It is quite common to re-use your old plastic bottles for storing water in the fridge. Isn’t it? At one point we all had used soft-drink bottles stacked in our refrigerators. Sometimes, we even used to carry them with us to our school and colleges for water. A simple 2-litre Pepsi bottle is brought to use for months as a water bottle. And when it gets worn out, we head for a new one. How many times do we consume the soft drink and actually crush the bottle? I guess, none! If not, then it’s a wake-up call, as you might be hurting yourself.
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How To Know If The Bottle Is Reusable Or Not?
Well, it is simple to know whether you can re-use the bottle or not. Have you ever noticed the numbers written in the triangles at the bottom? Like this.
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This triangle is the universal symbol of recycling and is known as Resin Identification Code or RIC. These numbers in the triangle range from 1 to 7, indicating the type of plastic used to make the water bottle.
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It is important for you to know the different kinds of plastic and their durability to stray away from using the unhealthy ones.
Types of Plastic and Their Uses
Number 1: PET or polyethylene terephthalate
This is the most common kind of plastic which is used in making the average beverage bottles. It is porous and is notoriously known to collect bacteria and other harmful residual substances. This simply implies that you cannot use the bottle for longer times, as the plastic would start to become toxic. It can be recycled, though, but can’t be used for longer times.
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Number 2: HDPE or high-density polyethylene
This plastic is usually the thicker and opaque type of plastic. If you’ve noticed the milk mugs which were used in our old times, they were opaque and white in colour. They were usually made up of HDPE. This kind of plastic is very safe and can be used for storage as it has the low risk of leaching.
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Number 3: PVC or polyvinyl chloride
This type of plastic is used to make PVC pipes, wires, and tubes. PVC is generally used in plumbing and other such uses. PVC is a bad conductor of heat and electricity and is tough and rugged. It is said to be highly toxic for cooking and storing food items in them. The phthalates used in its manufacturing disrupt the hormonal development and can cause other serious ailments. Never ever cook food in such plastics. Don’t use it to microwave your food.
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Number 4: LDPE or low-density polyethylene
This is the most commonly used plastic. The polyethene bags which we’ve been using to carry groceries, foods, bread, etc. are made of LDPE. This is used for storage but it is not accepted to be recycled.
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Number 5: PP or polypropylene
This is used to manufacture containers which have a cloudy finish and a wide mouth. The yoghurt cups, water bottles, ketchup bottles and medicine containers are made up of PP. they are very safe for storage and recycling.
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Number 6: PS or polystyrene, or Styrofoam
The disposable Styrofoam plates and cups are made up this type of plastic. This is highly toxic as it releases many toxins when heated up. Stray away from using this kind of plastics. They are very harmful to our environment and are hard to be recycled.
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Number 7: Other Kinds
Beware, and use this plastic at your own risk. They can contain anything from Polycarbonates to Bisphenol A, which is extremely toxic. So to save yourself from these chemicals, check the bottom of the bottle before purchasing it.
