Which plastic bottles are safe to re-use?

Which plastic bottles are safe to re-use?


Canada's ban on plastic baby bottles containing the chemical bisphenol A - the first clampdown of its type - has reawakened the debate on what plastics are safe.

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is used to make polycarbonate plastic, a clear shatter-resistant material, in products ranging from plastic baby and water bottles to sports safety equipment and medical devices.


The jury is still out on how dangerous BPA is. It's in the dock because it mimics estrogen, the female hormone, and may cause neural and behavioural problems in fetuses, infants and children. Given that these plastics can all be replaced by something else, the Canadian government has decided better safe than sorry.

What is not in dispute is that BPA is enterning the human body. In a 2007 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 93% of Americans were found to have BPA in their urine.

The reason is that contrary to what we've often been told, plastic does not last for ever. The chemicals can start leaching out as the plastic gets older and/or is and washed and/or heated repeatedly. Warning signs on bottles include cracks or cloudiness in the plastic.

How safe are your plastic bottles? You can check the plastic in your bottle by looking at the labelling on the bottom. There should be the name of the type of plastic (eg PET) and/or a number.

The two categories which are most dangerous are probably number 3 (Vinyl/PVC: polyvinylchloride) and number 6 (PS: polystyrene) both can leach cancer-causing chemicals.

PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) is number 1. It's fine for one-off use but may leach cancer-causing chemical and endocrine-disruptors as it degrades. Whether these are in dangerous quantities or not is not clear. To be on the safe side, the general advice is not to reuse PET bottles.

Category 7 is miscellaneous and may include bisephonal A. All tin can linings include BPA. But Tetrapak type 'brick' cartons do not.

Safer plastics include: number 2 - HDPE (high-density polyethylene; number 4 - LDPE (low-density polyethylene); and number 5 - PP (polypropylene)

http://www.malehealth.co.uk/environment/19389-which-plastic-bottles-are-safe-re-use
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All plastics, when subjected to heat over extended periods of time can leach into the liquids they contain. By reading the codes imprinted on the plastics, you can, however, winnow the good from the bad. The following tend to be the most stable:

1: PETE (polyethylene teraphthalate)


2: HDPE (high-density polyethylene)


The next few are somewhat stable, but not quite as safe as the top two:

4: LDPE (low-density polyethylene)

5: PP (polypropylene)

The last three should be avoided at all costs:


3: PVC (polyvinyl chloride) - can leach phthalates


6: PS (polystyrene) - can leach styrene, a neuerotoxin


7: This final number consists of both safe and dangerous plastics. It is better overall to avoid plastics bearing this code as they may contain polycarbonate, which will leach bisphenol A into liquids, which is a xeno-estrogen.
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Dear EarthTalk: Are the rumors true that refilling and reusing some types of plastic bottles can cause health problems?


-- Regina Fujan, Lincoln, NE

Most types of plastic bottles are safe to reuse at least a few times if properly washed with hot soapy water. But recent revelations about chemicals in Lexan (plastic #7) bottles are enough to scare even the most committed environmentalists from reusing them (or buying them in the first place).


Chemicals May Contaminate Food and Drinks in Reused Plastic Bottles


Studies have indicated that food and drinks stored in such containers—including those ubiquitous clear Nalgene water bottles hanging from just about every hiker’s backpack—can contain trace amount of Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical that interferes with the body’s natural hormonal messaging system.


Reused Plastic Bottles Can Leach Toxic Chemicals

The same studies found that repeated re-use of such bottles—which get dinged up through normal wear and tear and while being washed—increases the chance that chemicals will leak out of the tiny cracks and crevices that develop over time. According to the Environment California Research & Policy Center, which reviewed 130 studies on the topic, BPA has been linked to breast and uterine cancer, an increased risk of miscarriage, and decreased testosterone levels.


BPA can also wreak havoc on children’s developing systems. (Parents beware: Most baby bottles and sippy cups are made with plastics containing BPA.) Most experts agree that the amount of BPA that could leach into food and drinks through normal handling is probably very small, but there are concerns about the cumulative effect of small doses.


Even Plastic Water and Soda Bottles Should Not Be Reused

Health advocates also recommend not reusing bottles made from plastic #1 (polyethylene terephthalate, also known as PET or PETE), including most disposable water, soda and juice bottles. According to The Green Guide, such bottles may be safe for one-time use, but re-use should be avoided because studies indicate they may leach DEHP—another probable human carcinogen—when they are in less-than-perfect condition.


Millions of Plastic Bottles End Up in Landfills

The good news is that such bottles are easy to recycle; just about every municipal recycling system will take them back. But using them is nonetheless far from environmentally responsible: The nonprofit Berkeley Ecology Center found that the manufacture of plastic #1 uses large amounts of energy and resources and generates toxic emissions and pollutants that contribute to global warming. And even though PET bottles can be recycled, millions find their way into landfills every day in the U.S. alone.


Incinerating Plastic Bottles Releases Toxic Chemicals

Another bad choice for water bottles, reusable or otherwise, is plastic #3 (polyvinyl chloride/PVC), which can leach hormone-disrupting chemicals into the liquids they are storing and will release synthetic carcinogens into the environment when incinerated. Plastic #6 (polystyrene/PS), has been shown to leach styrene, a probable human carcinogen, into food and drinks as well.

Safe Reusable Bottles Do Exist


Safer choices include bottles crafted from safer HDPE (plastic #2), low-density polyethylene (LDPE, AKA plastic #4) or polypropylene (PP, or plastic #5). Aluminum bottles, such as those made by SIGG and sold in many natural food and natural product markets, and stainless steel water bottles are also safe choices and can be reused repeatedly and eventually recycled.

http://environment.about.com/od/healthenvironment/a/plastic_bottles.htm