Question by Stacey

The main problem that we have found with plastic plates and bowls is that if they are painted, the paint may contain lead. That's especially true for plates made in China. So the best choice might be to pick unpainted plates or bowls, or avoid ones made in China. In general, polycarbonate plastic (the kind that contains the endocrine disrupting chemical bisphenol A) is clear, so if you’re in doubt and there's no recycling symbol #7 to clue you in, then it's safest to avoid the clear plastic bowls. That pretty much leaves you with opaque, unpainted plastic tableware.  
 
Another option is to look for unlined stainless steel plates and bowls rather than plastic. Camping stores often have a good selection of stainless steel dishware. Wooden plates and bowls are another good choice, though if they are imported and coated with a hard glossy finish it might be a safest to swab them to make sure there's no lead in the finish.  
 
Plastic ware is sometimes labeled with a recycling logo and a number. In general, HDPE plastic, identified by the number 2 on the bottom of the cup or dish, or polypropylene, number 5, are the best and are recyclable. Melamine is a nitrogen-containing chemical that is used as a fire retardant and when combined with formaldehyde forms a resin. 
 
No matter what type of plastic you choose, bacteria can grow in scratches and cracks so be sure to recycle or throw out bowls once they start to look worn.

Is melamine safe to eat off of?

Melamine won't release BPA. It's a totally different kind of 'plastic'. Melamine is a nitrogen-containing chemical that is used as a fire retardant and when combined with formaldehyde forms a resin. Melamine products are not known to release formaldehyde gases. Like other plastics, bacteria can grow in scratches and cracks and dishes should be thrown out when they show signs of wear. You'll have to toss it in the trash, you can't recycle melamine.

Dr. Gina, 
 
Melamine is recyclable. At least, food safe melamine is recyclable as it is made primarily from organic materials.  
 
Food safe melamine is made from 40-60% wood flour, which is 100% waste by product from the paper mills. 
Melamine components can currently be 100% recycled and used as sandblasting substrate. 
 
I hope this information is helpful. The government keeps watch on envoirnmentally friendly and green items, and this actually falls in that arena. 
By all means, encourage your readers to recycle these items, and not just toss them in the trash bin!

On the melamine topic, i have some melamine plastic plates that do have the #7 recycle symbol. Why would they say melamine AND #7?

The numbers on plastics are intended to aid recycling by identifying the type of plastic. A number 7 means “other” and identifies it as a plastic, like polycarbonate, that usually can’t be recycled. Most, but not all, plastic labeled with a 7 is polycarbonate (which leaches BPA) but it does include other plastics, like melamine or even new bio-based plastics. Unfortunately, there’s not an easy way for consumers to know what type of plastic they have when it’s marked with a 7. Check the packaging, the company website and even try emailing the company if you want to know whether a plastic marked 7 is polycarbonate. For more on plastics, you may want to check out this info on plastics and BPA.

After reading these comments, it is still not clear whether melamine dishware is safe or questionable. I understand that melamine dishes should not be microwaved, but what about high heat in the dishwasher? We have a "sanitize" function on our dishwasher which uses high heat. Is this kind of heat in the dishwasher similar to microwaving? I guess my final question is whether melamine dishes are even questionabe? If they are still questionable, I will not use them.

Where can you recyle melamine?