Dangerous Plastics Thread

bagada · Apr 26, 2012

I thought i would start a thread on all the toxic type plastics that are unsafe for plant growth due to the plasticizer leaching chemicals. This will help us to not make mistakes of using products that we are unsure of. If you have netflix I advise watching "Plastic Planet", a documentary that shows the levels of toxicity in simple plastic products. Plastics that are safe at first can also begin to leach chemicals with age and after washing with detergents. So if anyone knows of any substances that may be toxic please list them below.
I will start with these tubes I got from Lowes

youngtrader9689 · Apr 28, 2012

NGW tubing!!!!

bagada · Apr 29, 2012

thanks...and i think everyone knows about those grow tents...not sure what brand...anyone care to enlighten?

Nonphixion · Apr 29, 2012

Bisphenol-A (BPA) has shown to cause birth defects in humans and some other bad stuff. It's in the big 5 gallon water cooler jugs. If you use those for anything it may leech into your plants somehow

ChaosCatalunya · Apr 29, 2012

uPVC, the hard black plastic is safe, ALL PVC is unsafe.

PVC is uPVC that has had plasticisers and colourants added to make it softer and prettier [giving it many more uses] It is these plasticisers and colourants that will leach out into your nutrient solution...

The small u in uPVC means "unplasticised"

petemoss · Apr 29, 2012

What about the white PVC tubes you buy at Home Depot? I made a feed manifold and a scrog screen from PVC and others have used it in hydro systems without problems. Is this PVC unsafe?

Nonphixion · Apr 29, 2012

Here's the thread about the toxic tents. There is also some info in there about PVC being unsafe for growing.

Edit: forgot link http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=103953

TLoft13 · Apr 29, 2012

From what i've been told all pvc foil is unsafe. This includes the foil for making small lakes(Teichfolie, whats that in english? Pondliner?). It gasses off! Most hardware stores carry another sturdy foil for constructionwork("Baufolie"), use this one.

Nonphixion · Apr 29, 2012

Yes, from my knowledge it's known as pond liner. The English translation for baufolie would be construction foil. I know it as the clear plastic you use to seal up a drafty house, or 100% polyethylene sheets, is this correct?

gaiusmarius · Apr 29, 2012

the pond liner is much thicker then the construction foil. also the pond liner is made to keep water from getting through, it's strong stff. i have used it in a few projects without any problems. maybe there are different quality of pond liner on the market.

TLoft13 · Apr 30, 2012

I know Gaius, you couldn't walk on the constructionfoil, but for tables it suffices. I've also seen many, many reports where it has been used as floor-protection without apparent problems.
BUT i've got this information from somebody i trust/ I don't consider a bullshitter. He's breeding Kois and rabbits, and he insists that the pondliner gasses off when it's used without water on it. He strongly discouraged me to use it for plants or landanimals.

bagada · Apr 30, 2012

In the movie "Plastic Planet" they explain that most plastic is toxic and leeches out chemicals slowly and in small doses. Now a small tupperware wont kill you but the accumulation of many different products will. They dont even tell you what is exactly in the plastic. Nobody knows. Its a mystery.

bagada · Apr 30, 2012

ChaosCatalunya said:
uPVC, the hard black plastic is safe, ALL PVC is unsafe.

PVC is uPVC that has had plasticisers and colourants added to make it softer and prettier [giving it many more uses] It is these plasticisers and colourants that will leach out into your nutrient solution...

The small u in uPVC means "unplasticised"

I looked up uPVC and I think it is illegal in the US

foaf · Apr 30, 2012

ALL PVC is unsafe

if you really think that from a practical standpoint, regular white schedule 40 pvc is unsafe, then you have a much different threshold for safety than most people and most safety authorities. everything is relative, but plain pvc is not going to kill your plants (ever notice what they plumb the watering systems at greenhouses with?) and it is approved safe to pipe drinking water.

mudvaynefan · Apr 30, 2012

uPVC is legal in the u.s., it tends to be the un threaded pvc components I see at lowes/hd.

I did alot of reasearch before I got into my first DWC, and from what I can tell, HDPE, seems to be the safest.

There are a few numbers that relate to hdpe , I think its 2, 5 and 7. I think 2 and 5 is ok, or the least worst to use. I learned, do not re use soda bottles.

That type of plastic, is made to hold liquid in a ph range for a certin time, but not to be re used over and over again.

Keep in mind, ratings for household/potable water pvc, do not take into account the 5.8 ph range of water sitting in them 24 hours for 2 months that a DWC grow entails.

So read alot, choose as best you can.

I wish I could find those old GLASS 5 gallon water bottles.

I have some cool bookmarks for companies making HDPE pipes, buckets, fittings. When I have the money to do so, ALL my plastics will be changed to these.

lost in a sea · Apr 30, 2012

the oestragen antagonist Bisphenol-A(BPA) in polycarbonate,,

causes problems obviously in breasts and uteruses but also affects the pituitary gland causing tumours,,, and im sure people know how important the pituitary glad is!

p-nonyl-phenol does the same thing and is found in other plastics,,

Hammerhead · Apr 30, 2012

white sch40 is safe to use. I have 2 Saltwater tanks one is a reef tank. The Plumbing that pumps the water from the Sump back to the tank is all sch40 white. These ecosystems are 100x for delicate then growing cannabis. You cant se the plumbing but its there all behind the tunk and under it. The only thing that is not correct is white sch40 pvc is not approved for potable water and cant be used to plump your house drinking water. This is for Cali...

nut · May 5, 2012

TLoft13 said:
From what i've been told all pvc foil is unsafe. This includes the foil for making small lakes(Teichfolie, whats that in english? Pondliner?). It gasses off! Most hardware stores carry another sturdy foil for constructionwork("Baufolie"), use this one.

IF its pond liner then its safe if fish can live in there so can your plants i use it in my home made F&D table.

gaiusmarius · May 6, 2012

yeah the thing about the phenomenon of off gassing in cannabis growing is that it's a special reaction that takes place from the hps lamps spectrum of light that causes some plastic to warm up and start giving off a gas that basically kills your plants if it's a grow tent made from the material, or slows them down, yellowing the bottom leaves really early and never really letting the plants take off like they should, if the off gassing is only slight and the ventilation is pumping in fresh air. so if the pond liner is being used to keep water from leaking out of a pond it will never off gas as it's being kept cold and protected by the water and the soil layer covering it . even if the pond liner is not being directly lit up by the hps it will not give off anything. i'm thinking it might also depend on where your pond liner is made.

Friend · May 6, 2012

so if the white schedule 40 PVC is safe unless you're in california, what about black ABS plastic pipe? i would be more inclined to choose it over white PVC if i ever built a hydroponic setup...

Dangerous Plastics Thread

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