10 Foods You Can Grow From Scraps

Food That Regrows Itself

Grow food from kitchen scraps. It’ll help you save money & gives you the awesome feeling of eating something you grew yourself! 

1. Green onions, lemongrass, leeks, fennel, & spring onions – you can grow these from their discarded roots, so don’t throw away your roots! Save about 1” of your bottoms Place in a juice cup, or jar with some water just enough to cover the roots – do not fully submerge. Place in a window. Change water every day. You can harvest in about 3-5 days.

2. Garlic: Larger cloves can be planted into the ground or pot. The larger the clove, the larger resulting bulb. Place the budding clove or whole bulb into soil about two inches deep and 8 inches apart. Water the plants often. Careful not to overwater during cold months, this can cause the garlic to rot. As the green shoots grow, you can harvest those and them, they taste great on potatoes and salads to name a few. Once the shoots start to dry and the leaves turn yellow, you can harvest.

3. Romaine lettuce & Bok Choy: Place the stem from the head of the lettuce in a bowl that’s filled with about ½ inch water and put it in a windowsill that gets a lot of sunlight. You should start to see new leaves in about 2 weeks, and they should be full grown in about 3-4 weeks. Same applies for Bok Choy, only in a week or two, you’ll want to transplant to a pot with soil to grow a new head.

4. Carrots: Place the tops of carrots in water in a shallow water container like a tupperware or shallow dish cut side down. Make sure half the carrot top is submerged. Set dish in a well-lit windowsill and you’ll have carrot tops that go great in salads or for garnish. Add water to the saucer or container as needed to keep the tops from drying out.

5. Ginger: Soak a chunk of ginger overnight. Submerge in moist soil. Keep watering until shoots appear. Ginger will be ready to harvest within 8-12 months. Remove the plant, use what you need, and repeat. Keep in mind that ginger loves the warmth of the sun!

6. Cilantro & Basil: Submerge stem or stalks into water. Leave in a bright, but not too hot place until roots start to form on the stem. Make sure you change the water every couple of days. Once roots start growing, place stems into pots at least 4 inches wide. Water and place in sunlight.  

7. Mushrooms: Plant mushroom stalks in soil with some compost or used coffee ground and keep them in a moist environment. Keep the head of the stalk exposed to the air. It is preferred to keep them in an area where it will be cool at night. Within a few days, stems will start to sprout new heads.

8. Onions: Cut off the onion bottom (the area with the roots) and allow to dry for a few hours up to a couple days. Plant root down and cover with an inch or two of soil and water as needed. You can harvest it early and get fresh green onions or wait until the bulb is fully developed.

9. Potatoes & Sweet Potatoes: Cut potato into two pieces, each having 1-2 “eyes” on it. Set pieces out at room temp for a few days or until fully dry. Plant about 8” in depth in a 4” hole about 12 inches apart. Add more soil until it grows about 6” tall. You need a good area to grow these in, a lot of space is needed. OR you can grow them in a big round container that has enough space to plant with the above increments.

 10.   Pineapple: Don’t throw out the top of your pineapple! Remove all fruit until you see root buds. Place in water for two weeks to form roots. Growth happens between the first few months but won’t be until 2-3 years before harvest.

Visit our website for Ecofrienly kitchen tools and gadgets for a greener and more sustainable kitchen experience!

20 Tips To Go Green In The Kitchen

Easy tips to get more eco-friendly in the kitchen

1. Shop Locally - Shop at your local farmers market or farm stands. You get fresher food, support your community, and help reduce fuel waste and emissions from long distance shipping

2. Clean Smarter - Turn off water while scrubbing dishes and only run a full dishwasher or laundry load. Stock your pantry with natural and chemical free cleaners like these here. Or use the old school, yet effective method with using baking soda, lemon juice, and white vinegar.

3. B.Y.O.B – Bring your own bag. Start carrying your own bags with you to reduce unnecessary plastic and paper bag use. Grab Reusable Veggie Bags to shop and store your fresh produce in – keep your veggies lasting longer.

4. Number 9! – Keep an eye out for the numbered stickers on fruits and veggies. If they start with #9, that means your produce is organic meaning it’s pesticide free.

5. Recycle Recycle Recycle! – Get a separate place to put recyclable items. Make sure you rinse them out first. Look to our recycling guide to find out what can be recycled and what cant. Look at the bottom of the plastics to see what can and can't be recycled as well. 

