Is Re-using Plastic Bottles Dangerous?

[MaiDong]

I was moaning to my partner about her throwing away my plastic Singh water bottle(it saves me going downstairs to the fridge every time I want a sip) as I've always been taught to re-use as much as possible and she told me that it's dangerous to re-use more than a couple of times, I laughed because we've been re-using for years back in the UK - ever since I can remember actually, mostly because of my family's awareness of the importance of recycling/re-using.

I thought I'd check on Google this morning and I found that she's not wrong!

I found one article saying don't re-use because of the dangers but another 'green' website said 'RE-USE ALWAYS!'

one article that said don't re-use said something about a plastic compound/plastic #7 which I strongly suspect is similar to the bottle I drink out of...

My concern is that some of us try to do our best for the environment(futile perhaps), whereas businesses still don't really care as long as their profits stay as high as possible.

I don't know why I posted here, perhaps someone here re-uses and doesn't know the apparent dangers - whether they're true or false

I suppose I'll be binning more plastic bottles from now on, just as the government is trying to cut down on the use of plastics in the country...

[cobra]

A chemical variant of formaldehyde (added as a stabilizer) continually diffuses from plastic (polymers), albeit in ppm,

Most studies say it's a non-issue,

Products like ArmorAll replace whats been lost thru diffusion returning pliability and shine, etc.

Edited May 21, 2009 by cobra

[phaethon]

Bought 4 x 5 litre bottles of water from Tesco (5 baht/litre) when I first moved into the flat and refill them once a week at the machine downstairs at about 80 satangs/litre.

Haven't dropped dead yet.

I also drank bottled water in London for about 10 years after the tap water became undrinkable.

[aussiebebe]

For years and years, scientists have been warning anyone who will listen about a correlation between plastic food packaging and declining male fertility rates. However, the main danger of reusing single-use plastic bottles (ie water bottles) is hygiene - they are difficult to clean and santitise therefore bateria can accumulate on the inside and cause health problems.

Having said this, I refill all the time and think nothing of it. Any narrow-necked bottle will be hard to clean, so choose something like a Gatorade bottle which you can wash inside easily.

[mark5335]

I read recently that the health risk of drinking from re-filled plastic water bottles increases if the water bottle is left in a hot area for a prolonged period such as in the car, or next to a window.

[krading]

A rumour started by bottled water companies because they were losing business to the water filter manufactures.

[jetjock]

Interesting question which I have been trying to find the answer for a long time. Through the past years, I have spent quite a few hours reading the many studies and so called scientific opinions on the subject but the fact is that for every study or opinion there are just as many contradicting ones. The studies and opinions usually deal with everything from the type of plastic used to the effects from reuse, heating, microwaving, and freezing of plastic bottles and containers. From my extensive research in trying to find an answer, I have come to the conclusion I do not have a clue to the answer to that question since there is absolutely no solid consensus on the safety of the above effects on plastic. I personally try to carry my water around with me in a stainless steel water bottle but it is probably only a matter of time until some researcher comes out with a study that SS is also unsafe!

[PoorSucker]

To be on the safe side, DRINK BEER!

[Steve2UK]

I agree with the point raised by mark5335 - don't leave the plastic bottles in a hot or sunlit area........ they're more likely to degrade more quickly. I get my drinking water in 20-litre bottles from a local supplier and decant into a Nestle 5-litre bottle for use in the kitchen - the same bottle I've had for nearly two years now. If you're really bothered by potential risk (more from build-up of organisms in the dregs than from plastic contamination, I'd say), you could give the bottle a rinse with baby-bottle steriliser liquid every once in a while. That said, I've never bothered and still live to tell the tale...........

[Phuket_Brad]

more info:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/plasticbottles.asp

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cookplastic.asp

[wernerfreitag]

As a polymer chemist I cannot see anything coming from the plastic that could harm you.

It is always a good advice to keep extreme heat and sunlight away , but degratation is very slow. Dioxine by freezing is absolute nonsense.

A more important point for me is cleaning the bottle. After several times of refilling and trinking out of it the bottle could get in contact with bacteria from the water and from your mouth.

I would reuse the bottles a few times if you like but not to long without thorough cleaning.

Regards

Werner