How to Tell If Plastic is Safe for Hydroponics/Soil (Indoor Gardening)

How to Tell If Plastic is Safe for Hydroponics/Soil (Indoor Gardening) | *Read Video Description

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4 жыл бұрын

*As a disclaimer there are a few things to note in addition to the content in this video. There are a few types a plastics on the list that are considered "food safe" but not recommended for "food storage." All the plastics on the list are safe for food contact, but that's not the same as storing food in them.
Plastic types 3, 6 and 7 (PVC, polystyrene and polycarbonate) are commonly used in products that come into contact with food, but are really not made for storing food in. PVC (3) is not manufactured with food safe machinery and when burned or highly heated it leaches highly toxic chemicals. Polystyrene (6) such as styrofoam, is said to possibly be carcinogenic. Polycarbonate (7) although used in water bottles (not bottled water), may leach BPA unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer.
On the topic of phthalates, exposure in gardening doesn’t come anywhere near the margin of tolerance for the daily limit of the human body. Few if any larger containers are made with the type of plastic that have phthalates (plasticizers). Labeled as (3) Pvc or Vinyl is the only type of plastic you may find in hydroponic or gardening system that contain phthalates and not buckets or containers. So tubing or piping is the only things made that could contain phthalates unless stated otherwise. phthalates are very common in children toys actually. It what makes plastic soft or even rubber like. So basically is not a major concern and also because of what is stated in the next paragraph.
So to conclude, none of this is really a problem for hydroponics or soil growing because you won't find many suitable containers made from those questionable materials anyway. And no one is using high heat or flames in container gardening. And lastly, the food you are growing is not being stored in the pot containing the soil or hydroponic solution. If you are still concerned about things like BPA, simply don't use any plastics with the number 7. However..."7" also means "Other." This includes many different types of material including organic materials like bio-plastics from cornstarch.
Here is a link that discusses plastics, chemicals and how they affect your health
it goes into further detail, but to save you time it concludes that you don’t have much to worry about.
www.gardenmyths.com/growing-f...
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Пікірлер: 81

@GrowingAnswers 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! Before leaving any comments or questions about what is said in the video, please read the video description. In my video I did not want to complicate the discussion. So I left some in depth information in the video description. It's mainly for those worried about other topics like BPA and Phthalates and I describe why they are not of concern for this topic which is why it wasn't important to add that into the video.

@southerntommygun1353 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks. This was clear, concise and useful. Not an easy thing to find here anymore. Now I know I can use those kitty litter buckets!

@HydroHavenGrow 4 жыл бұрын

Very helpful and less than 4 minutes, nice. Thumbs up for you.

@ihateyourusernames 3 жыл бұрын

Nice presentation, thanks for sharing your knowledge! I've been down the rabbit hole on plastics and I would like to gain more insights on the dyes used during the manufacture of PE and PP. Any thoughts on this? I'm currently using a mix of HDPE, PP, and CPVC in my system. Ideally I'd love to have a system using dark-stained borosilicate glass for reservoirs and tubing... but that's a pipe-dream for now.

@JD-mn8cx 4 жыл бұрын

Very informative thank you very much for making this. You da man !

@EngineerCatPyro 4 жыл бұрын

I was one of those who asked. For those of you who have a tidy cat 35 lb container and trying to figure out nutes, they hold 4.1 gallons of water. Good video.

@michaelconway644 2 жыл бұрын

And the 'Aldi' brand cat litter is in 2 gallon Type 2 containers

@kristinec212 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this video, just starting and I had this question

@CosakiCulture 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for making this video!!! I am trying to gro veg in plastic bottle :)

@thefishylife6823 4 жыл бұрын

I had no idea!!

@emerick1999 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks I used to think that that number in the bottom was associated with different process to recycle them . Its mainly thermoplastic that you don't wanna used for food stuff I guess

@northeastslingshot1664 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks bub!

@fallofmanbrand 4 жыл бұрын

amazing video

@ScullyPopASMR 4 жыл бұрын

I had no idea about the differences in plastic.

@barbarab202 Жыл бұрын

Anyone know if the Dollar Tree stackable planters (that look like three pots on each layer) are food grade? The bottom only says "R2". There is no recycling triangle symbol.

@alexlaverty8564 3 жыл бұрын

Is this also the case in Australia?

@BlackCaviar101 3 жыл бұрын

Ive done a little bit of research and found that uPVC or sometimes labelled PVCU doesn't contain plastisizers, meaning they don't have phthalate that could leach into you hydroponics solution. therefore safe to use. Id like to hear your opinion on this especially when the pvcu is exposed to uv? does it leach other chemicals? I was thinking of setting up a vertical hydroponic using pvcu. thanks in advance.

@GrowingAnswers 3 жыл бұрын

BlackCaviar101 I’ve heard that, but I’m not sure where that type is commonly sold.

