Is Silicone Better Than Plastic?

Is silicone better than plastic?? The short answer: mostly YES. Think of it as a better plastic. It's not perfect, but it has benefits over most plastic that make it a reasonable choice for some items.

1). Lasts longer - silicone has a high resistance to temperature changes (can be boiled, baked, frozen) with no degradation so you can use each item much longer, and reduce your waste. 

2). Safer - silicone doesn't react to foods or temperatures, so most studies show it doesn't leach into foods and our bodies. Past studies have shown that silicone doesn't break down into microparticles which is important news, however newer studies need to be conducted so that we have the most up to date information.

3). Can be incinerated - when silicone is burned, it doesn't release toxic fumes like plastic.

4). Not biodegradable - which is bad, BUT it also means it doesn't break down into particles that harm ocean life. In that sense, it's much better than plastic.

5). Hygienic - silicone can be sterilized easily, over and over with no degradation.

Silicone is essentially a polymer made of silicon, which is derived from silica (sand, a non-renewable resource) that is heated and processed, unfortunately, with fossil-fuel derived chemicals. It really should be considered a better plastic.