🎧 Recycled Plastic: The “Eco-Friendly” Choice That’s Harming Your Health

Welcome back to Practical Nontoxic Living. I’m Sophia Ruan Gushée, and in this episode, we’re exploring a critical—but often misunderstood—topic in sustainable living and that's whether recycled plastic is a healthier choice. Is it really better for the environment? Is recycled plastic safe for human health?

♻️ Recycled plastic: how it’s made, what it may contain, and what it means for your well-being.

Many of us want to make choices that benefit both our health and the planet. But as science evolves, so does our understanding of how recycled materials behave—especially when it comes to plastics.

Today we’ll explore 4 main questions:

1. What should you know about the difference between recycling, downcycling, and upcycling?

2. Why can recycled plastics sometimes carry more toxic chemicals than virgin plastics? Virgin plastic refers to new, unused plastic material that hasn't been recycled or processed before. These plastics have not been blended with scrap, waste, or previously used material. They can create a higher quality of material—like in durability and consistency—and are currently easier to source. However, they are often created from petrochemicals or biomass feedstock, which refers to the raw materials derived from living or recently living organisms.

3. What should you know about black plastics in your everyday products?

4. What are simple, effective ways to make safer, more informed choices?

Let’s get into it.

What Is Recycling—And What Are Downcycling & Upcycling?

Let’s start with a quick breakdown of three important terms: recycling, downcycling, and upcycling.

🔄 Recycling is a general term for converting waste into reusable material. With plastics, that often means melting used items down and forming them into new ones. But it’s not always a clean or circular process.

⬇️ Downcycling is when a material is recycled into something of lower quality or safety. This is common with plastic. For example, a recycled soda bottle might become carpet fiber, a park bench, or black plastic utensils. It’s still being reused, but the material degrades over time—and may accumulate chemical residues or become harder to recycle further.

⬆️ Upcycling is when waste is repurposed into something of equal or higher value. This is less common with plastics but more common in textiles or creative reuse—like turning old vinyl billboards into stylish bags, or repurposing wood into furniture.

With plastics, most of what we call “recycling” is actually downcycling—and that distinction matters when it comes to health.

Why Recycled Plastics May Pose Higher Health Risks

Now that we’ve clarified the terminology, let’s look at what happens chemically when plastics are downcycled.

Plastics are porous and persistent, which means they hold onto chemicals they’ve been exposed to—from dyes and chemical flame retardants to industrial lubricants and pesticides. When recycled, these materials are not purified—they’re melted and remolded, often with mixed feedstocks from unknown sources.

Multiple studies—including some supported by the Food Packaging Forum—show that recycled plastics can contain over 100 chemical contaminants, many of which are linked to:

• Hormone disruption

• Cancer risk

• Reproductive toxicity

• And neurodevelopmental concerns

So, while the intention behind recycling is positive, the resulting materials may carry forward chemical burdens—especially concerning when those plastics are used in food packaging, kitchen utensils, or children's products.

The Case of Black Plastics

Let’s take a look at black plastics, a particularly eye-opening case.

Used in everything from takeout containers to electronics, black plastics are often made from recycled electronic waste. This means they can contain:

• Brominated flame retardants

• Heavy metals like lead or cadmium

• And other industrial additives not meant for food contact

A 2018 study on black plastics from the University of Plymouth found that black plastic utensils sold for home kitchens contained persistent organic pollutants—substances that build up in the body and environment over time. These items are difficult for recycling machines to detect, so they’re often processed from mixed waste streams—leading to even more uncertainty about chemical composition. 

Dr Andrew Turner, who conducted the study that was published in Environmental International, has said:

There are environmental and health impacts arising from the production and use of plastics in general, but black plastics pose greater risks and hazards. This is due to the technical and economic constraints imposed on the efficient sorting and separation of black waste for recycling, coupled with the presence of harmful additives required for production or applications in the electronic and electrical equipment and food packaging sectors.

Black plastic may be aesthetically pleasing, but this study confirms that the recycling of plastic from electronic waste is introducing harmful chemicals into consumer products. That is something the public would obviously not expect, or wish, to see and there has previously been very little research exploring this. In order to address this, further scientific research is needed. But there is also a need for increased innovation within the recycling industry to ensure harmful substances are eliminated from recycled waste and to increase the recycling of black plastic consumer products.

This doesn’t mean we need to panic. It simply means that understanding material history helps us make safer, more conscious choices.

Practical Tips for Safer Living

Here’s what all this means for you: when it comes to plastics, being strategic—not scared—is the path forward.

🌱 Five practical tips:

1. Avoid black plastic in food containers, utensils, and microwavable items

2. Choose glass, stainless steel, or uncoated silicone for food storage and prep

3. Check labels—be cautious of vague “made with recycled content” claims without transparency

4. Use recycled plastic for non-food contact items only, like outdoor furniture

5. Support brands using traceable, third-party-tested recycled materials

And when you can, reduce plastic use altogether—not out of fear, but as a thoughtful investment in your long-term health and a cleaner future.

Conscious Consumption Can Contribute To Real Change

Science is constantly evolving—and so are our choices.

The more we learn about how materials behave in the real world, the more empowered we become to make aligned, informed decisions. Not every “eco” label means a product is safe—but knowledge gives us the tools to ask better questions and support solutions that work for both people and planet.

🎧 If this episode helped clarify the science behind recycled plastics, share it with a friend or colleague who’s passionate about health and sustainability.

And if you want to detox your home room by room, join Ruan Living's 40-Day Home Detox, a transformative program that will change how you see everything. Or read a comprehensive overview on this in A to Z of D-Toxing: The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Our Toxic Exposures.

I hope you pursue at least one detox tweak to pursue with wisdom and harmony.

Until next time... 🌿

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Select Sources

In addition to sources linked above, below are additional select sources.

Geueke, B., Groh, K. J., Maffini, M. V., Martin, O. V., Boucher, J. M., Chiang, Y. T., … Muncke, J. (2022). Systematic evidence on migrating and extractable food contact chemicals: Most chemicals detected in food contact materials are not listed for use. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 63(28), 9425–9435. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2022.2067828

Geueke B, Phelps DW, Parkinson LV, Muncke J. Hazardous chemicals in recycled and reusable plastic food packaging. Cambridge Prisms: Plastics. 2023;1:e7. doi:10.1017/plc.2023.7