Is it safe to reuse plastic bottles？

Plastic bottles have been more and more popular among containers in the packaging industry and our daily life because they’re cheaper and more convenient. Meanwhile, the wide use of plastic bottles bought serious environmental pollution, so people began recycling and reusing plastic products. If you’re eco-conscious, you’d probably rather reuse plastic bottles than buy new ones over and over again.

Although this is understandable, not all plastic bottles can be reused, and you’d better learn about the following tips first.

It’s estimated that about 40% of bottled water over the world is contaminated with microplastics. Microplastics are tiny particles of plastic that leach into liquid or food from the container they’re housed in.

If you take certain precautions, reusing plastic bottles made of HDPE or PET is probably fine. HDPE plastic is currently considered a low-hazard plastic with a low risk of leaching. PET doesn’t contain phthalates and other concerning chemicals, such as BPA, but contains a little antimony, that has been found to leach out from plastic bottles into the liquid they contain when the plastic bottle is submitted to heat exposure, such as being left out in the sun, or in a hot car.

Unless you know for certain that the bottles with recycling code #7 you have don’t contain BPA, don’t reuse it. BPA is an endocrine disruptor that’s been linked to multiple health concerns, such as male and female infertility, prostate cancer, precocious puberty, etc. You may also wish not to use it at all, even for one-time use. 

Any kind of plastic bottles shouldn’t be reused if they show even slight signs of wear and tear, such as cracks or dings. These make chemical substances more readily leach out of them.

The signs of wear and tear can be microscopic and hard to see, so try not to reuse plastic bottles if packaging food or beverage.

Don’t let plastic bottles get hot. This will transform plastic bottles and also allow chemical substances to leach out more readily.

If you’re using a plastic bottle in hot weather, or in other places that get humid or steamy, throw it away. You’d better not expose plastic bottles to direct sunlight.

Plastic bottles should be washed among uses, so they don’t harbor bacteria. Use warm (not hot) soapy water, and rinse thoroughly before refilling.

If you have any questions about recycling and reusing plastic bottles, or about other plastic packaging solutions, welcome to contact us now. Sanle expert team will be glad to help you.

As a leading OEM/ODM supplier of customized plastic containers, Sanle Plastics delivers packaging solutions and results, and exceptional service that is polite, friendly, and sincere. Our biodegradable packaging, which FDA approved and completely food safe, won’t discolor the base material, also won’t taint or alter the chemical stability and functionality of the packaging.