6. Nix the Plastic Bottles – Start purchasing reusable water bottles to take on the go with you. They make them with recycled plastic, stainless steel, and glass. Look into getting a water filter to filter out all the additives to tap water so your water will always be fresh and tasting great.

7. Reduce Waste – Look for groceries with the least amount of packaging, or recyclable packaging. Switch to napkins or cloth that have the “recycled” label on them, or purchase Reusable Kitchen Cloths, or Reusable Kitchen Wipes to help reduce paper towel waste altogether. These can be reused and rewashed multiple times and absorb more than paper towels do.

8. Start Composting! – Grab an indoor compost bin and reducing food scraps. Toss in your outdoor compost pile to provide natural nutrients to your garden or your green waste organics bin so it can be collected on garbage day. The odor-preventing filter and compostable liner bags makes composting a breeze. You’re helping reduce the amount of garbage you put out as well as providing nutrients for your garden.

9. Get Grilln’ – Outdoor grills take less energy than the stove and keep heat out of the house reducing costs on you air conditioner.

10. Get Chillin’ – Find an empty space in your refrigerator or freezer and stuff with crumpled newspaper or full water bottles (try to avoid the plastic ones) – this improves cooling and saves electricity and money.

11. Find Creative Uses For Leftovers – Don’t let your leftovers go to waste! There’s tons and tons of recipes you can make with leftover items. Roasting a whole chicken for Sunday? Save what’s left by making chicken salad for a weekday lunch, or using the carcass and leftover meat to make chicken noodle soup for a weekday dinner. Plan ahead on meals and prevent yourself from letting leftovers and meats go to waste.

12. Get Houseplants That Clean the Air – Some plants actually clean the air naturally. Houseplants purify the air and remove pollutants by absorbing gases through their leaves and roots. Find out what plants naturally clean the air here.

13. Learn How To Properly Store You Groceries – Being aware on how to properly store you groceries, and how long they keep, can be a good reminder and incentive to use them before they go to waste – ultimately cutting down food waste and saving you money.

14. Ditch the Plastic Tupperware – Plastic Tupperware and plastics in general takes years and years to decompose in landfill. Not to mention, most plastic food storage isn’t meant to go in the dishwasher because exposing it to high heat can cause it to leach chemicals, just as storing acidic foods such as lemon juice or tomoato sauce can cause chemicals in these containers to leach or degrade into your food. Start collecting jars from store bought items like pasta sauces, coconut oil, salsa, etc. – store your liquid items and leftover in these from now on. There are also tons of brands out there that carry glass food storage containers – these last longer, are easier to clean, and are safer to store food in.

15. Upgrade To a Power Strip – Using a power strip gives you the benefit of turning off multiple gadgets all at once before leaving the house. A lot of energy gets used when leaving gadgets plugged in when not in use or at home. When they are all connected to one switch, you’ll be more likely to turn them off!

16. Grow Your Own Herbs – Growing herbs is extremely easy, and most of them can even be grown indoors. We all spend a lot of money buying vegetables and herbs that we need on the daily basis. Cooking with your own herbs and vegetables means fresher food and no pesticides. Learn how here.

17. Cover Your Pans While Cooking – Covering your pans while cooking can reduce cooking time and also your energy bill by around 75%

18. Cut Your Food Into Small Pieces – By cutting your vegetables and meats into smaller pieces before cooking them, you’ll discover that cooking time takes a lot less time. You’ll save on time and energy bills and manage to feed yourself and family a lot faster!

19. Remember To Turn Off The Gas – Turn off the gas when your water starts boiling for your pasta, vegetables, or rice. Covering the pan and letting the food cook in its residual heat will save a great amount of gas and energy.

20. Use Eco-friendly Kitchen Gadgets – Switch your wooden and plastic kitchen utensils out with Bamboo, Molded Bamboo, or Stainless Steel. Bamboo is stronger and more durable than wood, and bamboo forests replenish themselves faster than tree/wood forests. Plastic utensils along with melamine utensils are known to leach chemicals when exposed to heat, contaminating food and potentially causing health issues.

You might be interested in some of these articles as well:

Six Ways To Reduce Plastic Output

Recycle Numbers On The Bottom Of Plastics

Melamine VS. Moboo

Bamboo Utensils VS. Wooden

How To Care For Your Bamboo Utensils 

Recycling Basics

Look to this helpful infographic when deciding what to throw away, and what to recycle.

