A staggering number of 2 million bottles are sold every 5 minutes worldwide. And, every 6 hours, approximately 1 million plastic cups are used in airline flights in the USA. Without doubt, plastic is the most consumed product in the entire world. However, according to newest research, plastic bottles may be harming our wellbeing. In fact, plastic bottles might be slowly killing people!
Previously, it was thought that bottled water is a better option than tap water as it was rich in vitamins. However, it was actually tap water put in plastic bottles, making it an environmentally unfriendly hydration source.
At the bottom of these bottles, you should look for a triangle with a number from one to seven. These numbers indicate whether the product is safe or not. Take a look:
- This bottle is known as PET or PETE and it shouldn’t be reused due to the possibility of antimony emission. Antimony is a heavy metal that can cause problems with the hormones and it can also be carcinogenic.
- This bottle is known as HDPE or HDP and it’s made of good plastic with a very small level of chemicals emission, unlike the other types of bottles.
- This bottle is known as V or PVC and it contains two toxic chemicals which can cause hormonal disruption. However, PVC is one of the most common types of plastic used nowadays.
- This bottle is known as LDPE and it’s considered as good plastic. It’s usually used in water bottles and plastic bags. They don’t emit chemicals when they’re used in water bottles.
- Known as PP, this plastic is safe for use. It’s usually used in the production of syrup bottles and yogurt cups.
- This plastic is considered carcinogenic as it emits STIREN. It’s mostly used in fast food packaging and coffee cups.
- Known as PC, this plastic needs to be avoided as it emits BPA, a detrimental chemical. This plastic is mostly used for the production of food containers, sports drink bottles, and infant bottles.
All in all, the safest bottles that you can continue to use are number 2, number 4, and number 5. Avoid the other types as much as possible to lower your exposure to chemicals.