Hefty plastic bags

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. Seen by a doctor or nurse

   Made Nov 22, 2024 · , sent to the company Nov 27, 2024 · , published by CPSC Dec 19, 2024

   The product, in the report: As mentioned this is a widespread impurity in plastic. It is in every trash bag I’ve tested since September, Hefty brand, various grocery store brands, [REDACTED] trash bags, checkout bags from all major chains like [REDACTED] etc and to go plastic bags in restaurants and fast food places. All plastic wrapped food, including water bottles, [REDACTED], chips in general, crackers, literally every food plastic wrapped product widespread or in plastic containers. [REDACTED] bags, [REDACTED], plastic dietary supplement bottles (just discovered that earlier today). I’m starting to look at what type of plastic type is on these products and it seems to be polypropylene (PP abbreviation) and Polyethylene (PE abbreviation) and its various forms like LDPE (low density) and HDPE (high density), and PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) types. So far, Polystyrene ([REDACTED] products) (PS abbreviation) does Not seem to be affected and is fine. For example, those generic plastic lids that are used for most drinks in a cup seem to be fine and are marked as PS - Polystyrene (there fine). But the plastic straws, which are Polypropylene, have been affected and its so ridiculous my tongue and mouth burns when I sip from a straw in the last week or so. It really is insane, but in reality, it is just most likely one impurity that I’m very sensitive and allergic to that has become widespread through the plastic supply chain. A Major contamination of the plastic supply chain. It can’t be good though, even if another person may not notice or be bothered by it. It has turned my life upside down. PS. I uploaded a picture of just [REDACTED] below just as one example of the many many products affected. Got very sick after opening a new bag of [REDACTED] a week ago within minutes of eating them. I was just finishing an old bag of [REDACTED] prior to this, which was totally fine and good like always. Opened a new bag and bam, super sick. I had to throw them out and get them out of the house.

   There is a widespread impurity in plastic wrapped food that is making me very ill. The issue with food started just in the last couple of weeks (11/22/2024 is today). It has something to do with an impurity in the plastic I’ve realized. There is an off putting odor I’m picking up and it is tainting the food. I can smell it and even taste it. Before I go any further, let me describe the situation that was already happening. I didn’t think this would make its way into food.

   See below for what was already happening in quotes:

   “I would like to report a widespread impurity in soft plastics that has occurred in just the last couple of months. Soft plastics meaning, trash bags, checkout bags at stores, plastic used to wrap materials in like on water bottles, [REDACTED] bags etc. Something has changed with all of this and it is making me extremely ill. My skin starts burning to touch these products, I get dizzy, faint, nauseated and feel very very unwell until I get away. I’m still trying to get the effects of it out of my car but still present. I’m not allergic to plastic, used it all my life, trash bags etc. I still have older trash bags, check out bags from like 6 months ago that are perfectly fine and don’t bother me at all. My other family members seem to not be bothered by it but it wrecks havoc on me. I don’t know if anyone else has reported any issues but it has to be some impurity to affect so many plastic products. I assume there is some base ingredient or fundamental ingredient they ALL use that probably comes from overseas that has changed or contains an impurity. It started with trash bags about 2 months ago (Mid september) when I bought a new batch and noticed an off putting chemical odor that triggered a reaction in my body. Other products even checkout bags were fine. But as time progressed it has now made its way to most soft plastics. All I can hope is that this is a Temporary contamination that will clear itself out but it is life changing for me. I can’t use the [REDACTED] water bottles that I love and been using for 15 years. I switched to paper trash bags which suck, I have to avoid bags at checkouts. Even trace amounts start triggering a reaction. I don’t know if anyone else has reported anything unless they are sensitive to it like me but something horrible/impure has tainted soft plastic and really wrecking havoc on my system, and my life, especially because I used tons of plastic for so many things/purposes, as most people do. If food has been covered with it then I get sick while eating the food. It really really sucks and this needs to be addressed. This should never have happened.”

