4 reasons to never reuse a plastic water bottle, say the experts

It's a common error, but it's time to stop doing it.


Whether it is to save time, money or the environment, many Americans make the mistake of washing and filling bottles of single -use plastic water. Experts say it can represent a danger to your health, not to mention the environment. But how much the reuse of a grocery store bought a bottle bought The truly reusable genre ? We have contacted a range of experts to find out if the reuse of your bottles could harm your health - and their answers may surprise you. Read the rest to learn the four reasons why the single -use water bottles are only that and to find out why the stainless and glass steel bottles are by far the best.

Read this then: Walmart gets rid of plastic and paper bags at 111 additional locations, April 18 .

Reused water bottles can house harmful bacteria.

person with painted nails opening plastic water bottle
Shutterstock / Sergeizubkov64

According Brian Campbel , founder and chief expert in water treatment waterfilterguru.com , The best argument against the reuse of a plastic water bottle is that they tend to host harmful bacteria. He notes that when people clean water bottles to reuse them, "they may not clean them properly, which can cause bacterial growth. In addition, plastic can develop small cracks or scratches over time , which can create areas of growth in bacteria and accumulate. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

If you happen to leave your water bottle in a hot or hot environment between uses - in a sunny car or your gym bag, for example - you should assume that Bacteria have multiplied even more effectively. The really reusable water bottles are designed to withstand frequent washing, so that they will not cause scratches and blows that help bacteria to hide.

Read this then: What happens if you drink the same glass of water for a week, according to the doctors .

They can leachate chemicals in your drink.

Woman Talking to a Doctor
Lstockstudio / Shutterstock

Water bottles can be made from a range of plastic types, some of which are safer than others, says Campbel. To find out which material your bottle is made, you can consult the recycling code on the label, which will include a number from one to seven. Today, most of the single -use water bottles will be marked by Only one, which means that they are in terephtalate polyethylene (Pet or Pete). Although these are free from bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, they can sometimes contain antimony, a semi-metal material which is considered a possible carcinogen.

Bottles labeled with recycling codes that carry other numbers may contain additional chemicals. For example, those marked with seven are made from polycarbonate plastic. According to the Harvard's School of Public Health, Polycarbonate Plastic Contains BPA "A chemical that has been linked in animal studies to developmental, reproductive and metabolic health problems".

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They also contain microplastics.

Person grabbing a water bottle from their fridge.
Tarapatta / Shutterstock

Heather Wilde , Nmd, A naturopathic doctor Based in Temple, Arizona, warns that single -use water bottles can also leam to microplastics in your drink if you reuse them. In fact, a 2018 study published in the journal Borders in chemistry looked at the samples taken 259 bottled waters And found that 93% of these samples showed signs of "microplastic contamination".

Although scientists always work to understand the effects of microplastics ingestion, a study published in the medical journal Endocrine journals found that the consumption of microplastics can Disturbing the endocrine system , the network of glands and organs releasing hormones that regulate metabolism, growth and development of development, etc. Another study published in Borders in environmental sciences concluded that the consumption of microplastics could cause oxidative stress , Cytotoxicity, neurotoxicity and disruption of the immune system.

Wilde believes that many people consume microplastics at dangerous levels and suggest that quitting smoking single -use water bottles could help limit the problem. "We believe you eat A plastic credit card a week, and these invisible particles are one of the main culprits, "she said Better life , referring to a 2019 report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

They are an environmental danger.

Dropout

Finally, there is an important greater reason to never fill the bottles of single -use water - from an environmental point of view , it is best to buy them first. "The entire bottled water cycle uses fossil fuels, contributes to global warming and causes pollution," writes the Harvard University. They add that each year, 17 million barrels of oil are used to produce enough plastic water bottles to meet the annual demand for bottled water from the United States, and 86% of water bottles to Single use ends in discharges or as a litter.

So, while your efforts to reuse your bottle of water come from the right place, Zeeshan Afzal , MD, a doctor for Welzo , says that it is better to plan in advance by obtaining a bottle of reusable stainless steel water or glass. "The filling of plastic water bottles undermines the advantages of the sustainability of the use of reusable water bottles," explains AFZAL. "Plastic water bottles are a major contributor to plastic waste and pollution, and their filling perpetuates this cycle," he told Best Life.


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