I love it when my hobbies collide.
this post was submitted on 28 Aug 2025
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Is this PLA or ABS? Not to be 'that guy' ^TM^ but I would be worried about microplastics and leaching if you are eating that lettuce!
Idk about ABS, but PLA definitely leeches unhealthy chemicals and will break down into microplastics in soil. It doesnt decompose.
Yup and the constant UV/moisture exposure will expedite the process, that's why I was asking!
It's PLA. I honestly hadn't considered the microplastics when using this material as a growing container. Though I do know not to use it to make cups and bowls and stuff that you eat out of.
I think my printer can print ABS, although I've never tried. Would that material be safer to grow in?
Certified food-grade PETG + food safe resin seal is the best from what I have read (I researched a bunch as I am building a greenhouse)
Thank you for the knowledge! It looks like foodgrade petg is 3 times the price and I don't plan on changing nozzles and stuff to keep everything kosher anyway. So I reckon I'll use regular petg and hit it with Shellac for the redux. Unless you have a food safe resin seal to recommend based off your research?
Thanks again!
Hobby woodworker here. Shellac is great for an initial seal, but isn't waterproof. I suggest using a two part epoxy instead. You don't need a very thick coat, so you could even use a crack filler and/or self leveling variety.
Many 2k epoxies aren't food safe, hence the recommendation of food-safe resin as a sealer.
No problem - yeah that will probably be just fine, at non-commercial scale the seal will probably never get worn off and if you did ever notice spotting you can just reseal.
Nope not yet! Still in the structural phase here so when I get to printing I will share for sure.
Your greenhouse design looks very cool! Consider me subscribed! Looking forward to seeing your progress.
Thanks I will share!
You two get a star for pleasant internet conversation
I just looked for a study I remembered. One has to be careful as the study is commissioned, not peer-reviewed and they clearly have an agenda with this. However there is a compelling case that PLA will break down without leaving microplastics over time. Ingestion might still not be better than PETG or ABS, but that's not really clear to me. In the long run PLA seems to be the lest bad though.
https://hollandbioplastics.nl/actueel/new-meta-study-highlights-that-hydrolysis-prevents-the-formation-of-persistent-pla-microplastics-in-the-environment/?hl=de-DE
Interesting, thanks for sharing - taking this with a grain as you mentioned though.