   This was written about two weeks ago. But since then, the issue has made its way into plastic wrapped food. This is huge, this is huge. But unless you are allergic to whatever this is, it may not bother you but this is emergent. But it hurts me so much. It can’t be good whatever it is. It started making its way to food when I bought a new pack of [REDACTED] water bottles a couple weeks ago. I opened the pack up and immediately that bad chemical odor hit me. Then when I tried drinking from a bottle it made me even sicker. Again, very very dizzy, skin starts burning, nauseated, weak, faint, I grunt in agony too, body goes into some kind of hyperactive fight or flight mode, shooting pain up in head and down into legs, short of breath, and become very unwell all around until I get away. A full systemic reaction. I still have old [REDACTED] water bottles that I’m refilling with tap water, which are fine. It progressed from there to a bag of tortilla chips. I was eating an old bag that I had finished up and was fine and once again opened up a new bag I had bought and same reaction. This time I screamed because it is wrecking havoc on me. Then it made its way to a new bag of [REDACTED] as this impurity is spreading further into plastic wrapped foods. At this point I’m losing the ability to eat good food. Having to scour around looking for canned produce because literally everything is plastic wrapped in some way or other. My good water is lost, I’m terrified to eat out in fear their food was prepped from plastic now. And this just all started, my life is completely turned upside down. I never had this problem until just in the last few weeks. I consider this an emergency really. I also reported this to the FDA as a food contamination problem. Doctors just tell me to report to government and agencies as I seem to recover when I get away but I’m concerned about the long-term damage and quality of life this has caused me. Please look into this. I don’t know if anyone else has reported any issues unless they are allergic to what this nasty impurity is in plastic products. The impurity in the plastic needs to be identified and corrected as soon as possible otherwise my life will never be the same.

   Per an article I read about impurities in plastic that could leach onto food it says this:

   “Impurities in plastic can include chemicals and substances that are not part of the plastic’s intended composition. These impurities can be introduced during the manufacturing process or through recycling. Impurities can be hazardous to health and can migrate from plastic products. For example, impurities can cause plastics to have an undesirable odor or taste. They can also be mobilized into water and bioaccumulate. A specialized laboratory can perform analytical techniques to identify impurities in plastics. “

   Like I mentioned, I can definitely taste and smell an off putting odor coming off the food from the plastic. Ingesting it makes me sicker than just smelling it in the environment. It’s really scary how sick I get. I literally cannot eat any foods that are plastic wrapped or come in general plastic bags or plastic wrap just in the last couple weeks. The effects linger in me even after exposure and I can smell the odor coming up from nose later on, still bothering me to an extent. Just in the last week it has gotten to the point I’m feeling ill in most grocery store places and around the food aisles, checkout areas (with checkout bags). I have to go outside and get fresh air. For this to effect so many plastic products there must be some impurity coming from a fundamental or core ingredient used in the manufacturing of the plastic in general that is most likely coming from overseas from some central source and then being distributed out from there to other distributors and perhaps to manufacturers that make the plastic from there. Please help address this. Even if it isn’t bothering someone, it can’t be healthy to ingest it or breath it. I feel like I’m being poisoned, literally. I’m a pharmacist and have a good understanding of science and medicine and this impurity is not safe, considering what it is doing to me. If this doesn’t get corrected, I might have to go on disability just because it is so debilitating to my health and you can’t avoid all plastic from food, plastic products, or the effects in the environment. Even canned foods, many are covered in [REDACTED] on pallets so it truly is a nightmare for me. So this is a more urgent matter. I’m afraid of the long-term damage it could do to my body, as well. Also, forward this to other protection agencies too, if needed and the proper departments to investigate this further. I consider this more of an emergency because of my quality of life now.

   Bought from

   walmart

   Bought

   Nov 9, 2024

   Where

   Gilbert, Arizona: Other

   Who was involved

   Age 41, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   made or sold by Hefty

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Seen by Medical Professional

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources