Why is reusing water bottles dangerous

PET does contain antimony oxide, which is used as a catalyst. But the amounts are well below the established safe limits for food and water set by the World Health Organisation.

Simply put, PET plastic bottles are single-use or disposable bottles and should be recycled after use. Reusing them can cause chemicals to leach from the plastic into the beverage or fresh water that you have put into the bottle, especially if the bottle is scratched or exposed to high temperatures leaving it in the car in the middle of summer, for example.

Some of these chemicals have been associated with health effects. PET bottles may contain chemicals, called non-intentionally added substances, which may get added due to the manufacturing process, which can leach into the water. It is important to remember that we are exposed to multiple chemical mixtures daily and therefore we have mixture effects.

This means that even though these individual chemicals are present in low amounts that should not cause effects, collectively they may exert an effect, which results in an adverse health effect. It is better to be plastic-wise, make sure you know your numbers [recycling codes - see image above] and read the labels and make sure the bottle is BPA free or invest in a stainless steel or glass bottle. They are not "single-use" bottles, are not trash and are safe to use.

There has been a lot of confusion about what is in our plastic containers since concerns were raised about the safety of polycarbonate products containing BPA. BPA is not used in the production of PET material, nor is it used as a chemical building block for any of the materials used in the manufacture of PET.

PET bottles are safe for use and reuse so long as they are washed properly with detergent and a little water to remove bacteria, as you would any other container. Editor's note: a previous version of this story included an example of the amount of antimony oxide that can safely be consumed. Looks like I will be refilling water bottles for longer than a week. The FDA does note that reusing plastic water bottles without washing them could possibly harbor some bacteria.

Plastics are by nature a sanitary material, but the FDA recommends that you wash the bottle out with hot soapy water between uses.

Sounds easy enough. The verdict? The myth has been busted, but do keep in mind that new and existing research is constantly under review. For now, go ahead and use that bottle for the tenth day in a row. Coffee Tea Perfect for when you're If ingested, it can cause vomiting and diarrhea, but it's not considered a carcinogen.

The US Environmental Protection Agency has set the maximum concentration for antimony in drinking water at 6 parts per billion ppb. The researchers found the water in the plastic bottles had only 0.

They also tested the local tap water for comparison and found antimony levels of 0. The study can't say how much antimony might leach into the water after more than three months, but the results suggest that — with reasonable water bottle use — the levels in your water will remain well within what's considered safe. There have been reports of DEHA, a possible carcinogen , leaching into bottled water, too, but the Natural Resources Defense Council says this is an "urban legend.

Bacterial growth, however, is a problem if you're reusing a plastic a water bottle again and again. The PET Resin Association, a plastics industry group, recommends washing water bottles after each use with soap and hot water , and thoroughly drying them, to get rid of the bacteria.

They say consumers shouldn't reuse bottles if they have scratches inside, since bacteria can get stuck in there. I haven't been washing that gym water bottle, and I doubt I'll go through the trouble of hand washing it.

It's nice to know that I can reuse it, but I'll probably recycle this one and start using a dishwasher-safe permanent water bottle instead. So you should recycle your plastic water bottle if it has scratches or if you haven't washed it.