Plastic waste is becoming more and more of a problem for the health of humans, animals and sea creatures. Between litter, and mismanaged waste that ends up in landfills and our ocean, the number of plastic products taking up space and effecting life of our animals and sea creatures is detrimental. the number of landfills that are in operation today has decreased in number -

in 1978 : 14,000 

in 1988 : 7,924

in 2001 : 7, 858

in 2006 : 7,754

By recycling, and knowing how to PROPERLY recycle, you can help put plastic and aluminum in its RIGHT place! 

Some Recycling Facts:

• Recycling one ton of newspaper saves 15 trees

• The average American throws away about 3.5 pounds of trash per day

• In 2013, Americans generated about 254 million tons of trash and recycled and composted about 87 million tons of this material - a 34.3% recycling rate (EPA.gov)

Plastic Facts:

• Five plastic bottles (PETE #1) recycled provides enough fiber to create one square feet of carpet or enough fiber to fill one ski jacket

• 85% of total global plastic used is not recycled (plasticdisclosure.org)

• Plastics negatively impacts over 700 species of animals and birds

• Plastic takes up to 1,000 years to degrade in landfill

• Enough plastic is thrown away each year to circle the Earth 4 times

• Americans throw away about 35 billion plastic bottles each year

• Only about 25% of the plastic produced by the U.S. is recycled

• If we recycled the other 75% of plastic, we could save 1 billion gallons of oil, and 44 million cubic yards of landfill space annually. 

• By using reusable drink containers, an average person can eliminate the need for 100 disposable bottles per year

• One ton of recycled plastic saves:

•  5,774 kWh of elecetricity.

•  685 gallons of oil.

•  98 million Btu’s of energy.

•  30 cubic yards of landfill space.

Aluminum Facts:

• It takes 200-500 years for aluminum to fully degrade in landfill

• Recycling aluminum takes 95% less energy than making aluminum from raw materials

• Recycling one aluminum can can save enough energy to run a TV for three hours

• There is no limit to the number of times aluminum cans can be recycled

• Recycled aluminum can be returned to shelves in as little as 60 days

• About 120,000 aluminum cans are recycled every minute nationwide. 

• Every three months, Americans throw enough aluminum in ladnfills to build our nations entire commercial air fleet

• It requires 95% less energy and water to recycle a can than it does to crate a can from virgin materials

Glass Facts:

• Glass takes 1,000,000 years to fully degrade in a landfill

• Glass can be recycled an infinite amount of times and be re-manufactured over and over again without wearing out.

• Water pollution is cut by 50% when making glass from recycled material

• More than 28 billion glass bottles and jars end up in landfills every year - that is the equivalent of filling up two Empire State Buildings every three weeks. 

Cardboard & Paper Facts:

• Recycling 1 ton of cardboard saves 46 gallons of oil

• Recycling cardboard only takes 75% of the energy needed to make new cardboard. 

• Americans throw away 4.5 million tons of office paper each year

• One ton of recycled paper saves:

• 4,100 kWh of electricity.

• 380 gallons of oil.

• 54 million Btu’s of energy.

• 4.6 cubic yards of landfill space.

• 7,000 gallons of water. • 17 trees

• Cardboard and paper waste makes up 41% of the municipal solid waste stream

• One ton of recycled cardboard saves:

• 390 kWh hours of electricity.

• 46 gallons of oil.

• 6.6 million Btu’s of energy.

• 9 cubic yards of landfill space.

Food Waste:

• Food waste can be used for composting and sold to farmers or it can be provided as a food source for local animal farms that  meet federal, state, and local regulations for food scrap usage. 

• Almost half the food in the U.S. goes to waste which is approximately 3,000 pounds per second

• Reducing food waste & diverting it from landfill can be easy! Got a green waste organics bin? Or an outdoor compost pile? Grab a counter top compost bin & start diverting food waste today! 

eWaste (electronic waste):

• In 2007, 82% equaling 1.8 million tons of ewaste such as cell phones, tv's, computers, printers, etc, ended up in landfills

Facts found at cap.utah.edu and recyclingacrossamerica.org

Why recycle?

The short lists includes:

• It saves money

• It improves efficiency 

• It reduces energy use

• It reduces fuel use

• It saves landfill space

• It improves air quality

• It improves water quality 

Six Ways To Reduce Plastic Output

The ocean is already full of plastic - more than 8 million tons that is! Keep in mind that one metric ton is equal to 2,205 pounds.

