2023-06-03 11:32:25
Plastic is widely used to package food and beverages around the world, with 20% of plastic production intended for this use. However, these single-use plastics often end up being incinerated or polluting the environment, contributing to a considerable pollution. Recycling is offered as a solution to this problem, but the recycled plastic can also contaminate food with chemical molecules dont long term effects on health are not well known. A recent study published by Cambridge University Press revealed that harmful chemicals from recycled plastic could contaminate our food (source 1).
The study particularly highlights the chemical contaminants present in PET, a type of widely recycled plastic that is used to make most plastic bottles. During the recycling process, chemical contaminants can appear in the recycled PET and migrate to food in contact with this plastic. The systematic review published by the Cambridge University Press mentions in particular the migration of benzene, a known carcinogen for humans according to the IARC (the International Agency for Research on Cancer), styrene, a carcinogen in mice classified as a probable human carcinogen despite limited evidence, and bisphenol A, an endocrine disruptor (source 2).
It is important to note that there is very little information on the potential migration of chemical contaminants from other recycled plastics than PET. In addition, comparisons between recycled plastic and new plastic are limited in the scientific literature. To date, it is not possible to determine with certainty whether recycled plastic contaminates our food more than new plastic. Another concern is the use of non-food plastics in recycled plastic alloys intended for food, which could lead to the contamination of food by as yet unknown molecules. The long-term effects of contaminants in plastic food packaging also make thehotly debated among experts.
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