New lawsuit claims Ziploc brand products misleading, increases risk of exposure to microplastics

A new lawsuit was filed against S.C. Johnson claiming Ziploc brand products are misleading. According to the lawsuit, the use of “microwave safe” and “freezer safe” Ziploc plastic bags increases the risk of exposure to microplastics.

Made from polyethylene and polypropylene, research shows that these materials release microplastics when microwaved and frozen “making them fundamentally unfit for microwave and freezer use.”

“Defendant affirmatively markets its Ziploc bags and containers (the ‘Products’) as ‘Microwave Safe’ and suitable for ‘Freezer’ use, creating the reasonable impression that they are fit for use in the microwave and freezer,” lawsuit documents said. “In reality, these Products are made from polyethylene and polypropylene—materials that scientific and medical evidence shows release microplastics when microwaved and frozen—making them fundamentally unfit for microwave and freezer use. Relying on Defendant’s false misrepresentations, individuals have unwittingly exposed themselves and their families to undisclosed microplastics during routine kitchen practices.”

According to a CNET report, “exposing polyethylene and polypropylene to extreme temperatures, such as heat from a microwave or the cold of a freezer, causes the surface of these materials to begin breaking down and shedding microscopic pieces,” EcoWatch reported. But Ziploc products do not address this safety issue on any of its packaging, the lawsuit claims.

“Given that Defendant markets the Products as reusable, it is foreseeable that the Products may undergo multiple freeze-thaw and reheat cycles,” the lawsuit said.

Several scientific studies have linked microplastic accumulation in human brains causing several respiratory, digestive and reproductive risks and have found microplastics in human placentas lead to premature births.

“By promoting the Products as affirmatively safe while concealing these material risks, Defendant has duped consumers nationwide out of millions of dollars, placing their health and welfare in jeopardy,” the lawsuit said. “Sadly, this also includes millions of families specifically targeted for purportedly safe on-the-go school and work meals, and vulnerable children for whom ingesting microplastics is especially dangerous.”