Hidden Plastics In Everyday Items – 33 Things, That Surprisingly Contain Plastic

Hidden plastic in everyday life? In fact, there are an incredible number of everyday things that contain plastic without us knowing or noticing! And there's probably one or two of them lurking in your home too, if you're not already living completely plastic-free 😉.

Whether household goods or food - in this article I would like to present you with a list of common objects and products that only a few people know are actually contained within. Plastic hidden. Let's go!

For a better overview, I have divided them into the following categories:

1. Household products
2. Foods
3. Cosmetics
4. More products
5. Closing words

Household: In which everyday household items is plastic hidden?

Yes, even in ordinary products from the category Household and life On closer inspection, you will find plastic that many of us would not have expected to find there.

The following articles are very good examples that plastic is also hidden in totally ordinary everyday objects. I have also briefly mentioned why the plastic is part of the product in the first place:

1. Baking paper: To prevent it from sticking to the grid or baking tray.
2. Crayons & Pencils: Thin plastic layer for higher break resistance of the leads.
3. Detergent: Microplastics and so-called water-soluble polymers are often included as opacifiers, thickeners or colorants.
4. Cleaning products: Often contain liquid plastics (cross-polymers). The plastic is designed to grind off stubborn dirt through friction.
5. Cushion: For example, the filling is often made of polyurethane or the zipper of the cushion cover is made of synthetic materials.
6. Glitter: Glitter also contains synthetic polymer particles or often consists of aluminum coated with plastic. (which is why it is also already prohibited)
7. Cigarettes: Cigarettes not only contain harmful substances, unfortunately plastic is also hidden in the filter. (Good to know: Every day, around 10 billion Cigarettes in the environment)
8. Tampons: Both the band and the coating of the tampon itself are made of plastic. It's similar with sanitary towels!
9. Toilet paper: It's not just the packaging that's made of plastic! Often even the toilet paper itself has a small amount of plastic.
10. Textiles: Nowadays we find polyacrylic, polyamide, polyurethane, polyester and many other synthetic materials in ordinary garments.

Food: Which foods contain hidden plastic?

It's not bad enough yetthat we find hidden plastic in everyday things like baking paper or our clothes, no! Plastic is also hidden in many foods. You can see exactly where in the following overview:

11. Chewing gum: That's right, even Many chewing gums contain plastic! The plastic polymers are used to stretch the chewing material.
12. Coffee filter: Plastic is used in many coffee and tea filters to make them more tear-resistant.
13. Beer: The hard-to-pronounce plastic polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) serves as a stabilizing agent during production and ensures that the beer remains clear for as long as possible. Residues have already been detected in beer.
14. Canned food: They are not only made of tinplate or aluminum, but also of plastic. It is hidden in the inner coating of the tin cans so that the metal is not affected.
15. Meat and dairy products: Although not on schedule, plastic has already been detected in meat and dairy products. According to the EU Plastics Regulation, even Up to 60 milligrams of plastic per kilogram of food permitted.
16. TetraPak: Beverage cartons also have a thin plastic coating. It prevents the carton from softening and protects the aluminum from acidic liquids.
17. Glass bottle cap: Unfortunately, the lids of conventional glass bottles also have a plastic coating - even if they often look like ordinary metal.
18. Sausage and cheese paper: The paper packaging at the fresh food counter always has a thin plastic coating that serves to protect the food and keep it fresh.
19. Mineral water: In fact in around 80 percent of the mineral waters tested Microplastic residues detected.
20. Frozen packs: Unfortunately, the cardboard packaging for fish sticks or frozen spinach also contains a layer of plastic. Such composite packaging unfortunately makes Plastics recycling.
21. Table salt: Do you also like using table salt or sea salt? Then you'll be interested to know that in 7 out of 10 of the salts tested by the Federal Environment Agency hidden plastic contaminants were detected.

Tip: You may also be interested in the article about the absolute most superfluous plastic packagingthat have ever been sighted. Many of the examples make you wonder how you could have come up with such ideas in the first place.

Cosmetics: Which care products contain hidden plastic?

That Microplastics in cosmetics is probably already known to you! After all, the topic meanwhile much discussed and is also in the media from time to time.

In the following cosmetic products the small plastics are hidden, for example:

22. Toothpaste: That's right! On the one hand, plastic waste is already produced by the tube, and on the other, many toothpastes unfortunately contain microplastic particles themselves, which serve as cleaning particles, among other things.
23. Lipsticks: Yes, plastic components can also be hidden in lipsticks. The same also applies to eye shadow and powder. In this case, the cheap plastic acts as a kind of binding agent.
24. Mascara: In fact, almost every mascara contains small microplastic components. The poorly degradable polymers are supposed to provide artificial volume.
25. Nail polish: When we talk about hidden plastic in everyday life, nail polish is a must. The plastic makes the polish thicker and more resistant.
26. Peelings: What you feel on your skin in classic scrubs is often microplastic. The plastic acts as an abrasive on the skin.
27. Wet wipes: Moist toilet paper does not tear so quickly because the tissues are not made of cellulose but of a polyester-viscose mix.
28. Sunscreen: Liquid polymers are among the ingredients in many sun creams. The hidden plastic is primarily intended to provide shine and suppleness.
29. Shower gels & shampoos: An incredible number of brands actually stretch their shower care products with cheap Microplastics that then enter the sea via the drains.

Tip: So what can you do to check whether a product contains plastic before you buy it? I recommend you use the CodeCheck Appwith which you simply scan the barcode of a product and immediately receive your answer!

Other objects: What other things hide plastic?

Some things in which you can find hidden plastic, did not fit into any of the categories mentioned so far. That's why I'm presenting them separately here at the end, as they should definitely be part of this list too:

30. Receipt: Receipts are made of thermal paper, which in turn is coated with a layer of plastic. This is why they belong in the residual waste.
31. Adhesive: There are not only plastic adhesives, adhesives also contain plastics themselves. Whether adhesives on adhesive tape, in a tube or in a glue stick - the plastic makes them more stable and more adhesive, among other things.
32. Labels: Apples, bananas and other loose foods are usually covered with small stickers that are either made of plastic or at least have a plastic adhesive.
33. Cartons: Even a cardboard box often only holds together because it has been glued together with plastic glue. In addition, plastic residues from the manufacturing process are usually still detectable.

Tip: The items mentioned contain only small amounts of plastic. The massive problem with the Plastic waste in the environment will be solved elsewhere! You can find out how you can become part of the solution in the Articles for zero waste beginners.

Hidden plastic in everyday life - unfortunately easy to find!

Whether as Binder, Freshness protectionfor a better Liability or simply to do things tearproof to make: As you have no doubt noticed in this article, we unfortunately find plastic in an incredible number of everyday objects these days.

It is eternal. Even if we think we have banished plastic from our lives, he continues to appear in an almost invisible form then somewhere again. Please consider Life without plastic Therefore, we always set ourselves a long-term goal in order to remain motivated in the long term.

The project will certainly take some time until we have achieved it - but the Plastic-free alternatives are already on the rise and will ensure that the plastic in our everyday lives is gradually reduced until we have finally replaced it.

"The world changes by your example, not by your opinion."

Paulo Coelho (more at Zero Waste Quotes)

Do you have any questions, tips or can you think of any other examples of hidden plastic in everyday life? Then please write a comment below this article.

Stay clean,

PS: In my Plastic free blog from CareElite you will get many more tips. Next, take a look at which items are suitable for the Zero Waste Basic Equipment and make your life as plastic-free as possible much easier!