Question from TM
Hi Debra,
I was using a stainless steel lunchbox containers for my young kid, however, I read stainless steel may leach, although I’m not sure if only when heated?
Glass is not an option right now as he is too young and can break.
Would you go with these made of polypropylene #5 plastic instead of stainless steel? Thanks so much!!
Debra’s Answer
All lunchbox container materials leach something to some degree, so the question is, would you rather be eating plastic or metals? Even, glass, we are now finding, leaches lead and other metals.
There’s a lot more we need to know before I can make a definitive recommendation between these materials. For the moment all I can say is in my kitchen stainless steel is gone except for one pot, but I still have some polypropylene. It’s one of the least toxic plastics.
Debra, I have been using glass dishes and storage bowls for years because I thought glass didn’t contain lead (with the exception of lead crystal). Now I see in the answer above that glass may leach lead. Is it all glass or a certain kind? If you’ve already written about this, I must have missed it. Thank you, Donna
I hadn’t written about this before because it’s new to me too. There needs to be better testing on this. If I had funding, I would do the test myself.
It makes sense to me though that if there are contaminants in the raw material, it would end up in the glass. It’s just silica, which is beach sand, but I know beach sand can be contaminated with all kinds of things. This is a whole new level to look at that I am researching.
Hi Debra, I agree with Donna. Please do let us know more about what you find out about glass leaching. What I have previously seen is that some Weck containers (which even come with glass lids and thus are usually sought out by people trying to avoid all plastics) could contain lead, but that Anchor Hocking hadn’t been found to contain lead. But that’s about all the info I’ve seen so far. Would definitely be interested in your findings, as I use glass (mainly Pyrex and Kinetic Glasslock, I believe it’s called) extensively for food storage.
I’m working on it. 🙂
We have used a fogg product called MDF 500. I’m just as sensitive to mycotons as to mold itself, and found this product worked, eliminating all my symptoms. (Info below)
Thoroughness and attention to detail, getting into unopened boxes, chests, opening drawers, etc is necessary to get a more effective result. We once hired a company in upstate New York, and were greatly disappointed with their execution of administering the fog. So, we bought the equipment and learned to do the treatment for ourselves. You do need to wear a full body protective suit, mask and respirator, because the fog has a pH that could burn your skin or respiratory membranes. However, once the fog evaporates, the environment is nontoxic. We’ve had great success with it and used it numerous times over the last 8 years. As a chemically sensitive, mold intolerant person, we’re never without the stuff.
Several websites talk about the product, which is made by Modec. Below is an excerp from one.
From “Temp-Coat” website
MODEC Customers Include:
US Post Office
CIA
NAS
US Army
US Marines
Homeland Security
Cardinal Health System Facilities
MODEC Products have been produced since 1996
MODEC MDF-500 carries a Hazard rating of 1 on a scale of 0 to 4. Common bleach carries a rating of 4
MODEC MDF-500 kills mold and the mycotoxins mold produces
MODEC MDF-500 destroys all known pathogens on surfaces fogged without destroying wood or other materials the fog contacts
MODEC MDF-500 leaves no harmful residue of any kind and becomes completely inert after 8 hours
MODEC products were developed for government and have a long successful history of destroying germs and bacteria such as anthrax
MODEC MDF-500 is 1000 times less corrosive than bleach and many other products that claim to kill mold
MODEC use does not require the handling of deadly or dangerous chemicals such as Lie, Phenol or Boric Acid nor does it require the mixing of powders that can be harmful Fogging system eliminates holidays and hard to reach areas
MODEC MDF-500 IS THE RIGHT CHOICE