@apple-on5pq 3 жыл бұрын

rigid pvc doesnt contain phthalate, only flexible pvc does. But in some countries, lead is allowed to be used in pvc as a uv stabilizer.

@thymeparzival Жыл бұрын

Here are some of the most common types of plastics with their corresponding recycling symbols, that are used in food-grade and food-safe applications (According to ChatGPT3.5): #1 ✅Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) - used in soda bottles, water bottles, and salad dressing containers #2 ✅High-density polyethylene (HDPE) - used in milk jugs, juice bottles, and food storage containers #3 🚫Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Not Recommended #4 ✅Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) - used in plastic wrap, sandwich bags, and squeeze bottles #5 ✅Polypropylene (PP) - used in yogurt containers, ketchup bottles, and margarine tubs #6 🚫Plystyrene (PS) - Not Recommended #7 ✅Polycarbonate (PC) - used in reusable water bottles, baby bottles, and food storage containers. While both PVC and PS plastics are considered safe for many non-food applications, it's best to avoid using them for food storage and serving to minimize the risk of potential health hazards. Instead, choose food-grade plastics like HDPE, LDPE, PP, PET, or PC, which are safer for use with food and beverages. There are potential risks associated with using PVC tubing in a hydroponic plant-growing system. PVC contains additives such as phthalates and lead, which can leach out of the material and into the water and nutrient solution used to grow the plants. These additives can be harmful to plant growth and can also be absorbed by the plants, which can then pose a risk to human health if consumed. In addition, the use of PVC tubing in hydroponic systems can also lead to the buildup of biofilm, a layer of bacteria that can accumulate on the surface of the tubing and negatively impact plant growth and health. To minimize these risks, it's recommended to use food-grade plastics like HDPE or PP in hydroponic systems instead of PVC. These materials are safer for use with food and beverages and are less likely to leach harmful chemicals into the water and nutrient solution.

@Cynthia-ze7gn Жыл бұрын

Okay, what if the plastic isn't recycled and just has a #2 on the bottom. What does that mean?

@primrozie 2 жыл бұрын

Hi. I bought plastic buckets with metal handles from Dollar Tree to grow plants in. There are absolutely no markings on them! No numbers. would these fall into the "gardening is not food storage category"? Thanks.

@GrowingAnswers 2 жыл бұрын

Most large containers are going to be PP or HDPE. In any case it really shouldn’t matter. Nothing else that would be worrisome would be used to make buckets.

@primrozie 2 жыл бұрын

@@GrowingAnswers Thank you!

@honeybadger6127 4 жыл бұрын

how about number 1 plastic (PETE) which water bottles are made from and number 4 (LDPE) which some mustard and ketchup containers are made from?

@tempest031 3 жыл бұрын

I won't say plastic 1 is completely safe, but almost 90 percent of LDPE are safe for human use

@unhappyGooging 4 жыл бұрын

Even with the disclaimer and pinned answer, your statements about the safety of various plastics are, in the end, wrong and misleading. I can post the evidence on this at some point, but it will take me awhile to put together all the details which include cites to different studies, emails with manufacturers (like Rubbermaid and Sterilite), etc, and I'm in the middle of a another research project. On the whole, there are many half truths in here. The short of it is (roughly) that HDPE and LDPE are probably pretty safe for hydroponics IF they don't contain recycled material. However, the manufacturers usually don't include that information. I would still avoid recycle number 3 and probably 6. Some of the details are still unknown, but there is solid evidence that recycle 3 plastics can be taken up in significant quantities by plants. If you don't have young children, the odds are probably small that you'll have a major effect, but we really don't know yet. PP (number 5) is probably safe, but again there are uncertainties. In the drive to have certainty or to make things simple, people brush aside science or pretend that the unknown means things are safe. For anyone who cares, but doesn't want to do all the research or needs to decide quickly, I recommend the Sterilite containers (based on emails with the company), and staying only with HDPE (2), LDPE (4), and PP (5) (roughly in that order). It's safest to use the ones designed for food storage because they don't put in recycled plastic that requires additives that tend to leach out, but as GA indicates, you're not exactly storing food and you're unlikely to reach over 100 degrees F, so you may not need quite the same safety. Still, that doesn't mean that nothing will get from your nutrients in liquid, to your plants, and then to your body. If you want to be ultra safe, you can get safe LDPE piping, but don't buy the stuff for lawns, get the tubing designed for RO systems which is NSF and FDA certified.

@Pockymuncher888 4 жыл бұрын

I found the same thing in my research. For my outdoor kratky buckets I called the manufacturer to make sure it was suitable for food storage.

@michaelconway644 2 жыл бұрын

I would love to know what paint you use - most don't adhere to plastic.

