Several misconceptions about plastic packaging bags that you should know

Currently, there are many misunderstandings in society and online regarding the safety and hygiene of plastic packaging bags. Today, Shunxingyuan Packaging, a professional flexible packaging manufacturer, has chosen some representative statements to explain one by one, hoping to alleviate everyone's concerns.

I. "Plastic Restriction" 、 Why are we still using so much plastic packaging even with the "plastic ban"? Packaging ？

"Plastic restriction" refers to the national restriction on the production and use of plastic shopping bags with a thickness of less than 0.025 millimeters. Plastic shopping bags refer to those plastic bags with two handles. Plastic bags without handles, such as cling film bags, hook bags, flat bags, and roll bags, are not restricted. "Plastic ban" is an administrative regulation in some provinces prohibiting all plastic bags or all plastic shopping bags.

"Plastic restriction" and "plastic ban" do not target all plastic packaging bags. To date, plastic remains the most widely applicable, best-performing, most convenient, cheapest, most energy-efficient, and most environmentally friendly material in daily life. Plastic products will only be used more and more widely.

As for the reasons for "plastic restriction" and "plastic ban," the State Council's General Office Document No. 72 (2007) states clearly and objectively: "While plastic shopping bags provide convenience for consumers, due to excessive use and inadequate recycling, they have also caused serious energy waste and environmental pollution. In particular, ultra-thin plastic shopping bags are easily damaged and mostly discarded indiscriminately, becoming a major source of "white pollution." In fact, it is people who are the main cause of white pollution.

II. Plastic Packaging Contains a lot of plasticizers, it's best to use less plastic ？

This is a serious misunderstanding. Only polyvinyl chloride soft products among commonly used plastic packaging require the addition of plasticizers, and the vast majority of plastic packaging does not contain plasticizers.

III. Are plasticizers toxic? Can plasticizers cause cancer?

These questions can be answered together: There are many types of plasticizers, and they cannot be generalized. Some are toxic, some are non-toxic, some are carcinogenic, and some are not. The degree of harm to humans from those that are toxic and carcinogenic also varies greatly.

From a toxicological point of view, whether an exogenous compound can cause harm or carcinogenicity to humans generally requires at least three conditions simultaneously, and none can be missing: First, there must be a sufficient dose; insufficient dose is not valid; second, the form of the exogenous compound and its physicochemical properties in this form; many substances are harmful in one form and harmless in another; third, the way in which the exogenous compound comes into contact with humans, whether it is seen, skin contact, inhalation, or ingestion, and the absorption situation, etc.

Therefore, if someone says in a certain situation that a certain exogenous compound is toxic or carcinogenic, and they can also explain the above three conditions, then what they say may be relevant and possible, and we can further discuss it until we agree. If the three conditions are unclear, we should not believe or promote it temporarily, and wait until it is clarified.

Because scientific toxicology is supported by toxicological experiments, not speculation. As for carcinogenicity, it is more complex than toxicity assessment and requires rigorous population epidemiological surveys to determine. Animal experiments are only considered reliable evidence after long-term lifetime experiments. These investigations and experiments are not easy to conduct, so mutagenicity tests can be conducted first to make a preliminary prediction of their carcinogenicity. Without even conducting mutagenicity tests, how can one say that a certain plastic under certain conditions has carcinogenicity?

All plastic products used as food packaging, containers, and tools must have their raw materials and auxiliaries tested to meet the safety and hygiene standards of relevant national standards. Plastic products that are in close contact with food must also be tested to meet the safety and hygiene standards of national or industry standards after being produced in factories, such as mineral water barrels; at the same time, the factories producing them must modify their hardware and software facilities according to the industry's production license regulations, conduct product sampling inspections, and obtain food production licenses after passing the review of the quality inspection department before they can put the QS mark on food-grade plastic products; in the future, these enterprises and products will also be regularly supervised and inspected by the quality inspection department. Plastic products with the QS mark from regular manufacturers can be used with confidence.

IV. How can we further reduce the harm of plasticizers to humans?

1. Strengthen the research and development and promotion of new low-toxic and non-toxic plasticizers, and accelerate the process of replacing or eliminating toxic plasticizers.

2. For food-grade plastic products that need to use plasticizers, manufacturers must strictly manage the entire production process and product quality, and no unqualified or unsafe products are allowed to leave the factory. To this end, it is also necessary to strengthen industry self-discipline, strengthen supervision by law enforcement departments, and strengthen social and media supervision.

3. As consumers, we should recognize products with the QS mark from regular manufacturers and not seek cheap products.

4. Recognize the correct use of food-grade plastic products. Different plastic products have different usage requirements. There are marks at the bottom of mineral water barrels and bottles, and there are often paper product descriptions in cling film. Using these plastic products according to their material requirements and not misusing them is safe.

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