Question from Donna
Hi Debra, I’m trying to find a cute toothbrush holder and soap pump for my son’s bathroom, but most of them are made of “resin.” Is resin safe for bathroom accessories? Thank you, Donna
Debra’s Answer
Resin is a substance that begins in a viscous state (a thick, sticky consistency between a solid and a liquid) and then hardens.
There are many natural resins, one of the most familiar being the aromatic sticky stuff that oozes out of Christmas trees. But many other plants produce resins, too, and they have been used by humans for thousands of years to make various everyday products, including varnish, lacquer, inks, perfumes, jewelry and other objects.
Today most resins are are made from petroleum. Resin refers to the type of material, rather than the chemical it is made from, so you can have, for example, polyester resin, acrylic resin, epoxy resins, and the like, each of which have different toxicity.
In general, however, the rule of thumb is hard plastic is safer than soft plastic, so if this is a hard resin, it’s probably pretty safe.
You could call the manufacturer and ask for the type of resin used and their MSDS. Then I could give you a better assessment.
