(Radio Iowa) – Iowa State University researchers say they’ve found washing number-five plastic for recycling can leave harmful chemicals behind in the wash water. They identified two types of phthalates the C-D-C says may affect hormones and child development, which industrial soap transferred from the plastic into the water. The levels increased through several wash cycles. I-S-U’s Greg Curtzwiler, who studies food science and human nutrition, led the study.
“Is it good that we’re removing some of these chemicals into the water?” Curtzwiler asks. “From the plastics perspective, yes.” Curtzwiler says the challenge is removing the chemicals from the water. He says some facilities are already using new technology to treat the water and remove the chemicals from the entire process.
“We’re seeing that these processes could potentially remove some of these other chemicals from its second life,” he says. Number five plastic, also known as polypropylene, is commonly used in product packaging, food storage, and automotive applications.
