While there is no set timeframe for replacing plastic food containers, experts say they should be tossed out when they show visible wear, chips, cracks, or signs of stains and odors.
Avoiding high heat and contact with abrasive materials and tools will keep your plastic containers viable, and if you don't spot any signs of excess wear, food stains, or odors, you can hold off on replacing said containers for about a year.
Regardless of the types of chemicals in a plastic food container, it may not be entirely safe. Plastics break down over time, which means they can potentially release trace amounts of microplastics and whatever chemicals they are made of into the food.
Old Tupperware, especially those over a decade old, might contain hazardous chemicals like cadmium, lead, and arsenic. These can leach into your food, posing significant health risks. Vintage Tupperware products are particularly concerning due to the potential leaching of additional harmful substances.
Though designed to last a lifetime, our BPA-free plastic containers are recyclable, and many will bear recycling codes to help recycling centers best sort them.
While there is no set timeframe for replacing plastic food containers, experts say they should be tossed out when they show visible wear, chips, cracks, or signs of stains and odors. In place of plastic containers, experts recommend opting for glass or stainless steel instead.
LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY
In the event of a product's failure to meet the foregoing warranty, Tupperware, at its election, will either replace the affected product with a like or similar product or provide a credit toward future purchases of Tupperware® brand products.
"Moldy plastic items, such as Tupperware containers, should be thrown away—this material is porous and can hold on to mold spores and affect other meals you put in it," says Petya Holevich, Fantastic Services's house cleaning expert and supervisor.
Since March 2010, items Tupperware sells in the US and Canada are BPA-free, according to its website.
No, not all Rubbermaid containers are BPA free. Rubbermaid Commercial Freshworks™ Produce Saver containers are made from Polycarbonate (PC), which could not exist without BPA, because BPA is an essential building block for PC production.
If any of your containers have a #3, #6, or #7, those should be disposed of because they are considered high-risk plastics. If you're going to use one of the safer plastics, it's best not to store acidic or greasy foods in them.
Our food containers and beverage products are safe to use for pouring boiled water into them. Boiling water poured into our product cools very rapidly, and this should not damage or warp the container. Helpful? Thank you for your feedback!
Containers made of PET plastics can release chemicals at a temperature of 25°C and at temperatures of 50°C and above, the leaching of chemicals can occur very rapidly. Food high in fat content should never be heated in plastic as the fat better absorbs chemicals.
Yes, buy it.
Rubbermaid's Brilliance containers are affordable, durable, and is approved for use in the microwave, dishwasher, and freezer. Plus, their crystal-clear design lends them a more expensive look than your typical plastic tupperware.
Care & Use
Remove label and wash before use. Use care when handling a container with hot contents or after reheating in the microwave. Reheating implies the maximum short term (less than 30 seconds) service temperature of a Rubbermaid container is 212°F followed by a cool down period.
Rubbermaid uses a clear plastic for the containers that suffers from cracks. This was put in the top of the dishwasher, and cracked in two places. The lids are amazingly good, but the clear plastic is likely damaged from heat on a dishwasher environment.
Is vintage Tupperware safe to use? Not in a food storage sense. While we've established that it's unlikely that 40 year old Tupperware is safe to use because of BPA, it may still hold some worth in niche markets for rare, vintage items.
"Sometimes you'll see a white residue around plastic food containers and that's part of the plastic coming out in your food," said White. Department of Public Health Environmental Health Director Justin Smith says plastic containers can pose a huge threat that residents may not even know about.
Exposure to BPA is a concern because of the possible health effects on the brain and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children. It can also affect children's behavior. Additional research suggests a possible link between BPA and increased blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Any time a plastic food storage container becomes scratched or cracked, stained, punctured, begins to smell, loses a lid or the lid no longer fits securely, or becomes textured – it's time to throw it out.
There are surely some things you need to throw out after they've been exposed to mold, but you don't have to throw everything away. Some items are more durable and can be cleaned.
Heat plastic: This can be done in a hot dishwasher rinse, but a microwave is more effective. Wet the plastic container first, as the interaction between the microwave's heat and water is what causes sterilization. Place the plastic container in a microwave on high power for approximately two minutes.
If it's more than 11 years old: If the Tupperware you have at home is excessively old, you should replace it not only because it may have deep scratches from constant use where bacteria can get trapped, but also because it's probably made of bisphenol-A (BPA), a potentially harmful chemical.
They all say thank you at the time and return the Tupperware clean and empty. I've never had somebody return it with more food inside.
International container brand Tupperware will exit South Africa at the end of 2024. As reported by Newzroom Afrika and Business Day, the food storage company will cease operations in South Africa and other markets by the end of 2024 as part of the company's larger liquidation and restructuring strategy.