Food - Drink
Is It Dangerous To Microwave A Paper Plate?
By AUTUMN SWIERS
Paper plates may not be the most environmentally-sustainable option, but their convenience is undeniable. However, the ease of this dining shortcut ends when it comes time to heat up your food; think twice before popping your paper plate in the microwave, so you can avoid risking your safety.
Paper plates are made from compressed paper with one side coated with wax, but plates with a visible sheen may be coated in plastic, and should not be microwaved. The same goes for plates with pretty designs; the USDA warns that the ink can transfer to your microwave and damage it.
You can buy microwave-safe paper plates, but this is not a safety guarantee. When YouTuber Hunting Waterfalls microwaved a paper plate for five minutes, it caught on fire, so even after you check for a "microwave safe" label on your plate, keep your microwave intervals to one minute or less.