Is it ok to reuse Water Bottles?

Violetta_2

I occassionally buy bottles of water, the 500ml type with a sport's cap, I then reuse them and fill them with tap water, handy for taking to work etc. It say's on the bottles not to reuse, and a friend told me that you shouldn't. Is there a good reason for this? Does the bottle start to break down or something?
Hope it's ok to ask I thought this would be the best place.
Thanks in advance.

impy78

The bottle does start to break down and release chemicals into the water. Should be fine for about 2 -3 days though.

samnmalc

It would seem that this is an urban myth.......

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/petbottles.asp

morg_monster

I don't know why the bottle would suddenly start releasing toxins into the water after you open it, considering its probably been sitting in a warehouse for up to a year before hitting the supermarket shelf, and likely has a use by date of at least a year into the future?!

I think you're safe... chuck it when it starts to smell, that usually only takes a couple of weeks of use anyway.

I think if anything did leach into the water, they are no more likely to do it once you've opened the top, and this would only happen very, very, very slowly. It would take a LONG time for any measurable amounts to build up and even then there is no peer-reviewed scientific research that says any harmful substances leach out of food-grade plastics. More likely, the company plays up this risk to encourage you to buy another bottle of their water, rather than doing the sensible thing and just filling it up from the tap! remember, it all comes down to £££££!!!!

geordie_joe

Violetta wrote: »

I occassionally buy bottles of water, the 500ml type with a sport's cap, I then reuse them and fill them with tap water, handy for taking to work etc.

It say's on the bottles not to reuse, and a friend told me that you shouldn't. Is there a good reason for this?

Yes, there is a very good reason for this. If you refill them with tap water you don't need to buy another bottle of water on the way to work. Therefore the manufacturer has lost a sale.

Lotus-eater

Bit of sarcasm, bit of sarcasm

I've used them for months with no problems, leave water in it for more than a couple of days and don't refrigerate it, it will start to go off.

AmyGroovy3

impy78 wrote: »

The bottle does start to break down and release chemicals into the water. Should be fine for about 2 -3 days though.

lol is this serious?

i use mine until the sports cap breaks which can take about 6months lol, i do wash them!;)

tomstickland

I use mine until they're knackered. I hate the "sports caps" though and prefer screw lids.

Violetta_2

See this is what I suspected ,that it was a fiendish plot by the bottled water producers to trick us in to buying more. But with it having been mentioned a few times and it saying on the bottle I just wasn't sure.
I didn't want to seem thick and I'm not incredibly "chemically" minded but I couldn't figure out how a bottle with a best before date for 6 months after you buy it would start to decompose as soon as it's opened.

anonymousie

At our primary school they are given a sports cap ordinary bottle and that is refilled daily, sent home at weekends to wask, and only remewed when we parents can be botherd to do so- no "guidence" given so DD uses hers till it breaks-usually the cap gives way!

lm07

This is an interesting topic. In New Zealand the goverment recommends you save water up including putting tap water into plastic bottles in the case of an earthquake and to check this once a year! I re use plastic bottles and also use a specific hard plastic container, both need just as much cleaning!