Is Silicone A Safe Alternative to Plastic?

UPDATED 8/2020

Bright colors, easy to clean, unbreakable, fun prints- it is easy to see why silicone products have taken over the kids and baby market.

The benefits are many but the question in many parent’s minds is the same: is silicone safe for my child?

The answer is yes, but there is a “ but”

First of all- what is silicone?

Silicone, not to be confused with silicon ( a naturally occurring substance and the second most abundant element on Earth after oxygen) is a man made polymer created by adding carbon and/or oxygen to silicon.

TheFDA has approved food grade silicone as safe - meaning it will not react with other materials or release hazardous compounds when heated.

It is considered a “ food-safe substance”which is why it can now be found in numerous baby bottle nipples, plates, sippycups, baking dishes, kitchen utensils, mats and even toys.

Unfortunately, in the past, government agencies have been known to allow chemicals that leach into everyday use products.

My rule of thumb is to play it safe and minimize chemicals that have the potential to leach until there is clear evidence they do not.

It is the precautionary principal: basically I do not want my family, and especially my kids, to be guinea pigs while companies test out the safety of their products on us  (ie- BPA was allowed in baby feeding products for years until the government realized it is an endocrine disrupting chemical that affects the hormones of small children.... and even now it is still allowed in toys and other items marketed towards kids) 

Another factor that is important to consider is the

purity of the silicone:

not all silicone is created equal.

Some less expensive silicone products can contain fillers . Pay attention to the grade- the purest is medical grade, followed by platinum grade and then food grade and finally no grade at all. If choosing platinum or food grade ( especially if brightly colored) confirm it is tested and free of lead, and fillers.

Finally, it is important to confirm the silicone, especially brightly colored silicone, has undergone lead testing, since the colorants could be a source of lead.

Most children’s product will specify they are BPA and lead free; if they do not ask the manufacturer.

One more thing to consider: the Environment

The idea behind silicone being eco friendly is that you can reuse it ... however silicone will not biodegrade so while better than plastic from a chemical perspective, environmentally there are better options.

Bottom line?

Here is when we consider it safe, or not, to use silicone products.

  1. Cooking/ Baking:BEST TO MINIMIZE or AVOID

Even though the FDA says it is safe to use silicone under high heat, there are some studies (like this one) that question how stable silicone is when exposed to extreme heat. These studies have found that small amounts of certain compounds called siloxanes can leach from silicone when it is exposed to both fat and temperatures over 350 F.

While the amount of siloxanes leaching is very small, these compounds have been linked to reproductive impairment, liver changes, and some may be endocrine disrupting.

If you bake once or twice a year - like I do- it is OK to continue to use silicone products, however if you are an avid baker it is best to avoid baking in silicone every day at very high temperatures.

2. MEALTIME AND DRINKS

The good news is that absolutely no siloxanes have been found to leach from silicone products that are not exposed to very high heat and fat, like baby nipples (here is a really in depth study on that) . Thus it is safe to use food grade silicone for place mats, drinks, and meals served to kids.

Used in this capacity it is a safe and convenient alternative to plastic.

Thanks to its flexibility, light weight, easy cleaning and hygienic and hypoallergenic properties (it has no open pores to harbor bacteria), it is especially convenient for snack containers, bibs, mats and protective sleeves.

PLAY

Once again, as an alternative to plastic silicone toys and teether can be an alternative.

I still prefer -hands down- natural materials like wood and 100% natural rubber especially for teethers and pacifiers.

As with everything mix things up at home- don’t rely only on silicone!

Other safe materials include:

⁃ pacifiers: natural latex

  • Hevea : avoid if your baby has a latex allergy

  • Natursutten - Naturesutten says it eliminates the protein that provokes latex allergies and is thus safe for all

⁃ Baby bottles: glass and stainless steel (the nipple is still silicone)

Some Silicone Products I do use at home:

Bam Bam Boom Silicone Placemats 

ezpz Happy Mat - One-piece silicone placemat + plate (Blue)

Stasher Reusable Silicone Food Bag, Sandwich Bag, Sous vide Bag, Storage Bag, Aqua

Please note these are Amazon Affiliate links. 

I may make a small commission on the sale of an item if you purchase through one of these links. The price of the item is the same for you whether it is an affiliate link or not, and using affiliate links helps me to maintain this website and support my family.

kitchen, buying guide, babyAida Garcia-Toledosilicone, bpa, plastic, newborn, toddler8 Comments