Description Of Plastics via Recycle Symbals

[valleyman]

Came across this. It may take some of the wonder out of the question if a container is safe for sap storage ect.

Home Depot and Lowes buckets are (2) I believe.

[valleyman]

Sorry for misleading anyone about the (2) being food safe. Not always true. I just read the Sterite Container thread and then went back to where are got my info and reading further down it is explained further. Here's a snapshot of the article.

[innoxen]

well I am using the 4.2 gallon plastic jugs from deep fry oil... the kind of oil used for french fries and what not... washed them out real good and drilled holes in the caps to run the tubes right into them.. When the jug is full I swap them out with empty jugs and undrilled caps... My 1st time and this seems to work for me... and best of all they were free and when I am done with them I can put them in with recycleables... any thoughts... Tom

[maple sapper]

I read both attatchments. My interpretation of the second one is that if your going to brine in them they are not ideal. That means adding salt and pickling etc. Seeing as we are using them for sap collection and not anything other then that, I interpret it as ok. I would not pour 219 deg syrup in them but for cold sap collection, I see no issue. Been doing it since day one and makes no difference in flavor. I have stainless for drawing off.

[Frank Ivy]

I think it's generally going to be a bad decision to try to save a few bucks on a plastic container guessing at what might be in it.

Food grade. Period. If it doesn't say that, then I won't put sap in it.

I worked in the plastics industry for a very long time.

HDPE is a description of the plastic resin that is used to make the container. It is not a guarantee that nothing else is added.

For example - any tote you buy at Walmart that is blue is surely not simply HDPE, which is never blue by itself.

So the HDPE 2 recycle is not an indication of anything regarding food safety.

[mchasal]

HDPE is a description of the plastic resin that is used to make the container. It is not a guarantee that nothing else is added.

'zactly. Even though the pure HDPE may be safe, the colorings or other stuff that is added may not be. Even if there's nothing unsafe directly added, there could be things in the processing that may leave residues that aren't safe.

[KenWP]

I have found one plastic pail that said anything about food so far. All my pails had food of some kind in them and only the one has anything other then a 2 on it. Some do have phone numbers even thou. Weird situation that they don't put more on the pails then they do.

[gundog]

Like was said #2 does not mean food safe or not.

The only way to be sure is to talk to the company who made the product. I found some buckets to use......emailed the company and they responded with the answer. They also suggested that's the only way to know for sure.

Of course......if it already had food in it you should be safe, like bakery buckets or whatever.

[markct]

i noticed on the bottom of a white plastic pail for ice melt it had the #2 and said fda approved so i would guess thats food grade?

[Toblerone]

Keep in mind that Recycle #2 is NOT the same as NSF#2. NSF#2 means safe for food contact. See other threads on this subject.