Here are questions from Beth Terry's My Plastic Free Life guest blog post http://myplasticfreelife.com/2011/01/is-it-plastic-find-the-answers-win-... I'm going to try to answer them to satisfy my curiosity and possibly, yours.
Read Ruchi's blog here: http://arduousblog.blogspot.com/
1) Plastic or no? My silicone contact lenses?
Silicone is made with silicon, and it's definitely not silica from sand, but I think that's silica and it would make for some pretty scratchy breakable contact lenses. so the answer is yes, and no.
Silicone is human-made, but according to the Wikipedia article on it: "silicones do not have long-term adhesion to plastics." Silicone could be considered a refined sort of plastic thing, though because it does not break down, but then again it does not leach endocrine disruptors, I don't think. According to Wikipedias again: Menstrual cups and scar treatment sheets are often made of medical grade silicone for its durability, reusability, and biocompatibility. Silicone is also material of choice for soft sex toys, due to its durability, cleanability and lack of phthalates, chemicals suspected of having carcinogenic and mutagenic effects on the skin and mucous membranes.
I do sell silicone - the Diva Cup and Fem Cap are made of medical grade silicone. It beats latex.
2) Plastic or no? The tetra-pak soy milk?
3) Plastic or no? The non-tetra pak lemonade carton?
Side note, I’m assuming that the little spouty thing on the lemonade carton is plastic even if the body isn’t?
Side note two, why do they have the little spouty things on everything these days? Is it because of that Friends episode where Joey couldn’t open a milk carton?
Side note three, according to the not-very-helpful pictures on my compost bin, I’m still allowed to compost the lemonade carton. How am I able to do that if the spouty thing is plastic?
Side note four, why can’t SF recology make better pictures?
4) Plastic or no? My magazines?
5) Plastic or no? The glossy stuff on books?
6) Plastic or no? Confetti?
7) Plastic or no? Glitter?
8) Plastic or no? See the theme here with the confetti and the glitter is we ordered our wedding invitations recently. And they are super beautiful (and cloth). But they also have little doodads on them and I have no idea if they are plastic or not. Probably you have no idea if they are plastic or not either (at least not without looking at them.) How am I supposed to tell if little shiny things on my invitations are plastic or not?!
9) Plastic or no? Meltdowns? (This is more of an existential question.)
10) Plastic or no? Our planet?