Plastic odor coming from artificial plants or silicone?

[Porrhothele]

I recently built two terrarium backgrounds- one in an 8x8 Exo Terra that is just coco fiber that I used silicone to glue onto the existing background, the other an 8x12 Exo Terra I used the existing background and built it up using Great Stuff and some cork bark. Both terrariums have bio active substrates but no live plants, I used plastic ones.
Both enclosures have an overwhelming plastic odor that I notice when I open them up. The larger enclosure has many more plants in it and the odor is much more noticeable. The wrench in the entire situation is that I noticed after I built the backgrounds that the silicone I used was GE Silicone 2 for windows and doors. Now, I've read probably a hundred forum posts and articles on the subject and quite frankly no one seems to have any proof this is toxic. I contacted the manufacturer and they told it wasn't safe because the animals could ingest it, clearly not an issue with T's.
So my quandary is, could the odor be from the plastic plants and if so, what do I do? Could it be from the silicone? I've let it cure for several days but the odor hasn't really dissipated which makes me think its the plants. Finally, does anyone have proof silicone 2 is toxic? Has someone actually used it long term in an enclosure and lost T's? The MSDS only seems to show that the difference between 1 and 2 is that the chemicals used to cure it are different and it seems to me once cured it should be inert. Both enclosures are empty and I don't need them immediately, I built them in anticipation of two of my T's molting soon.

 

[viper69]

We always recommend food grade silicone. Yours isn't food grade. Odor could be coming from both, who knows. You are the one that can smell them, not us.

Any chemical outgassing or fumes etc, are NOT safe, esp for little animals.

 

[The Snark]

I used was GE Silicone 2 for windows and doors. Now, I've read probably a hundred forum posts and articles on the subject and quite frankly no one seems to have any proof this is toxic. I contacted the manufacturer and they told it wasn't safe because the animals could ingest it, clearly not an issue with T's.

Not safe. Has a mold/mildew inhibitor (toxin). Besides, the odor from silicone is acetic acid which goes away in <3 days after it evaporates or has set. Moisture drastically accelerates it setting.

So my quandary is, could the odor be from the plastic plants and if so, what do I do?

A strong plastic odor, not sharp and tangy like silicone/acetic acid, coming from plastic is commonly a poorly or cheaply made plastic that hasn't been stabilized. It isn't especially toxic but is extremely persistent and noxious, sometimes giving off that odor for several years. An easy test is take a PET plastic bottle and pour a few teaspoons of bleach in it. Shake well and leave it stand overnight then empty, rinse and sniff. The chlorine attacks the plastic and the typical plastic odor will be obvious. Compare that odor to what you smell in the terrariums. Can you do anything about it? No.