Now that's a TON of plastic...

Only about 14% of plastic packaging gets recycled while a significant portion of plastic material ends up in landfills and oceans. 

Here are 6 ways to reduce plastic waste output (don't worry, they're simple & totally do-able) :

• Use Reusable Bags -  A number of grocery stores & dog parks offer a place to recycle plastic bags for other customers to use. Grab a reusable bag (or make one out of old t-shirts) and keep it in your car or purse so it's always handy. Use Reusable Veggie Bags to shop for produce or items at the farmers markets.

• Skip the Plastic Wrap - Most plastic wrap can't be recycled because it's contaminated with food - this can cause costly contamination during the recycling process.

• Wash Your Plastic Recyclables - Make sure you wash out your recyclable containers like peanut butter jars & soda bottles. Don't worry about getting them sparkly clean, but they do need a quick rinse. When workers sort through recycling bins and items, most of the times they have to send soiled plastics (and papers contaminated by foods from plastics) to landfill.

• Know Which Plastics You Can Recycle - Save your recycling center money & time by knowing which plastics can actually go in your bin and be recycled. This includes no plastic bags, no Styrofoam, and #7 plastic bottles or containers (keep in mind SOME #7's are biodegradable and compostable - usually you can tell or it clearly states this) . (See guide here)

• Use A Reusable Water Bottle - Buying one (or a few) reusable water bottles can significantly decrease how much plastic you put out. They make BPA free bottles, and also make cleaning tablets for these bottles as well to keep bacteria and germs away. 

• Not a fan of tap water? - Buy a Brita water filter, or buy an attachable filter that attaches to your kitchen sink - these filter out impurities that may be in your tap water source. Companies like Arrowhead & Alhambra recycle their big water bottles that they deliver to your house - they go through a rigorous cleaning process and refill with fresh water. 

• Skip the Styrofoam & Plastic To Go Containers - If it comes in a Styrofoam cup or box, resist from buying it. Styrofoam, when exposed to heat, is known to  leach styrene, a known nuerotoxin along with other harmful health effects, so it's best to skip these items anyway. (Scroll to Plastic #6). Cook more! This will prevent the use of plastic take out boxes altogether. Have leftovers? Opt in for reusable glassware containers, what's awesome about these, is that they are microwave safe and won't leach any funky chemicals like plastic containers will leak. 

Related : Recycle Numbers On The Bottom Of Plastics

References: 

http://www.popsci.com/researchers-find-just-how-much-plastic-were-putting-ocean

http://www.lessismore.org/materials/17-recycling-faq

http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_New_Plastics_Economy.pdf

Common Compost Questions & How To Compost

Some of your common composting questions, answered here!

A quick how-to to start your own outdoor compost pile. Video & steps listed below

1. How often should I replace my filter?

• Everyone composts different things & at different rates. It's recommended that you change your filter every 4-6 months for proper odor control, and that you empty out your bin every two days to once a week (again depending on how much compost you put in your bin and what you compost).

2. Is it normal for larvae, worms, or maggots to be living in my compost filter? 

• Maggots & fruit flies appear when compost is too moist, and doesn't have enough dry material. It is recommended to empty your compost bin out more than once a week (every two days or so if there's a lot of moist compost). You can also start composting newspaper to add more dry material to your compost. 

• Maggots and bugs are part of the natural decomposing process, but let's admit, no one wants that in their kitchen! 

• We recommend replacing your filter if this happens and making sure you empty out your bin more often.

3. My filter is growing mold? Is this normal?

• This seems to happen when you have too much moisture in your bin. Mold is a natural part of the decomposing process as well, since, well, basically you have soiled trash and food all clumped together! It's good to add more brown compost to this, as you may have too much green in a tight closed space. 

• It is recommended that you replace your filter if you have a thick layer of mold growing on your filter. If this is a continuing issue, you may need to adjust what you compost and how often you empty your bin.

• Having your compost piled high in the bin so it touches the filter, is not recommended, and may aid in this issue as well.

4. What is the difference between green/wet (high nitrogen) and brown/dry (high carbon) compost?

Green/wet composting materials consist of: 

• Fruit & Vegetable Peelings: potato peelings, apple cores, banana peels, bite sized pieces of uncooked vegetables, strawberry tops. Avoid using vegetables cooked in oils - oils slow down decomposition process and may attract rodents or other animals in your outdoor pile

• Coffee grounds - good source of nitrogen!

