As more people become aware of the effect of plastic on our health and our planet, the demand for silicone kitchen and home products is rapidly increasing. 

But is silicone really better for you than the plastic alternative? The short answer is, YES! That is - the  right silicone. 

Whether you are looking for a sustainable way to save leftovers, line your baking trays, or carry lunches to work and school, you'll need to know the benefits of silicone vs plastic.  

So, what is silicone, and how does it differ from plastic? Read along to discover the top 5 differences between plastic and silicone. 

Top 5 differences between plastic and silicone

1. How it is made

Silicone is a human-engineered material created by heating silica (naturally found in the earth's crust). With the help of oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen, the silica forms a malleable substance that performs incredibly well in diverse temperatures.

While the process of creating silicone is  obviously much more scientific than this simple explanation, the result is a cost-effective product free from BPA, phthalates, and petroleum.

What about plastic? 98% of plastic is made from chemicals sourced from fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are a broad term for non-renewable energy, such as coal, gas, and oil. Did you know plastic is made from the same material we fuel our cars with? It just goes through a different refining process. Gross.

2. Temperature resistant

You often see me freeze my silicone food pouches and use my silicone baking mats in the oven. Here is why that is safe to do.

Put your science hat on for 2 seconds (or skip this section hahaha). Silicone is made of silicon and oxygen atoms. These bonds are incredibly strong due to the high electronegativity of oxygen. This strong structure makes it highly resistant to breaking down under heat. So you will see that most good quality silicone is great to freeze and can stand up to 220 degrees.

What about plastic? Well, most plastics rely on carbon-carbon bonds. These bonds are weaker than siloxane bonds, making them more susceptible to breaking down when exposed to high temperatures. This breakdown can lead to melting, warping, and releasing harmful chemicals (including BPA, BPA- alternatives and phthalates).

If there are only two learnings from this blog let it be this: 

1. Please never, ever microwave plastic. Pretty please. You can learn more about this here.
2. Please swap your plastic baby bottles for glass or silicone baby bottles. You can learn more about his here 

So our LFGB premium silicone pouches can go in the fridge, freezer, microwave, and oven (up to 220 degrees), depending on your storage and reheating needs! We’d like to see a plastic container do that! More about that LFGB certification below 🌱

3. Long-Lasting

Both silicone and plastic are long-lasting (Tupperware containers, anyone?). However, because silicone can withstand cold and heat much better than plastic, silicone wins the race saving you money and keeping rubbish out of our landfills.

4. Better for the Planet

One of the main issues with plastic is that it fragments into smaller pieces until it cannot be seen with the naked eye, also called micro or nano plastics.

Sunlight and friction are some of the leading causes of plastic deterioration. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun weakens the plastic's molecular bonds, making it brittle. Additionally, friction from activities such as washing clothes and scrubbing plastic containers can release tiny plastic particles into the environment.

Ever heard of micro-silicone? Me neither!

5. End of life

Every manufacturer who packages their product in plastic heavily promotes recycling. But don’t be fooled - only 13% of plastic in Australia is truly recycled. That means that almost 90% of the plastic you pop in your recycling bin ends up in landfills - not great.

What about silicone? While your silicone products will last much longer than any plastic alternative, they can’t go in your kerbside recycling bin when it comes time to let them go. Instead, you can send your old and retired silicone products back to Go For Zero to be recycled with TerraCycle. 

TerraCycle is a company that collects hard-to-recycle goods and turns them back into usable products. Every time you send us your Go For Zero silicone, you receive loyalty points for helping us recycle 100% of our silicone correctly. Learn more here.

Not All Silicone is Created Equal … The Difference between FDA vs LFGB silicone

Before you go out and fill your cupboards with silicone products, it’s important to recognise that not every silicone is made equally. 

During the manufacturing process, chemicals can be added to modify the silica and produce different and cheaper products. While food-grade silicone is generally the safest, there are two different systems used to ensure this: 

1. FDA, standing for Food & Drug Administration, is used in Australia and USA. This system has a specific set of safety standards that products must pass in regards to food contamination and health problems. 
2. The other system is called LFGB and represents Foods, Consumer Goods and Feedstuffs Code. This code is required for products sold in Germany and France. This testing is the most strict and difficult to pass. As a result, these products are considered the best quality and are often more expensive. 

Here at Go For Zero, we take pride in our Go For Zero branded silicone products as they are all LFGB certified. We take your health and our planet seriously and want to ensure you only have the best of the best for your family. 

The Silicone Solution

When it comes to the silicone vs. plastic debate, there’s simply no competition. This is why we say no to plastic and yes to silicone, glass, and aluminium at Go For Zero.

Want to upgrade your kitchen and home goods and start your sustainable silicone collection? Check out our premium certified silicone products here and ditch plastics for good. 

 With love,

Ellie x