don't re-use your plastic water bottle
american scientists say re-used bottles can be 'bacteria breeding grounds.
that's not considered acceptable drinking!
it becomes one of these little life cycles where you've got nice warm water
and bacteria, and bacteria multiply, and that's a very good way to get sick.
so how do we protect ourselves?
can't we just wash the bottle really well with soap and water?
scientists say the plastic water bottles you buy at the stores are made to be
easily disposed of, so even washing them isn't good enough.
the best thing to do is avoid the urge to refill your plastic water bottle.
avoid leaving half-drunk bottles for long periods since bateria found on the
bottle cap & brim can breed. once the bottle is opened, bacteria enters into
the bottle from our mouths & the environment.
they also say only plastic bottles made to be used frequently
-- like those attached to bicycles -- are safe.
water bottles designed for re-use (such as sport bottles) generally are made
of heavier-duty plastic and have wider mouths.
as such, it's easier to sterilize them, either by running them through a
dishwasher or by hand-cleaning with very hot water and a scrub brush
(the wider mouths allow for better cleaning).
bottled water or tap water ?
the only difference between some bottled water and tap water is that it is
distributed in bottles rather than pipes.
while agreeing bottled water may be safer in areas where tap water may
be contaminated, the world wildlife fund said boiled or filtered tap water is
still a better option for people on a lower income.
public water systems generally are disinfected with chlorine.
bottled water is commonly disinfected by ozone treatment.
however, bottled water may be in distribution for several weeks and storage
conditions, especially temperature, may adversely affect quality.
in terms of bacterial content, it is questionable as to whether bottled water
is better than most municipal tap water.
for the latest info
the international bottled water association http://www.bottledwater.org
the world wildlife fund http://www.panda.org
the container recycling institute (CRI) http://cri.earthsystems.org
tons of waste that has no where to go :SPI the plastics industry trade association
http://www.socplas.org
back to PET bottle article
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