Seattle, WA, USA--(Jobwerx)--APRIL 24, 2005--Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) single use bottles are perfectly safe. However, the plastics in re-used water bottles breaks down over time. Bottles that are repeatedly used after rinsing, washing and heating, contain a contaminant that appears regularly in these single-use plastic beverage containers, known as DEHA (di-2-ethyl-hexyl-adipate). DHEA is a suspected human carcinogen, that if consumed in large concentrations has been linked to excessive weight loss, as well as, reproductive and liver problems. This repeated use causes the plastic to break down and the carcinogens can leach into the water that you are drinking. Better to purchase mutliple use containers for repeated use.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates bottled water pacakging and stipulates beverage bottles as packaged food products. The FDA has determined that PET meets standards for food contact material containers.

A common harmless plasticiser in other plastics is known as the second DEHA, Di-2-ethyl-Hexyl-Adipate and is also called DOA. DEHA, or DOA, is one of the organic contaminants commonly found at trace levels in standard drinking water. Continued studies are needed to determine if these threatening contaminants coming from the water, rather than from the bottles, are the cause of sickness and illness.

Bacteria is totally a different issue and revolves around hygiene and has nothing to do with DEHA or DOA or any other plastics related issue. So frequent sharing of water bottles by childern for instance, transfers the bacteria and may cause other forms of brief illnesses.

The DEHA plasticiser, an organic contaminant found in almost all drinking water is not used in PET bottles and people are worrying unnecessarily.

People who re-use a PET bottle once or twice to carry drinking water are in possibly no danger from chemicals leaching from the plastic into the water. However, it is known that bottles left out in the heat, say in your car, run the risk of having the plastics break down and bacteria to grow much faster. It is recommended that if a new water bottle is left out during the summer, or after being left in a hot car, to dispose of the water and recycle the container.

It is also recommended that plastic water bottles be used only once before recycling, but not because re-use is likely to cause carcinogenic compounds to leach from the plastic bottles into the liquids. The concern is that people, particularly children, can too easily spread and ingest bacteria from their hands and mouths by sharing and re-using bottles without properly washing them or allowing time for them to sufficiently dry.

So next time, don’t forget, if you can smell or taste the plastic in a liquid, dispose of the bottle and opt for a new one. The main threat to your health is not from rinsing or washing them every now and then but to ensure basic hygiene. Please remember to recycle all your plastics.

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