I want to try making pickled tomatoes and cucumbers, but I don't have enough glass jars. I saw some airtight plastic containers in the store - would those work for canning? Won't they release something harmful when they come into contact with vinegar and brine?
I wouldn't recommend plastic for preserving. Vinegar and salt destroy plastic, and it can release harmful substances. Plus plastic doesn't maintain a good seal for long - your preserves spoil faster. Glass jars are really the best option, and if you don't have enough - ask your neighbors or friends, they usually share them in July-August.
I once tried preserving vegetables in plastic - tomatoes in marinade lasted about a month and a half, then started going bad, while in glass jars they keep fine until winter. It's not just that vinegar and salt actually soften plastic and can cause harmful substances to leach out, though that's real. The main thing is that plastic lids and walls lose their seal over time: microcracks form, air seeps in, and your preserves start to oxidize and get moldy.
If you really don't have enough glass jars, I'd suggest looking for used ones - a lot of people give them away for free or cheap. Or buy containers not for long-term storage, but for short-term use (a couple weeks in the fridge). For serious preserving over months - only glass with metal lids. The extra money you spend on jars will pay for itself when your harvest doesn't spoil.
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