• Plants & Plant Cuttings: most plants and their cuttings (including annual weeds) flowers, herbs

• Egg Shells

• Tea Bags/tea leaves

• Plate scraping (excluding meats & bones if using in an outdoor pile)

• Pulp leftover from juicing 

Brown/dry composting materials consist of:

• Dry leaves, dried grass clippings

• Wood shavings, saw dust

• Nuts & shells (excluding walnuts)

• Shredded egg cartons (the ones made of paper)

• Shredded newspaper, brown bags & tissue paper

• Twigs

• Hay

• Peanut shells

For the best compost, it's good to do a 50/50 mix of both green and dry materials. 

Avoid composting :

• Colored paper that has lots of dyes i.e. magazines, catalogs, printed cards (toxins in the ink)

• Animal droppings

• Lime - high alkaline - pH can kill composting action

• Meat, fat, grease, oils, bones if putting in an outdoor pile - do not break down, can coat materials & attract pests

• Non-biodegradable materials

• Toxic materials 

• Feminine hygienic products 

• Diseased plants

• Walnuts - contains a natural compound that is toxic to some plants - again if putting in an outside compost pile

 40+ Things You Can Compost

5. How do i start my outdoor compost pile?

• Start on bare earth, or add a few scoops of garden soil. Starting on bare earth allows worms and other beneficial organisms to aerate the compost

• Lay twigs, or hay a few inches deep to aid in drainage & also aerate the pile

• Add compost materials to the layers switching off between the wet and dry. 

• Add manure or any nitrogen source (buckwheat, grass clippings, wheat grass) this activates the compost and helps speeds up the process

• Keep compost moist - water every so often, or let the rain naturally do its part!

• Cover with anything you have like wood, plastic sheeting, carpet scraps. This will help retain moisture and heat, which are two essentials for composting. Covering also helps prevent from getting too wet from being over watered by the rain - compost should be moist but not soaked.

• Turn every few weeks with a pitchfork or a shovel. This helps aerate the pile and the oxygen is a must for the composting process to work. You can go ahead and skip this step if you have a supply of coarse materials such as straw. 

Once your compost pile is established, it's best to add new materials in by mixing them in instead of layering them. Mixing or turning the pile is essential to aerating the materials and speeding up the process to completion. 

Best to have a ratio of 50/50 of wet and dry (carbon and nitrogen). Too much nitrogen can result in smelly, dense, and slow composting. When in doubt, add more carbon.

Some common mistakes:

• Keep things moist - don't forget you have a natural, active process happening in your yard or space, so it's key to check your pile regularly, especially during hot months .

• Don't just depend on one material - different textures and nutrients is a beautiful thing! the disintegration of all these items create a plentiful diet for your plants that will also aid in disease and pest resistance. Stir often and let natural forces like water, air, heat, and biodegradable matter do it's work fast!

• Don't get stressed or overwhelmed. It's not too difficult, just take a leap and jump in, even if you have no idea how it's going to turn out - you'll figure out what works and what doesn't. 

6. How is composting beneficial?

• It recycles kitchen and yard waste : households throw out on average 20% of food waste or scraps. Composting can help divert at least 30% of waste away from the garbage.

• It conditions your soil : composting adds beneficial nutrients to your plants and helps retain the moisture.

• Adds beneficial organisms to the soil : microscopic organisms in compost help aerate the soil, and break down organic material for plant use and assists in warding off diseases.

• Good for the environment : Offers a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers. 

• Reduces landfill waste: one-third of landfill waste is made up of compostable materials. Most landfills in America are quickly filling up, with many of them having already been closed down. 

 Get started on your compost pile and get compostin'!

Choose from a variety of our Ecofriendly Bins 

Looks great on your counter top and have odor preventing filters! 

Swoop some of our Compostable Compost Bags - They decompose in your pile -ASTM D6400 compliant!

 Some other blog posts you might enjoy:

40+ Things You Can Compost

Eliminating Food Waste With The Go Green Save Green Program

Why Is Composting So Important?

Recycle Numbers On The Bottom Of Plastics

Recycle Numbers On The Bottom Of Plastics

Ever wonder what those little numbers on the bottom of food containers, cups, and plastics are?

Here's a guide to what they mean!

Did you know that the use of plastics should be limited if at all possible, but some are safer than others?!

