Thai Medical Sciences Dept Warn Consumers Of Threats From Low-Quality Plasticware

[webfact]

Medical Sciences Dept warn consumers of threats from low-quality plasticware

file photo

BANGKOK, 3 May 2013 (NNT) – The Department of Medical Sciences has come out to warn the public about possible health threats from the use of low-quality plasticware.

Medical Sciences Department’s Director-General, Dr. Niphon Popattanachai, on Thursday, said that most of cheap and colorful plasticware available in local markets are found without complete information on their tags and lacking safety guarantee or food-quality labels.

Dr. Niphon stated that lab tests of these items on the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer (FT-IR) machine found that some are made of fake melamine, which poses health threats, including carcinogens, when exposed to acid content or high heat

As there remains no law to control or deal with fake melamine, the risk is inevitably within the discretion of consumers, said Dr. Niphon.

He has urged the public to be cautious while shopping for plasticware and to check all details that can convince them of the safety for use.

-- NNT 2013-05-03

[jackr]

So on top of falling to bits in minutes, the billion tons of tat from China will also likely kill you.

[Thai at Heart]

Does this cover the plastic bag that gets microwaved in 711?

[Chao Lao Beach]

Anyone know much about this subject or have good links?

[geriatrickid]

Anyone know much about this subject or have good links?

It has been a hot topic in the EU & North America for the past 5 years. This is why the western "prepared" meal/food industry has invested in the labeling of its containers. The best material remains quality glassware. Remember the old style pyrex dishes and bowels?

[doremifasol]

"He has urged the public to be cautious while shopping for plastic-ware and to check all details that can convince them of the safety for use".

This article would have been useful if the reader was told how to check the details.

How to check:

Avoid plastic containers with recycling codes #3 #6 #7

#3 or "v" (PVC or vinyl) Polyvinyle Cloride

#6 or"PS" (Polystyrene)

#7 or "other" (Polycarbonate) Bisphenol A (BPA)

Look for "PCVfree" and "BPA free" labels

Avoid toys made of soft plastic vinyl (PVC)

Avoid the use of plastic baby bottles (BPA)

Do not use plastic or plastic wrap in the microwave (food and beverages)

Discard all food containers with scratches, especially baby bottles and feeding cups.

Do not heat any kind of baby bottles in the mycroware

Use only glass or stainless steel food storage containers

Hope this helps.

[market trader]

Is there any product coming from China that is not a problem?

[jackspratt]

.

The best material remains quality glassware. Remember the old style pyrex dishes and bowels?

I try to avoid eating from bowels as much as possible.

[jackspratt]

Is there any product coming from China that is not a problem?

Why are you pointing the finger at China for this?

Does Thailand not have a domestic plastics industry?

[slapout]

Is there any product coming from China that is not a problem?

Why are you pointing the finger at China for this?

Does Thailand not have a domestic plastics industry?

Probably set up, financed and run by Chinese Thai., OK maybe that is a bad assumption on my part.

[skippero]

And after you have gathered up all the dangerous plastics in your kitchen, please do not take them out and burn them for us all to to enjoy!!!

[Thaddeus]

One thing to consider in the land of copies, assuming the product has any markings/label/sticker .... is the info accurate?

[smccolley]

.

The best material remains quality glassware. Remember the old style pyrex dishes and bowels?

I try to avoid eating from bowels as much as possible.

I am guessing you don't like sausages then, since that is pretty much what they are wrapped with

[MESmith]

.

The best material remains quality glassware. Remember the old style pyrex dishes and bowels?

I try to avoid eating from bowels as much as possible.

I am guessing you don't like sausages then, since that is pretty much what they are wrapped with

Aren't "sausages" here wrapped in plastic?

[rfukata]

this must include plastic made toy's with low quality plastic? I see a ton of

these cheap plastic toy's sold in the open markets.

[allan michaud]

Anyone know much about this subject or have good links?

It has been a hot topic in the EU & North America for the past 5 years. This is why the western "prepared" meal/food industry has invested in the labeling of its containers. The best material remains quality glassware. Remember the old style pyrex dishes and bowels?

A bit longer than that, more like 30 years at least in the UK. This is an old problem that the Thai's only now seem to be waking up to. I remember in the early 80's scares about dangerous clingfilm. A little over a decade later I was in India where this was suddenly national news. It seems a foreign company had a decade earlier sold its old (and now dangerous) technology to India on the cheap without mentioning possible dangers.

The Thai's are just light years behind everyone else.

