POISONING FROM RE-USE OF PLASTIC BOTTLES

You might have come across a same or similar scare that reusing of plastic water bottles (sometimes the email mentions only water bottles left in car), can cause cancer or any of the dreaded diseases. Some even mentions that the number given at the bottom of the bottle is number a bottle can be used safely, really? See what the experts say about it.

Quoted excerpts from emails:

“Some of you may be in the habit of using and re-using your disposable water bottles, keeping them in your car or at work.

Not a good idea. In a nutshell, the plastic (called polyethylene terephthalate or PET) used in these bottles contains a potentially carcinogenic element (something called diethylhydroxylamine or DEHA). The bottles are safe for one use only; if you must keep them longer, it should be or no more than a few days, a week max, and keep them away from heat as well.

Repeated washing and rinsing can cause the plastic to break down and the carcinogens can leach into the water that YOU are drinking.

Better to invest in water bottles that are really meant for multiple uses.”

Clarifications:

This one has roots in media coverage of one person's unsupported hypothesis. The idea that reusing plastic bottles can cause compounds in the plastic to break down into carcinogenic substances comes from a 2001 Master's Thesis by a student at the University of Idaho. Despite the fact that the thesis was not subject to peer review and, thus, lacking any degree of scientific authority, several media outlets picked up on it and ran the typical "what-you-don't-know-can-kill-you" stories.

Most convenience-sized plastic water bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a lightweight, shatter resistant and well-tested material. Based on the results of its extensive review, FDA allows the use of PET in both single-use and repeated-use food and beverage packaging. In fact, refillable bottles made with the same PET resin as single-use bottles are frequently reused in a number of other countries.

Contrary to this hoax, PET bottles are not made with DEHA, an FDA-permitted additive used with some types of plastics to impart flexibility and other desirable qualities.

It is true that many organizations and bottled water companies recommend against reusing their packaging, but the rationale is far less life-threatening. Rather, they caution that most bottles are not sufficiently cleaned and dried before refilling to prevent possible bacterial contamination.

Every plastic bottle has a number (generally within a triangle) written at the bottom, ranging from one to seven. The number registered has nothing to do with the number of times plastic has been recycled. It’s just the type of plastic which is used for that particular bottle. 5 is polypropylene and 1 is PET that is polyethylene terephthalate etc etc. The numbers below is useful while sorting the collected bottles while recycling. In other words it is plastic identification number.

1 – PET, polyethylene terephthalate
2 – HDPE, high-density polyethylene
3 – PVC, polyvinyl chloride
4 – LDPE, low-density polyethylene
5 – PP, polypropylene
6 – PS/PS-E, polystyrene / expanded polystyrene
7 – OTHER, resins or multi-materials

Tip: When you choose to reuse a plastic water bottle, don’t forget to clean it just as you would any drinking container. Be sure to wash with hot soapy water and dry thoroughly between each use. The concern is that bacteria can thrive in warm, moist environments, and once opened, bacteria can grow in virtually any beverage container under the right conditions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuse_of_water_bottles