Let's learn a little bit about the multiple plastics we use to eat and drink from on a day to day basis and the type of impact they have on you, and the environment. 

Every plastic container or bottle has a recycling symbol. This symbol is a number ranging from 1 to 7 within a triangle. These little numbers can actually offer a great amount of information in regards to toxic chemicals used in the plastic, how likely the plastic is to leach these chemicals, how bio-degradable the plastic is, and conclusively, the safety of the plastic.   

Look for these numbers before you buy!

Safer choices are symbolized with a 1,2,4 and 5

Avoid 3,6 and most plastics labeled 7 (some labeled #7 are in fact compostable, it usually states this on the packaging or container)

The Meanings of The Recycling Symbols:

Plastic #1 - PETE or PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) Yes- Recycle this

•  A plastic resin and the most common type of polyester.

• Widely accepted by the majority of curb side pick ups

• Many water bottles, beverages, food items (peanut butter containers, salad dressing bottles, fruit containers), & other consumer products (like shampoo bottles & mouthwash containers) are constructed with packaging made from PET. 

• Manufactures use this because it's strong, transparent, & versatile. Some consider it safe, but this plastic is known to collect bacteria that accumulates. 

• Up to 100% of PET packaging can be made from recycled PET. This plastic can be recycled again & again. It's also recycled into carpeting fibers, t-shirt fabrics or fleece jackets, dog beds, winter coats, and automotive parts such as door panels & bumpers. [1]

• The longer a liquid is left in a PET container, the greater chances Antimony Trioxide (used as flame retardant or catalyst) is released, same with warm temperatures like inside cars, garages, and enclosed areas. 

Plastic #2 - HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) - Yes Recycle This

• A polyethlene thermoplastic made from petroleum - One of the most commonly used plastics in the United States 

• Widely accepted by curbside pickups

• Typically found in milk jugs, plastic bags, refillable plastic bottles, detergent bottles, yogurt tubs, plastic lumber, lawn & garden products, buckets & crates. 

• Plastic #2 is typically opaque in color, and is picked up by most curbside recycling programs.

• This plastic is one of the 4 plastics that is considered to be safe and has a lower risk of leaching. Some studies have shown that this can leach the endocrine disruptor nonylphenol in both aquatic and human life, especially when exposed to sunlight. 
  

•  It resists insects, rot, & other chemicals

• By recycling your #2 plastics, you help create new: pens, recycling containers, detergent bottles, lumber, fencing, water pipes, fireworks plus more. [2]

• Some alternatives you can use to avoid this plastic are glass or stainless steel reusable water bottles and food storage containers, and use recycled bags. Recycle plastics with #2 if you must use them. 

Plastic #3 - V or PVC (Vinyl)- Not Usually Picked Up Curbside Polyvinyl chloride - the third most widely produced synthetic plastic made of 57% chlorine & 43% carbon. 

• Most commonly used to made drainage/sewage/plumbing pipes, food wrap, and detergent bottles, chemical storage tanks & plant piping; PVC has excellent chemical resistance together with good mechanical properties, making this an ideal for all the listed above. 

• Human Health : Dioxins are created in the manufacturing and production of PVC. Dioxins are highly toxic and can lead to developmental and reproductive disease, immune system damage, and cancer. [3]

• Dumping PVC in landfill takes up a lot of land and is a waste of a valuable resource. PVC compounds are 100% recyclable. Most PVC products are lightweight and take up a lot of space, and may lasts for hundreds of years without degrading.  

• PVC can be recycled into: cables, flooring, park benches, speed bumps & traffic cones, film plastic, and decking & fencing. [4]

• It's recommended to avoid as it can be extremely toxic - especially when burned (car and home fires, waste incineration, etc).

• Once burned, dioxins are formed, which are human carcinogens and organic pollutants - these are considered one of the most toxic types of chemicals ever tested. It only takes 5 ounces of burning PVC to give off enough hydrogen chloride gas to kill the occupants in an average size bedroom in ten minutes. [PVC]

Plastic # 4 - LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) - Often Picked Up Curbside - Varies from location to location

• Most commonly found in squeeze bottles, toys, carrier bags, high frequency insulation, chemical tank linings, general packaging, gas & water pipes, food container lids, clear plastic bags, and shrink wrap. Fresh milk cartons and juice cartons are made with paperboard coated with LDPE film, making the cartons leak-proof. [5] 

• Plastic #4 is among one of the recycling symbols that are considered to be safe. Since it is found in many consumer products as well as packaging, it is likely that everyone uses plastic products or handles packaging made with LDPE daily. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Union food closely regulate the evaluation of these plastics. 

