Plastic children's products at a glance

Amber, our Preschool Head Teacher, is sharing this wonderful website with loads of valuable information for parents! - greentogrow.com

Here is their 'Green Guide' on Plastic Products at a Glance:

By choosing NOT to buy plastics, you send a message to food processors and manufacturers, as well as retailers. Make changes wherever and whenever you can!

Plastic Code Quick Guide:

Avoid:
#3-PVC
#6-PS
#7-Polycarbonate

Choose instead:
#1-PETE
#2-HDPE
#4-LDPE
#5-PP

Cups/Plates/Utensils Containers

Avoid:
#3 Arrow Clearview Pitcher
#6 Arrow Measuring Cups
#3 Arrow Sip-a-Mug (body is PVC, cap is PP)
#3 Arrow Sip-n-Stor cups
#6 Chip'n Dip bowl (Ullman)
#7 Intellivent containers with blue lids
#6 Kingsman Plastic Cutlery (Maryland Plastic)
#3 Marvin the Martian large squeezebottle (Betras USA)
#7 Rubbermaid Clear Classics container bases*
#6 All Styrofoam cups and containers
#6 Sweetheart Plastic Cutlery
#7 Tupperware Meals-in-Minutes Microsteamer base
#7 Tupperware Rock N' Serve containers

Choose instead:
#5 Bodum brand plastic cutlery (thick, colored)*
#5 Gladware containers
#5 Playtex Spill-Proof Cups
#5 Playtex Straw Cups
#2 Rubbermaid Pitchers (in colors)
#5 Rubbermaid EZ Topps
#5 Rubbermaid Cereal Keeper
#5 Rubbermaid Servin' Saver
#5 Rubbermaid Ice Cube bins
#5 Rubbermaid Grip 'n Mix Bowls
#5 Rubbermaid Bowl Sets
#5 Rubbermaid Push 'n Pour Decanters
#5 Tupperware bowls (all)
#5 Tupperware children's feeding lines
#5 Tupperware Crystal Wave Microwave Container
#2 Tupperware Freeze-N-Save container
#2 Tupperware ice cube tray
#2 Tupperware Ice Tups Set
#5 Tupperware Impressions line
#2 Tupperware Jel-Ring mold
#5 Tupperware Modular Mates
#5 Tupperware One Touch Canisters
#5 Tupperware refrigerator and freezer products (except those specified here as another plastic)
#5 Ziploc containers

Baby / Kids' Items

Caution: Many baby bottles are polycarbonate; however, they are typically not labeled as such and can only be identified by calling the manufacturer.

Avoid:
#7 Avent Baby Bottles
#7 Avent Soft Spout Training Cups
#7 Evenflo Baby Bottles (clear, untinted)
#3 Evenflo Soft Bite Spoon
#7Gerber Baby Bottles (clear only)
#3 Gerber Clear and Soft Baby Bottle Nipples*
#7 Gerber Looney Toons spill-proof cups
#7 Gerber Suzy's Zoo spill-proof cups
#7 Playtex Cherub, Juice and Trainer Cups
#7 Playtex Baby Bottles
#7 Sassy MAM 3-Step Baby Bottles
#7 The First Years Baby Bottles
#7 The First Years Peek-a-Boo Cups
#7 Tuppercare Baby Bottles

Choose instead:
Evenflo Glass Baby Bottles (clear)
#5 Evenflo Baby Bottles (opaque, pastel)
#5 Evenflo colored Baby Bottles
#5 Gerber Baby Bottles (colored)
#5 Gerber's Fun Grips Spill Proof Cups
#5 Gerber 'Lil Sport Bottles Spill Proof Cups
#5 Ideal Temp Feeding Spoons
#5 Less Mess Toddler Bowls
#5 Less Mess Toddler Spoons
#5 Stroll 'N Snack Cups
#5 Medela Baby Cups
#5 Medela Baby Bottles and feeders
#5 Sassy E-Z Grip Cups
#5 Sassy E-Z Grip First Feeding Bowls
#5 Sassy MAM Spill-Proof Cups
#5 Sip-a-Bowl by Arrow Plastic
#5 Temperature Sensitive Forks and Spoons
#5 The First Years Sesame Street Trainer Cups
#5 The First Years Tumble Mates (Spill-Proof and Trainer Cups)
#5 The First Years Winnie the Pooh Trainer Cups

Water Bottles

Avoid:
#7 Most 5 Gallon Bottles for water coolers
#3 Appalachian Mountain (gallon size)

Choose instead:
#4 Bell Brand Athletic Squeeze Bottles (colors)
#5 Bell Brand Athletic Squeeze Bottles (clear)
#5 Rubbermaid Chuggables bottles
#5 Rubbermaid Sipp 'N Sport bottles
Most 1-, 1.5-, 2-liter (and smaller) beverage bottles are made from #1 or #2

Food Packaging and Storage

Caution: Most cling-wrapped meats, cheeses, and other commercially-wrapped foods in delis and grocery stores are wrapped in PVC.

Avoid:
PVDC Glad Microwave Wrap*
#3 Polyvinyl Films All-Purpose Food Wrap
#3 Polyvinyl Films Freeze-tite
#3 Polyvinyl Films Stretch-tite
#3 Reynolds Wrap
PVDC Saran Classic (formerly Saran Wrap)

Choose instead:
#4 Glad Cling Wrap
#4 Glad-Lock bags
#4 Hefty Baggies
#4 Hefty OneZip Slider Bags
#4 Saran with Cling-Plus (formerly Handi-Wrap)
#4 Ziploc bags

*These items have been discontinued, but may still be found on store shelves.