Labeling of plastic dishes

In modern stores you can find a huge selection of various types of tableware made from various modern materials. A practical novelty for many homes is high quality plastic kitchen utensils. All of these disposable plates, forks, spoons and cups are pretty easy to use. It is especially comfortable to use such utensils at an outdoor picnic - the used items do not need to be taken home and washed there, they can simply be taken to the nearest trash bin.

Marking is specific text, as well as conventional signs or even hand-drawn images that are placed on goods or on their packaging. 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 functions of marking:

• convey the complete and most reliable information about the product to an ordinary user;
• induce a potential buyer to purchase this product after familiarizing himself with the quality characteristics.

Certain requirements are imposed on the product labeling:

• information should be simplified and understandable, as well as reliable.
• the manufacturer must provide the buyer with complete information about the product, explaining specific terms;
• superfluous information must not be placed on the product;
• the marking should not have a double meaning;
• the font size of the labels or icons must be easy to read and meet certain standards.

The consumer characteristics of plastic utensils affect its final choice and are considered the most essential for its operation.

• This kind of utensil must be safe to use. It is imperative that it fully complies with all established hygiene and medical standards.
• The aesthetic side of the issue is also considered important - the dishes should be outwardly attractive. Nowadays, plastic kits are distinguished by a large selection of colors, the presence of stylish patterns.
• Heat resistance properties - the product must retain all its qualities in contact with food and drinks in a hot state.
• Use for a variety of dishes, the ability to store food in the refrigerator or freezer, and for use in the microwave.
• Increased resistance to alkali, acids or fats.
• The presence of thermostaticity is the consumer's ability to hold a heated plate or glass in his hands and not get burned at the same time.
• Elasticity. For plastic knives and forks - the ability to cut and prick food without any problems without breaking the devices themselves.
• Resistance to a number of influences.
• Possibility of choosing different shapes and parameters.
• Good capacity, compactness and lightness.
• Eco-friendly and easy disposal.

It is better not to purchase 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 end up in the body and cause irreparable harm to it.

Always look at the labeling of plastic products offered by companies - these detailed designations on disposable utensils will tell you almost everything about its performance. 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 withstand heating or temperature extremes.

Nowadays, dishes made of beautiful and durable plastic have a very wide range of household uses, which is justified by their low cost and maximum comfort in use. Most modern cafeterias offer this kind of inexpensive tableware. Lunches, picnic sets, or full office lunches also include food grade plastics. And various drinks in general, almost all are poured into containers at one time.

What designations should you look at when buying, and what type of plastic this or that sign speaks about - we will consider below.

• PS - polystyrene. Designed for cool drinks. It is not recommended to drink hot tea or coffee, as well as alcoholic products from these glasses. The polystyrene contained in the material is capable of accumulating inside the body and, as a result, can seriously affect the condition of the liver.

• PP - polypropylene. You can safely drink even very hot coffee and tea from these products, since the material is not afraid of heating up to 100 C. At the same time, doctors do not advise to seriously get involved in the use of this type of utensil - it releases poisonous phenol, and it will seriously hit the kidneys and even be able to lead to complete loss of vision. Toys for children are often made of this kind of plastic.

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

• PEHD or HDPE - high density polyethylene. The most convenient for 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 he, under certain conditions, begins to emit an extremely dangerous component - formaldehyde.

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

• LDPE and PEBD are low density polyethylene. It is produced for packaging non-food products, although it is called almost safe by experts.

• OTHER or O - others... These signs will tell the layman that this plastic cannot be classified under any of the above types. Usually refers to one of the safest species (conditionally) for humans.

When choosing plastic containers, you should familiarize yourself with the decoding of markers in advance. Any plastic product must have a special badge that will tell you what specific material this product is made of. 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 on the bottom of the dishes or there are letters PVC, this is a signal to you that this kind of packaging is extremely poisonous.

Any plastic container popular today should have its own special designation. It all depends on the type of marking, thanks to which it is possible to distinguish material that is not very dangerous and extremely toxic to human health.

Disposable dishes will always have a sign in the form of a small triangle, which consists of 3 arrows. Inside this triangle are numbers from 1 to 7. Let's consider what each of the numbers means.

• Number 1 (PET) will tell the buyer that this container should only be used once. Such markings are commonly found on disposable containers (bottles) made of plastic. It is strictly forbidden to use them a second time.
• Digit 2 (LDPE) - since this polyethylene has a high density, it is often reused, although its degree of safety is considered conditional.
• Number 3 (PVC) - is selected for the release of packaging from the film. An extremely toxic material capable of releasing toxic components when burning.
• Digit 4 (HDPE) - suitable for the production of various polyethylene bags. It can be safely applied a second time, since it hardly interacts with food.
• Digit 5 ​​(PP) - polypropylene. Great for multiple use, available for the production of food containers.
• Number 6 (PS) Is a foam that manufacturers use as an additive in the mix for the release of lids for disposable cups.
• Number 7 or others - completely unsuitable for the food industry, as they can cause serious illnesses.

The marking of dishes suitable for safe heating in the microwave is always placed on the product itself and usually looks like a several times reduced drawing of the electrical appliance itself with a plate that is placed inside it.

If on the product you saw the number 6, enclosed in a triangle of 3 arrows, and the letters PS are at the bottom, then this means that in front of you are dishes made of polystyrene. This kind of product should in no case be used for hot dishes, it is forbidden to put it on heating in the microwave. The whole problem is that if you nevertheless warm food a little in this form of plastic, you can seriously poison yourself, since during even minimal heating, polystyrene will release extremely dangerous toxins.

A safe option is 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 lid of the container. A special plastic dish for a microwave oven is designated by 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 very hot or abruptly heated, especially if they have just been removed from the refrigerator. The only exception can be special plastic containers, in which food can be heated immediately, as soon as they were 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 literally means the following:

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

The symbol "Glass-fork" is most often placed on the plastic in order to reflect to the buyer information about the suitability of the purchased product for direct and safe contact with various products used in Pushcha. But if this icon is underlined, it means that the products should not come into contact with food.

Only brands that finance the German eco-friendly plastic waste recycling program Eco Emballage and are part of its complete recycling system can use this kind of visible badge on their own products.

Many companies manufacturing plastic products are not included in this system, but nevertheless, they still put this badge on their products, which can be considered a clear attempt to mislead buyers about the environmental component of the products.

A product released a second time from recycled materials or still fit for current recycling. The triangle icon on the package, consisting of 3 arrows, means that this type of tableware is released from the secondary market.

Inside the triangle itself, there will most often be well-read numbers. They will talk about the specific type of processing. So, if you see a number, then 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 dishes

• microwave crossed out - such dishes must 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 out refrigerator - do not refrigerate;
• crossed out chicken dish - do not pour fat;
• thermometer image - can withstand temperature changes.

In any case, even using almost safe types of plastic dishes, think about whether it is worth switching to more traditional materials in daily use, the thousand-year history of which confirms their benefits for human health.

For more information on what the markings on plastic dishes mean, see the next video.