Plastic bottles
exist to help transport, store and serve beverages. Plastic bottles are convenient, recyclable and reusable. Americans buy approximately 28 billion plastic water bottles every year. They are easy to transport to the gym, work or on errands and are easy to store.
Materials
Plastics for beverage bottles sold in America are made from polyethylene terephthalate because it is lightweight and shatter resistant. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has tested polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, extensively tested for safety. The plastic bottles made with PET are used to contain beverages including water, soft drinks and fruit juice.
Baby Bottles
Baby bottles made from polycarbonate plastic are clear, light-weight and shatterproof. Polycarbonate plastic is made of Bisphenol A. which the FDA has tested for safety and found no risk to human health, including children and infants. The surface on polycarbonate plastic can become cloudy over time after normal wear and tear. Reusable plastic sports water bottles are made from polycarbonate plastic as well.
Safety
The FDA reviews plastics for beverage packaging before they are allowed on the market. They test plastic bottles to ensure that indirect additives do not pass from their materials to the contents of the bottles and that plastic bottles are safe for repeated usage. The FDA also assesses the potential for bacteria passage through plastics and the substances they are made with to assure a minimal amount of transfer between the plastic and its contents. Plastics are naturally sanitary materials, but consumers should wash plastic bottles with hot, soapy water before reusing to avoid bacteria contamination.
Freezing
Freezing plastic bottles with beverages inside poses no health risks or problems associated with any toxins from the bottles, according to Plasticsinfo.org.
Recycling
Plastic bottles are the most recycled plastic products. They can become products such as carpeting, detergent bottles and clothing. Recycling one pound of plastic bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate produces new products using less energy than required to make products from raw materials. Since recycling programs differ in certain areas, make sure you adhere to the rules and policies of the recycling program in your area.
All major types of plastics are recyclable, and community recycling programs often collect bottles made from PET and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Both types of plastic together represent approximately 96 percent of all plastic bottles produced in the United States. Some plastic bottles are better suited for recycling than others, such as juice, salad dressing, soda, cooking oil, condiment and water bottles. Bottles that aren't usually accepted into recycling programs include automotive, pesticide or solvent bottles.
