5 Reasons You Should Buy Glass Instead of Plastic
Honey: the oozy, sweet substance that conjures up images of dripping honey dippers, hexagonal honeycomb and almost certainly, the honey bear. This ubiquitous bear can be found nestled on the local grocery store shelf or perhaps the quaint home pantry. It was first conceptualized in 1957 by Ralph and Luella Gamber. Their company, Dutch Gold Honey, still exists today and continues to use the popular plastic honey bear packaging.
However, as the debate between plastic versus other packaging presses on, there are concerns about the widespread health implications of plastic. Here’s 5 reasons you should ditch the plastic containers and opt for glass instead.
- BPA Leaching
According to the NIEHS, “Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical” in certain plastics and “can leach into food . . . from consumer products.” The Harvard School of Public Health cites a number of reproductive issues linked to BPA, such as infertility and “abnormal development of the brain, breast, and prostate,” among others. This is because BPA is an endocrine disruptor (read: bad for hormones!). - Phthalates
Here we go, another endocrine disruptor. Phthalates are used in plastics to give them a bendable quality. The CDC has found that “phthalate exposure is widespread in the U.S. population” and animal testing has revealed reproductive issues linked to phthalates. Yikes! - PET Plastics Aren’t Better Than BPA
Even if a plastic product is labeled BPA-free, don’t be fooled. Although PET plastics don’t contain BPA, they too can release dangerous toxins into food and drink products, especially under the conditions of high temperatures. If you’re one to heat up your food or drinks, be mindful of the packaging. - Environmental Impact
It’s no secret that the daily use of plastic adds up quickly. A quick stroll down a once-pristine beach, trail, or park will often reveal signs of human consumption in the form of discarded plastic waste. Sadly, plastic trash “can take up to 1,000 years to decompose in landfills.” Plastic is not sustainable. - Glass, Glass, Glass
With glass containers, you don’t need to worry about a plethora of toxins leaching into your food or drink items. Glass is also eco-friendly and can be recycled over and over and over again. Really. Compare that to the one or two time maximum of plastic, and the environmentally conscious choice is pretty clear. Also, glass is made of sand — nothing synthetic to see here, folks.
Plastic is like the multi-headed Hydra of mythological lore — when one problem is seemingly solved, two more replace it. That’s why we at Nature’s Relief make it a priority to house our pure honey in only the purest of containers: glass.