• LDPE is recycled into: compost bins & garbage cans, film plastic, furniture, paneling, plastic lumber, shipping envelopes, and garbage can liners. [6]

Plastic #5 - PP (Polypropylene) - Often Picked Up Curbside - Varies from location to location

One of the safer plastics to use & is recyclable. 

• Widely accepted by curbside pickups

• Typically found in packaging & labels, textiles (rope & carpet), stationary, reusable containers, laboratory equipment, yogurt containers, ketchup bottles and medicine bottles. 

• PP # 5 can be recycled into: plastic lumber, car battery cases, manhole steps, and signal lights. 

Plastic #6 - PS (Polystyrene) - Not Usually Picked Up Curbside

• Naturally a transparent thermoplastic that is available as a solid plastic as well in as in the form of a rigid foam material (Styrofoam). These items are difficult to recycle - not biodegradable, taking several decades of hundreds of years to deteriorate.  This type of plastic can also pose as health risks, leaching potentially harmful toxic chemicals, especially when heated. 

• Most commonly found in egg cartons, meat trays, disposable paper plates & cups (to-go boxes), medical test tubes, CD cases, smoke detectors, and the red "solo" cup. [7]

• The foam form is often used as a packing material such as "packing peanuts" 

• Best to avoid whenever possible, especially with hot items, such as a hot coffee cup made of Styrofoam  . It can leach styrene, a known nuerotoxin with other harmful health effects. [8]

• PS can be recycled into: flower pots, cassette tapes, and plastic lumber.

Plastic #7 - Other, Miscellaneous - Not Usually Picked Up Curbside

• This category was designed for all the other plastics, so reusing and recycling are not standardized. The most common concern with plastic #7 is the potential for chemical leaching into food or drink products packaged in containers made using polycarbonate, which contains the toxic bisphenol-A BPA. BPA is a xenoestrogen, a known endocrine disruptor - linked to infertility, hyperactivity, reproductive problems, and other health issues.

• New plastic alternatives are marked with symbol 7 as well; this includes compostable green products, made from corn potatoes, rice, or tapioca. 

• Plastic #7 can be found in baby bottles, water bottles, iPod cases, nylon, sunglasses, "microwavable" dishes, some tupperwares and squeeze ketchup bottles. [9]

Remember, whatever plastics you choose, never heat them in the microwave or expose them to other extremes stresses, like keeping them in a hot car or hot garage. Always recycle or throw away containers once they start to break down or crack. 

Choose from any of our all Natural and Ecofriendly Kitchen Gadgets - made with all natural bamboo fibers, and rice starches. Never coated with any chemicals and completely safe for your family, friends, and pets!

100% chemical free

(which means NO toxins or chemicals to leach!)

Plastic Free Kitchen Collection

 Some other articles you might enjoy:

Things You Can & Cannot Recycle 

Why Are You Still Using Plastic In Your Kitchen?

Plants That Help Purify & Clean the Air

References:

1 http://www.napcor.com/PET/whatispet.html

2 http://bearboardlumber.com/bearboard-plastic-advantage/what-is-hdpe.html

3 Dioxins and their effects on human health. (2010, May). Retrieved July 7, 2010, from World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs225/en/index.html - See more at: http://www.ecolife.com/recycling/plastic/how-to-recycle-pvc-plastic-3.html#_ednref5

4 http://www.pvc.org/en/p/what-is-pvc

5 http://msdssearch.dow.com/PublishedLiteratureDOWCOM/dh_091f/0901b8038091f9e0.pdf?filepath=productsafety/pdfs/noreg/233-00587.pdf&fromPage=GetDoc

6 http://www.ecolife.com/recycling/plastic/how-to-recycle-ldpe-plastic-4.html

7 http://www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/polystyrene-ps-plastic

8 http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic967858.files/PolystyreneFactSheets.pdf

9 http://learn.eartheasy.com/2012/05/plastics-by-the-numbers/

Other References:

http://www.healthychild.org/know-your-plastics/

http://naturalsociety.com/recycling-symbols-numbers-plastic-bottles-meaning/

http://greenveg.com/know-your-plastic-recycling-number/