Dear Betty: Reader Question 4/12/2019 Vintage Tupperware

Hey Betty,

I'd like to know what vintage Tupperware is made of.  Can you find out?

Thanks,

Mary

Dear Mary,

Good question.  I first turned to Wikipedia for an answer but did not find what I was looking for.  I did learn that Tupperware was first created in the late 1930s, by Earl Tupper, and hit the market in 1946.

I looked at the Tupperware website and found information that Tupperware stopped using Bisphenol A, or BPA in 2010.  Nice to know, but also not the answer.

I spent plenty of time reading about Tupperware and other plastic online but could still not find even a hint as to what type of plastic Tupperware, current or vintage, is made of.

I went back to the Tupperware website and decided to "chat with a representative."  I figured I had some pretty straightforward questions and that should be an easy answer.  Nope.  Poor Zeke got stuck with me.  I started out by asking what kind of plastic new Tupperware is made from.  Simple question right?  Wrong.  I wish the chat window had time stamps for each entry because it took poor Zeke an awkwardly long time to respond at all and when he did, it was just to say he was still working on my request.  About 15 minutes or so later Zeke finally came through with the answer for me.  Most Tupperware is currently made from polystyrene.  Polystyrene is resin code number 6 and is generally considered a less safe plastic and a plastic that is very difficult to recycle.  Plastic 3,6, and 7 are considered to be the worst three plastics.  I asked if their products contain BPS and was told that "it's not on the list."  What many people don't realize is that even though BPA was pulled from the market, it has been replaced with BPS, both are Bisphenol with the same alarming issues.  Some studies are suggesting that BPS, BPA's replacement, may be worse than BPA. 

I decided to be specific in my question about what type of plastic vintage Tupperware is made from.  I said I have a Fresh N Fancy cake carrier and wanted to know what that was made out of.  Most people are familiar with this gold and white cake carrier from the mid to late 1970s.  The Fresh N Fancy cake carrier is polypropylene.  I would venture a guess that most, if not all, of Tupperware produced prior to 2010 contains BPA, so vintage Tupperware is probably dripping in endocrine disrupting toxic waste.

I hope that answers your question and thanks again for the question!

-Betty 

The chat with Zeke.

The Fresh N Fancy cake carrier.

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