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Polypropylene is used because it is very durable and free of plasticizers. However, it is not entirely harmless.
How harmful polypropylene really is
Many plastics contain plasticizers, are not biodegradable, release toxins when burned, or release microplastics over time.
In addition, the production of petroleum as a carbon compound is still cheaper, although plastics based on vegetable oil or plant fibers are now also available. The plastic polypropylene (PP) is considered less harmful.
- Due to its short-chain structure, polypropylene does not require any plasticizers (BPA-free) for elasticity and is therefore less harmful to health than most other plastics.
- However, this does not mean that it cannot be harmful, as natural decomposition processes and heat can release small amounts of potentially harmful chemicals.
- Polypropylene remains elastic at temperatures up to zero degrees Celsius. This makes it ideal for use in storage, for example.
- It decomposes more quickly under UV radiation. This means that it is only suitable for outdoor use to a limited extent.
- Compared to polyethylene (PE), polypropylene is more heat-resistant and therefore also suitable for use in the microwave. This also makes it suitable for food. However, as mentioned above, this can lead to increased chemical release.
- Due to its properties, it is often used for packaging materials that are flexible and reusable, such as yogurt cups, straws, bottle caps, and thermoboxes. nbsp;Textiles, sports equipment, vehicle parts, canisters, and bicycle helmets are also made from polypropylene.
- Unfortunately, polypropylene also absorbs harmful substances over time, which can be released during the natural decomposition process or during recycling.
- In fact, you should avoid using plastic of any kind or reduce the amount you use whenever possible. You can use glass, wood, or metal containers and store your food in glass bowls with plastic lids, which can then be placed in the microwave or oven without the lids.
- Some things cannot yet be replaced, such as helmets and vehicle parts, which are manufactured using injection molding technology and are extremely stable, yet elastic and lightweight.
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- With the further development of processes, it is hoped that the use of petroleum in particular will increase through the use of substitutes.
Recycling polypropylene
Due to this resistance, plastics are useful, but when they enter the environment, they pollute it and decompose only slowly. During decomposition, they release microplastics into the environment, such as the sea and groundwater, and thus also into living organisms.
- Polypropylene is relatively easy to recycle and the process requires less energy than the production of new plastic. New scanners also make it easy to separate the plastics from each other, enabling efficient recycling.
- PP has a recycling code of 5 and can be melted down relatively easily and processed into new products.
- When burned, toxic substances such as carbon monoxide are produced. However, these can be filtered out during controlled combustion.
- Recycling mixed plastics is more difficult because not all compounds share the properties of PP or PE.
- Unfortunately, only a small proportion of plastics are recycled anyway, and the rest ends up in landfills, where it slowly reveals its environmentally harmful properties.
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