I'm no chemist but my understanding is that ethylene glycol can form glycolic acid when it breaks down. Glycolic acid is corrosive to metals and sodium hydroxide is there to neutralize it. It's a "corrosion inhibitor", a layman definition of a "pH buffer"

Also, the "plastic" is glass reinforced nylon which I also understand has excellent chemical resistance, including all of the above chemicals.

I don't think there's any conspiracy, but who knows... That's why they are called "conspiracies"...

__________________