A Critical Study of the Multiuse Polyethylene Plastic Milk Container System

Abstract

The absorption of 11 of 16 common chemical substances by multiuse polyethylene plastic milk containers was not detected by the required contaminant detection device. The inability of the detector to respond to significant levels of several potentially hazardous chemical substances suggests that this multiuse milk container system may present a public health problem. Milk stored in five of the 11 “detector-accepted” bottles contained either pesticide residues in excess of legal tolerance limits or had objectionable off-flavors. The contaminant detector will detect volatile hydrocarbons and may not respond to absorbed toxic contaminants which may gain entrance to polyethylene milk containers through misuse by the consumer.