Quick StartPlastic Products at a Glance

We created this list as a convenient reference to some everyday food storage containers. It is by no means comprehensive! Look for the products you use by brand name, under the appropriate category heading. We encourage you, as a consumer, to identify the plastics used in your daily life (see How to tell plastics apart, p. 2) and avoid the ones listed here in red. Other types of plastic food packaging and other plastic items may not be labeled and can only be identified by contacting the manufacturer. We recommend safer alternative materials and practices in Solutions, p. 8. By choosing NOT to buy plastics, you send a message to food processors and manufacturers, as well as retailers. Make changes wherever and whenever you can!

Plastic Code Quick Guide:

Avoid #3-PVC #6-PS #7-Polycarbonate Look for #1-PETE #2-HDPE #4-LDPE #5-PP

Food Packaging and Storage

Caution: Most cling-wrapped meats, cheeses, and other commercially-wrapped foods in delis and grocery stores are wrapped in PVC.

Cups / Plates / Utensils Containers

#3 #6 #3 #3 #5 #6 #5 #7 #6 #3 #5 #5 #7 #2 #5 #5 #5 #5 #5 #5 #5 #6 #6 #5 #5 #5 #2 #2 #2 #5 #2 #7 #5 #5 #5 #7 #5 Arrow Clearview Pitcher Arrow Measuring Cups Arrow Sip-a-Mug (body is PVC, cap is PP) Arrow Sip-n-Stor cups Bodum brand plastic cutlery (thick, colored)* Chipn Dip bowl (Ullman) Gladware containers Intellivent containers with blue lids Kingsman Plastic Cutlery (Maryland Plastic) Marvin the Martian large squeeze bottle (Betras USA) Playtex Spill-Proof Cups Playtex Straw Cups Rubbermaid Clear Classics container bases* Rubbermaid Pitchers (in colors) Rubbermaid EZ Topps Rubbermaid Cereal Keeper Rubbermaid Servin Saver Rubbermaid Ice Cube bins Rubbermaid Grip n Mix Bowls Rubbermaid Bowl Sets Rubbermaid Push n Pour Decanters All Styrofoam cups and containers Sweetheart Plastic Cutlery Tupperware bowls (all) Tupperware childrens feeding lines Tupperware Crystal Wave Microwave Container Tupperware Freeze-N-Save container Tupperware ice cube tray Tupperware Ice Tups Set Tupperware Impressions line Tupperware Jel-Ring mold Tupperware Meals-in-Minutes Microsteamer base Tupperware Modular Mates Tupperware One Touch Canisters Tupperware refrigerator and freezer products (except those specified here) Tupperware Rock N Serve containers Ziploc containers

#4 Glad Cling Wrap #4 Glad-Lock bags PVDCGlad Microwave Wrap* #4 Hefty Baggies #4 Hefty OneZip Slider Bags #3 Polyvinyl Films All-Purpose Food Wrap

#3 #3 #3 #4

Polyvinyl Films Freeze-tite Polyvinyl Films Stretch-tite Reynolds Wrap Saran with Cling-Plus (formerly Handi-Wrap) PVDC Saran Classic (formerly Saran Wrap) #4 Ziploc bags

Baby / Kids Items

Caution: Many baby bottles are polycarbonate; however, they are typically not labeled as such

and can only be identified by calling the manufacturer.

#7 #7 #5 #7 #5 #3 #7 #3 #5 #5 #5 #7 #7 #5 #5 #5 #5 #5

Avent Baby Bottles Avent Soft Spout Training Cups Evenflo colored Baby Bottles Evenflo Baby Bottles (clear, untinted) Evenflo Baby Bottles (opaque, pastel) Evenflo Soft Bite Spoon Gerber Baby Bottles (clear only) Gerber Clear and Soft Baby Bottle Nipples* Gerber Baby Bottles (colored) Gerbers Fun Grips Spill Proof Cups Gerber Lil Sport Bottles Spill Proof Cups Gerber Looney Toons spill-proof cups Gerber Suzys Zoo spill-proof cups Ideal Temp Feeding Spoons Less Mess Toddler Bowls Less Mess Toddler Spoons Stroll N Snack Cups Medela Baby Cups

#5 #7 #7 #4 #5 #5 #5 #7 #5 #5 #7 #7 #5 #5 #5 #7

Medela Baby Bottles and feeders Playtex Cherub, Juice and Trainer Cups Playtex Baby Bottles Playtex disposable Baby Bottle Liners Sassy E-Z Grip Cups Sassy E-Z Grip First Feeding Bowls Sassy MAM Spill-Proof Cups Sassy MAM 3-Step Baby Bottles Sip-a-Bowl by Arrow Plastic Temperature Sensitive Forks and Spoons The First Years Baby Bottles The First Years Peek-a-Boo Cups The First Years Sesame Street Trainer Cups. The First Years Tumble Mates (Spill-Proof and Trainer Cups) The First Years Winnie the Pooh Trainer Cups Tuppercare Baby Bottles

Water Bottles
#7 #7 #4 #5 #5 #5 Most 5 Gallon Bottles for water coolers Appalachian Mountain (gallon size) Bell Brand Athletic Squeeze Bottles (colors) Bell Brand Athletic Squeeze Bottles (clear) Rubbermaid Chuggables bottles Rubbermaid Sipp N Sport bottles

Most 1-, 1.5-, 2-liter (and smaller) beverage bottles are made from #1 or #2

a note on the Food Packaging on Store Shelves

Since so many manufacturers are converting to plastics for their packages, a lot of items formerly available in glass, paper or metal packages are now available only in plastic! Again, we urge you, as a consumer, to avoid purchasing plastic packaging, especially PVC, PS, and Polycarbonate! Choose glass, paper, or metal whenever possible.
*These items have been discontinued, but may still be found on store shelves.

The Green Guide #88/89, March/April 2001