a soap and brush on the inside, will be coated with a bacterial "lawn". Copper prevents that. Lots of bacteria need such a lawn to propagate, only some can multiply without a substrate. So even if the "free" water part won't be desinfected, copper has an overall positive effect on the bacterial content of your drinking water.

Do you hesitate to drink water from a normal glass or cup as well?

normal glass goes into dishwasher after every use. Those water bottles are more of a hassle to clean properly

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#339

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or just use glass... completely non reactive, fully recyclable. The perfect container.

If I drop my plastic water bottle I pick it up and carry on. If I drop my glass bottle...

This is me. I'm a clutz and I use mason jars in a little cloth sleeve. I drop like 2 a year and I end up with a wet bag of glass. That sucks but I just buy another $2 jar from a thrift store and I'm back in business.

Re: Plastics are poisoning us

#340

The word 'Plastic' needs to die. Instead we should be more specific on the type of plastic. Teflon, PLA, ABS, resins, foams, etc... are all plastics, but they are so unrelated outside their long chains, its terrible to stereotype them all into one category. You aren't going to get cancer from PLA or Teflon, but rather the manufacturing process. You can eat these plastics as far as I know and you'd be fine. Eat someth…

Our skin is a (bio)plastic. It is indeed a completely useless term. Distinguishing between "synthetic" and "non-synthetic" isn't very useful either; all these compounds have in common is that they are toxic carbon-based polymers. It's the fact that they're toxic that is important, not that it's a carbon-based polymer.
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