I had to laugh at my wife when we had a clear out recently. I tried to get rid of her mass of hideous plastic glasses, only to be told not they were very expensive, 'special plastic'.

Edited May 3, 2013 by allan michaud

[Locationthailand]

When products are made to a price, quality and safety are thrown out the window. What else would you expect and this piece of brilliant news? How many of the poor folk - the target market - will get to know about it? We all can't afford tupperware...

[rotary]

Is there any product coming from China that is not a problem?

Some of the ladies, but not all, so quality control before using is required

[ozyjon]

Anyone know much about this subject or have good links?

It has been a hot topic in the EU & North America for the past 5 years. This is why the western "prepared" meal/food industry has invested in the labeling of its containers. The best material remains quality glassware. Remember the old style pyrex dishes and bowels?

This is going araound Australia, and Europe, have hers of thisduring my travels and i think it will pop up more and more in the future, i think this is justa warm up before the plastic is banned altogether, tupperware is introducing a new line in glass storage,, likee the old Pyrex.

[cup-O-coffee]

"He has urged the public to be cautious while shopping for plastic-ware and to check all details that can convince them of the safety for use".

This article would have been useful if the reader was told how to check the details.

How to check:

Avoid plastic containers with recycling codes #3 #6 #7

#3 or "v" (PVC or vinyl) Polyvinyle Cloride

#6 or"PS" (Polystyrene)

#7 or "other" (Polycarbonate) Bisphenol A (BPA)

Look for "PCVfree" and "BPA free" labels

Avoid toys made of soft plastic vinyl (PVC)

Avoid the use of plastic baby bottles (BPA)

Do not use plastic or plastic wrap in the microwave (food and beverages)

Discard all food containers with scratches, especially baby bottles and feeding cups.

Do not heat any kind of baby bottles in the mycroware

Use only glass or stainless steel food storage containers

Hope this helps.

We're changing the stamping codes for our low quality plastic ware machines as we read this. Thank you very much.

[Pimay1]

Do not use plastic or plastic wrap in the microwave (food and beverages)

Does this include the plastic wrap on the foot long hot dogs at 7/11 that they alwys pop into the microwave?

[papa al]

Anyone know much about this subject or have good links?

It has been a hot topic in the EU & North America for the past 5 years. This is why the western "prepared" meal/food industry has invested in the labeling of its containers. The best material remains quality glassware. Remember the old style pyrex dishes and bowels?

"bowels"

ha ha

[Lodestone]

"He has urged the public to be cautious while shopping for plastic-ware and to check all details that can convince them of the safety for use".

This article would have been useful if the reader was told how to check the details.

How to check:

Avoid plastic containers with recycling codes #3 #6 #7

#3 or "v" (PVC or vinyl) Polyvinyle Cloride

#6 or"PS" (Polystyrene)

#7 or "other" (Polycarbonate) Bisphenol A (BPA)

Do not use plastic or plastic wrap in the microwave (food and beverages)

Geez, and I've been microwaving with M Wrap for years.

Edited May 3, 2013 by Lodestone

[AhFarangJa]

.

The best material remains quality glassware. Remember the old style pyrex dishes and bowels?

I try to avoid eating from bowels as much as possible.

Yep, leaves a nasty taste in the mouth

[Soi Dog]

I am struggling to figure out what "fake" melamine is. Melamine itself has been used in cookware for years and has approval in the US, the EU and the WHO for contact with foods. This is not the same as the case when melamine was added illegally and in massive quantities to milk in China.

[Payboy]

Thai Medical Sciences Dept

My bible.

[bangon04]

Is there any product coming from China that is not a problem?

Even the Giant Pandas are too stupid to mate when they are told to....

[ThaiTony2]

Is there any product coming from China that is not a problem?

Why are you pointing the finger at China for this?

Does Thailand not have a domestic plastics industry?

Probably set up, financed and run by Chinese Thai., OK maybe that is a bad assumption on my part.

Maybe because China is guilty of this too.

[vijer]

I try to show this kind of news to the wife every chance I get, it will take 10 or 20 of these reports to get her to change her ways ... of course it could take one call from the MIL, everything the MIL says is gospel.

[MilesCh]

In the USA I spent a couple of years replacing all plastic containers with glass. Then dumped everything before moving to Thailand two years ago. And here it's very difficult to find glassware except at a high premium price at expensive stores. What an mistake just to save Customs duty and freight! Why doesn't the government reduce import duties on beneficial products and only tax the harmful stuff?