Discussion on 'Would a plastic idem that melted in your dishwasher ...?'

(1) On October 27, 2007 at 10:20 pm Chris Plastic [6] said:

A plastic item placed in a dish-washer would normally be intended for food contact use. If the material was a thermoplastic (eg polypropylene), reheating to viscous fluid and then cooling to solid does not usually result in significant breakdown. Such plastics can usually be dishwashed without problem. Thermoset materials are often regarded as plastics (eg.Melamine). They would tend to eventually breakdown into smaller particles rather than remelting, ultimately into powder. They can have good dishwasher stability.

That food-contact plastic would be normally approved by the FDA possibly for repeat use. They would screen plastics for the impact of chemicals which could migrate out of them. I doubt if dishwashing tests are specifically conducted but sensitive tests are conducted to determine the nature of these migrating chemicals and their concentration. The likely toxicity would then be assessed. These tests would dictate whether or not approval is granted.

Harmful toxins are unlikely to be released. Anything migrating from the plastic would be expected to be flushed away along with the grease etc washed from the other items.

Materials like polymethylmethacrylate (acrylic eg Plexiglas) and polycarbonate (eg.Lexan) can both crack and craze especially if items are packed tightly in a dishwasher. However, this is not linked to your comments about toxicity.

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