@GrowingAnswers 2 жыл бұрын

I’m pretty sure it was rustoleum for plastics

@ANNNEWALLET1234 2 жыл бұрын

SO DO YOU STORE FOOD OR WATER ? IN TH FOOD GRAD 5 KITTY CONTAINER ?

@GrowingAnswers 2 жыл бұрын

I don’t really store food. But the litter containers would not be food grade, only food safe. After a washing of course. All litter is, is bentonite clay with added fragrances in most cases. Bentonite clay is used in wine making as a flocculant FYI. It’s not toxic.

@carrowxhex6891 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks

@ViparSpectra 4 жыл бұрын

how to contact you, friend?

@Ultrazaubererger 4 жыл бұрын

What about plasticizers? Some plastic comes with them and judging from the smell a lot of it comes out again.

@GrowingAnswers 4 жыл бұрын

Dave I left info about that stuff in the description. It’s not really a problem with the topic of discussion. The first reason why it’s not an issue is because phthalates exposure in gardening doesn’t come anywhere near the margin of tolerance for the daily limit of the human body. The second reason is because basically no containers are made with the type of plastic that have phthalates (plasticizers). Labeled as (3) Pvc or Vinyl is the only type of plastic you may find in hydroponic system that contain phthalates and not buckets or containers. So tubing or piping is the only things made that could contain that unless stated otherwise. phthalates are very common in children toys actually. It makes plastic soft or even rubber like.

@Ultrazaubererger 4 жыл бұрын

@@GrowingAnswers I didn't expect there to be something in the description so I didn't even check... Thank you!

@swankshire6939 3 жыл бұрын

How hot is high "high heat"? When talking about toxic chemicals actual solid info is really important

@GrowingAnswers 3 жыл бұрын

Beyond boiling

@kenvng 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this. What about PVC. Some says it is FINE and other says is it NOT. I am so lost with back and forth. Thank you. Pls ignore this. I was impatient. Just found it on your you tube. Thank you so much.

@Ludvictv 4 жыл бұрын

What do you think about PET?

@emerick1999 4 жыл бұрын

PET is used in water bottle

@GrowingAnswers 4 жыл бұрын

LudVic pet is polyester and is biologically inert. It’s the most common plastic for holding food liquids. But you won’t find any buckets made with it. Just small bottles mainly.

@Ludvictv 4 жыл бұрын

@@emerick1999 I know, I ask for recycle to reuse for some vegetable like salad

@Ludvictv 4 жыл бұрын

@@GrowingAnswers thanks you, because I want to reuse some bottle to make a space for growing some food and I don't know if the uv ray from the sun destroy some part of the plastic

@galan8115 2 жыл бұрын

2 and 5, got it. References to not 3,6 and 7. But what about 1?

@GrowingAnswers 2 жыл бұрын

There are no large containers made with #1. It’s just bottles. But yes if you want to grow something in a small bottle it’s fine.

@dollartreegrower3969 4 жыл бұрын

hi man ! UV energy absorbed by plastics can excite photons, which then create free radicals. While many pure plastics cannot absorb UV radiation, the presence of catalyst residues and other impurities will often act as receptors, causing degradation

@GrowingAnswers 4 жыл бұрын

Dollar Tree Grower yeah that’s why I didn’t say anything about using plastic outdoors. Many plastics break down in sunlight. Not really a problem indoors though.

@dvdgalutube 2 жыл бұрын

@@GrowingAnswers hmm how do? As long as there’s UV, ie grow light or sunlight through windows, plastic will absorb it…

@GrowingAnswers 2 жыл бұрын

@@dvdgalutube many led “grow” lights do not put off any uv and the ones that may add a few diodes here or there is not enough to do that kind of damage to plastic over time. A few brands add the fluorescent uv lights which are much more powerful and those can have similar effects as the sun over time if the proximity is close enough. Still though, uv light is not passing through the closed containers to effect the soil or hydro solution in the inside. And most indoor growers are not growing produce on window sills. It’s usually in a tent or specific room to control the lighting hours.

@ViparSpectra 4 жыл бұрын

how to contact you?

@karlotto8925 3 жыл бұрын

Sorry you got it wrong. Citing Wikipedia: Food grade is only the material, Food safe is a product which is intented for foods (and has no machining additives on the surface etc.). Food safe is indicated by the glass and fork symbol. "The resin identification codes do not explicitly communicate the food safe property..". Be careful with PVC. Use only PVC-U. PVC-P (also recycling number 3!) has (toxic) additives which can leech. Stay away from PVC sewage pipes. Thoroughly soap water wash food grade plastics which arent meant for food applications to remove machining additives.

@GrowingAnswers 3 жыл бұрын

This is covered in the video and video description. Food safe containers is plastics that are for food “contact.” Food grade is mainly going to be hdpe as the most common one. The main difference between 2 containers if they are both hdpe for example, is one is made with without food safe machinery and the other is made with.