Various bottles are regularly produced worldwide. With the changing environmental standards and climate issues, sustainable solutions are discussed.
For this reason, it is important to see which types of bottles can be reused.
What are plastic bottles made of?
Plastic bottles are made from various resins where organic bonding is achieved through the processing of synthetic polymers.
Often, each plastic bottle contains a recycling code that reflects the type of plastic it is made of.
The plastic types vary from:
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), other types.
Not all of these plastics are used for the production of plastic bottles. The most common plastic bottles are PET or PETE, HDPE and PS.
· PET stands for Poly Ethylene Terephthalate and is a polyester.
PET is a plastic that is easy to mold when heated. PET is fully recyclable, but in many cases additional processing is necessary to preserve its properties.
The PET bottles can therefore be reused and recycled.
· Also bottles made of HDPE; High Density Polyethylene, are reusable and recyclable.
High-density polyethylene or high-density polyethylene is a thermoplastic polymer produced from the monomer ethylene.
· PS stands for polystyrene and is often produced for plastic bottles, cups and roadside items.
Polystyrene is brittle, lightweight, has a high stiffness, a high surface gloss and is available crystal clear. The material is also used to make polystyrene foam.
Is it safe to reuse plastic bottles?
From an environmental perspective, it is recommended to reuse plastic bottles instead of throwing them away and buying new ones.
It is important to watch out for microplastic contamination. Research has shown that bottled water from several manufacturers in different countries was contaminated with microplastics.
What are microplastics?
Microplastics are small plastic parts that wash out to liquid or food from the container they are in.
Reusing PET, HDPE and PS plastic bottles is safe. However, it is important that you take precautions.
Keep in mind that the plastic bottles you want to reuse may not contain dents or cracks. Also slight signs of wear are not allowed. It makes it easier for chemicals to penetrate the plastic bottle material.
It is also important that you make sure that the plastic bottle does not get hot. When the plastic bottle gets hot, it is also easy for chemicals to penetrate the plastic material.
If you have used plastic bottles with warm temperatures or in rooms where it is warm, it is recommended to throw away your plastic bottle and not to reuse it. In addition, it is not recommended to expose your plastic bottle directly to sunlight.
Finally, it is recommended to wash your plastic bottles between uses. By washing your plastic bottle, bacteria are removed from the bottle so that they cannot settle further in the material. Washing is easy with soap and warm water that is not hot!