A mother was about to give her little daughter a drink from a cup given to her when something stopped her in her tracks and she said News week how her discovery made her think seriously about her family’s use of plastic.

Veronica from Canada didn’t hesitate to make her four-year-old something to drink from the new pink unicorn and rainbow themed mug.

However, a message written at the bottom of the cup and translated into French made him think. It said: “Decorative use only, not suitable for food or drink. »

Veronica, who chose not to provide her full name, said News week: “I only noticed it when I was cleaning it before using it for the first time.”

The warning left her perplexed at first. “My first thought was, ‘why even make a cup if you can’t drink from it?’” she said. “I guess my daughter could use it for pretend? But why would she when she can use a real cup instead?”

Ultimately, she’s glad she spotted the warning then.

“I wash things before using them, so luckily I haven’t given them to my daughter yet. I have no idea how dangerous that could be,” she said. “But my daughter is only 4, so I’m glad I didn’t let her drink from it!”

Plastic cups and containers are used by millions of people every day for carrying and holding a variety of foods and drinks.

However, studies have highlighted the potential danger the chemicals present in these plastics could harm our health.

According to Harvard Medical School, tests have shown that some of the substances used in the manufacture of these plastic products have, under certain conditions, the potential to “leach” or “migrate” into the foods and drinks they contain. .

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for regulating plastic packaging and has established a set of regulations preventing manufacturers from using plastics that may release harmful levels of chemicals into the food and drinks they contain.

In Canada, the Food Directorate’s Office of Chemical Safety and Health Canada have published a list of 13 polymers acceptable for use in food packaging applications.

Vineet Dubey is an environmental litigator and co-founding partner of Custodio & Dubey LLP. He has filed lawsuits against a wide variety of companies accused of endangering the health and well-being of his customers by selling products containing toxic chemicals.

When News week shared photos of the warning that Veronica found with Dubey, he agreed that the warning was “absolutely source of worryHe said the cut was likely due to one of two issues, or potentially both.

“In general, this warning indicates that a product is not “food grade” and may leach chemicals into food or drinks, especially if they are hot. The warning may also appear on containers having seams that can trap food particles and make them difficult to clean, making them unsanitary,” he said. News week.

Dubey was keen to point out that these types of warnings aren’t just limited to plastics. “Some glazes used in making ceramics can contain lead, so you’ll often see the same warning on ceramics because they can leach the toxic metal into food, which is particularly harmful to children. It’s there to that no one accidentally uses a flower as a drinking glass, for example,” he said.

Dubey urged Veronica to “get rid of the mug.” He said: “There are millions of plastic cups that do not have this warning, and they are cheap and plentiful,” he said. “In such circumstances, why take the chance?

Veronica doesn’t know who made the cup. “It was a gift and I didn’t ask for it, so I have no idea where it came from,” she said. “It was probably in a unicorn-themed display case with a mix of random items and the person who bought it from us saw the cute designs and didn’t check the bottom of the cup.”

She doesn’t plan to throw it away yet, but the warning has made her think more closely about her family’s use of plastic.

“I kept the cup. I might throw away the lid and straw and use the part of the cup for pencils or hairbrushes in my daughter’s room,” she said. “I never really thought much about plastic toys and other things, but it got me thinking about where the things my kids eat come from, what they put in their mouths, etc. and to the toxic substances they may contain.”