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Ask the Eco Geek: Is #7 PLA plastic safe?

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Photo: istockphoto.com/Stephanie DeLay

I just purchased a bottle of \"Primo\" brand bottled water. On the bottle it says that the plastic is made from plants, not crude oil, but there is #7 PLA on the bottom. Is it safe to drink?
I just purchased a bottle of "Primo" brand bottled water. On the bottle it says that the plastic is made from plants, not crude oil, but there is #7 PLA on the bottom. Is it safe to drink?
CD, Toronto, Ont

Dear CD,
These cups are safe to drink since they are made from polylactide biodegradable corn (PLA). Corn goes into one end of a complex one of a lactic-acid plants and white pellets come out the other end that is PLA plastic.

It's being touted as the of plastic in a post-petroleum world. But there are a few problems.
Chances are the cups originate from NatureWorks, the largest lactic acid producer in the States. PLA has caused a lot of excitement in the packaging field because according to a study commissioned by NatureWorks, it does use 65 percent less energy than producing conventional plastic and generates 68 percent fewer greenhouse gases.

PLA is said to decompose into carbon dioxide and water in a "controlled composting environment" in fewer than 90 days. There's the rub – the controlled composting environment is not going to be your backyard composter or your local municipality's composter.

PLA will decompose when it's been torn into plant scraps being digested by microbes and needs to reaches 140 degrees for ten consecutive days. Very few of us have access to composter that are as efficient. There are only 113 currently in operation in the States.

There is also some concern that putting PLA into the regular recycling bins can cause problems for those doing PET recycling. There are worries also that PLA will also lower the market value that PET currently brings on the market.

It doesn't look like there is any way out of the disposables dilemma.


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Comments

Hello Anonymous, it turns out you are only partially correct. The #7 code refers to "other" type of plastic, as in a type not identified in the codes 1-6. There are bad #7s and good #7s. +1 Water(TM) in our unique bio-bottle(TM) is the only bottled water beverage bottle produced in Canada made from plants not petroleum. Like the Primo bottle it too is made from Ingeo(TM) a PLA resin made by NatureWorks LLC. The development of Ingeo resin occurred after the different codes were established to identify the various types of plastic in a product. These codes though not originally intended to do so, became the codes used in the recycling of plastic. Because Ingeo(TM)/PLA and other types of biopolymer resin did not exist at the time, they received the #7 code by default. There is currently a move to get a #10 code established for PLA. Aside from being made from a renewable plant based resource rather than a finite oil resource, PLA based bottles require up to 68% less energy to produce than regular plastic bottles, they are 100% recyclable (see http://BioCor.org )and they will biodegrade in an Industrial or Municipal compost facility in less than 3 months Our bio-bottle(TM) like the Primo bottle and Noble Juice bottles, are all made from Ingeo and contain no petroleum products at all so there is no need to worry about Antimony, Bisphenol A or Aldehydes leaching into the contents of the bottles. If you would like more information on our bio-bottle(TM) or Ingeo(TM) resin check out http://plusonewater.ca or http://natureworksllc.com
Submitted by Michael Keeffe, President Plus One Water Inc (guest) on Fri, 04/16/2010 - 13:37.
You know, plastic #7 isn't safe and that anonymous person is right about it. According to studies that I've learned yesterday in Grade 9, exposure to plastic #7 is harmful, especially from water bottles. Because when the heat makes contact to the plastic, it releases harmful chemicals and begins to multiply in nanoseconds. If digested, you can get cancer or any kind of effects that will permanently damage your body.So what we did yesterday if any other harmful plastics like plastic #7 itself be banned from this world, so that our population won't be endangered (male population).
Submitted by Anonymous (guest) on Thu, 04/15/2010 - 15:55.
These plastics are labeled #7 PLA not PC.
Submitted by Edamommy (guest) on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 14:32.
Plastics labeled #7-PC are made of unsafe polycarbonate, and should be avoided. Studies of poly carbonates have shown that the toxic chemical that mimics the estrogen hormone, bisphenol A (BPA), can leach from polycarbonate plastics. In addition to mimicking estrogen, BPA is also known to act as a cancer cell stimulant. It stimulates prostate cancer cells and causes changes in breast tissue that resembles the early stages of breast cancer. BPA can also cause genetic damage, miscarriages, birth defects, and ovarian dysfunction.
Submitted by Anonymous (guest) on Tue, 04/14/2009 - 17:12.

i have a question. it is save to drink from plastic bottle #7 PC? Tks and i wait your answare

Submitted by Cristian (guest) on Wed, 01/14/2009 - 13:57.

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