PVC free flips.

I like Saflip ( Amazon ) currently @ 30 cents each in a box of 50. I find that they can be heat sealed which removes the concern when sending to an unknown buyer. If they are opened, no return. Saflips also has in print that their product contain no PVC nor oil . Jim

 

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As far as I've seen. The ability of being able to heat seal goes hand in hand with off gassing, but I think only at high temperatures. ??

 

To work with a heat sealer, one must try the sealer on the plastic material ( without a coin or maybe pocket change) , as you want to melt the plastic and since the heating wire is outside the bag, there should be no volatile particles inside and one can usually see such small droplets. If you use a PVC plastic, expect chlorine as possible, but that isn't the case with Polyethylene or polypropylene as there is no chlorine in the plastic.
IMO, Jim

 

it's probably best advice to not keep your collection is places like garages, attics or vehicles to avoid this problem 90% of the time, but as for soft plastic, I have become very skeptical for the storage of precious materials including food.

 

OK, to do the Beilstein test, you can use a disposable cigarette lighter or pretty much any source of flame (I've used the lighter, but never tried a candle, though I bet it would work). If you don't want to sacrifice the flip, cut a small sliver from an edge. Use a copper wire with enough diameter that you don't melt it in the flame. Heat the copper wire up hot and touch it to the plastic. Return it to the flame and look for green when it burns. The green indicates copper chloride formed from the copper in the wire and the chlorine in the PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride). If there is no chlorine, it won't turn green. PET is the preferred material for flips, and is the film that is found on any of the fold-over cardboard 2x2's I have ever seen. PET contains no chlorine. PM me if you want to know any more.

 

Thanks KY!

 

Thanks KY!

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