Plastic is recyclable - so why is it so bad? - Page 2

[robertandenith]

Originally Posted by nonibradshaw

I am looking for an alternative to plastic in my freezer. I make tomato sauce and veggie stock in large batches. Can I freeze mason jars w/ liquid inside?

yes you can!!! just make sure to let it thaw naturally in the refrigerator or counter, don't try to dip the jar in hot water because it will break right away.

[kalisis]

and make sure not to fill them too full or they'll break in the freezer when the liquid expands!

[CrunchyParent]

I'm getting to this late (sorry) but I posted about this issue a while back when I finally had my own Ah ha moment with respect to plastic. There are some good article links there too as well as links to plastic alternative sites and other good stuff. HTH.

[EnviroBecca]

most people would choose something produced in a plastic bottle (for example a soda in plastic was thought to be a more green option versus aluminum) because of the fact that it was recyclable.

Since when is aluminum not recyclable? It is one of the most-recyclable materials! I've read that recycling ONE CAN, compared to making a can from aluminum ore, saves enough energy to power a 100-watt lightbulb for 20 hours.

myths about plastic recycling
info on plastic food packaging

[tankgirl73]

I tried freezing chicken stock in a glass mason jar, and was careful not to overfill it.

It *still* broke, right there in the freezer.

I'd still like to use more glass for freezing rather than all my plastic containers, but now I'm paranoid... I guess I have to SUPER under-fill them, like only half-full, which would end up wasting space...

[thixle]

Originally Posted by tankgirl73

I tried freezing chicken stock in a glass mason jar, and was careful not to overfill it.

It *still* broke, right there in the freezer.

I'd still like to use more glass for freezing rather than all my plastic containers, but now I'm paranoid... I guess I have to SUPER under-fill them, like only half-full, which would end up wasting space...

Was it warm when you put it in the freezer? The temp changes are what causes breaking. You should only need to leave about an inch of headspace.

[Ophelia]

I just read this in-depth article (I think it was posted in another forum). I already knew some of the stuff but it is VERY eye-opening. Warning: a few sad graphic pics of animals:

http://www.bestlifeonline.com/cms/pu...c_are_we.shtml

[Natsuki]

Originally Posted by MamaRBH

If it okay, I'd like to ask another question about this. Just like the OP, I'm not being snarky, I'm truly wanting the knowledge here...

What do we know about the effects of the toxins from plastic bottles, cups, etc on the human body?

BPA and pthalates both leach from plastic - BPA from #7 in particular (polycarbonate specifically). Go to www.ewg.org and type "BPA" or "Pthalates" into the search engine and you'll start to understand why people want no part of it.

[jennlyn]

I always put my jars in the fridge for a bit to cool them further before putting them in the freezer. I haven't had problems as of yet .