Dangers of Refilling Used Plastic Bottles for Beverages

Medical Video: Dangers Of Plastic Water Bottles

Bottled water can be part of your daily life. Easy to get anywhere, compact and inexpensive, making bottled drinking water now available in various brands and sizes. But this convenience is not without risk, some people and some organizations are beginning to realize the effects of using bottled water, especially plastic bottles used. Not only does it disturb the environment balance, the use of plastic bottles can also be mentioned can endanger your health.

Chemical content in plastic bottles

Have you ever seen the label "BPA Free" on a plastic bottle? Bisphenol A or commonly known as BPA is commonly found in solid plastic products, coatings on cans of food or formula milk, even slippery parts on your shopping receipt (BPA serves to stabilize the ink printed on the paper receipt). The purpose of using BPA is to harden the plastic so that it can be formed, and this practice has been going on for more than 40 years.

In 2008, information emerged regarding BPA hazards to health. Without your realizing it, 90% of the human population might have BPA in their bodies. BPA can enter the body through food or drinks placed in containers containing BPA. In addition, air and dust can also channel BPA into the body.

Research regarding the effects of BPA on health has not given clear results. Most studies conducted are animal studies, not directly measuring the effects of BPA on humans. Although the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) previously said BPA is safe in plastic products, but since 2010 the FDA has begun to express concerns about the health effects that BPA might cause.

What are the negative effects of BPA on health?

Some researchers believe BPA can mimic the work of hormones in the body so that it interferes with the actual functioning of hormones. One hormone that can be replicated by BPA is estrogen. BPA can then inhibit or even increase the amount of the hormone estrogen in the body. Because estrogen plays a role in the development of positive hormone receptor type breast cancer, BPA is then said to cause cancer, especially breast cancer.
Based on several studies of animals, BPA can cause disruption of brain growth and growth as well as cognitive abilities of the fetus, baby, and children. In a 2011 study, it was found that pregnant women who had high BPA levels in their urine tended to be more likely to give birth to girls who had symptoms of hyperactivity, nervousness or excessive anxiety, and depression. This BPA effect seems to be easier for infants and children to experience because of their body systems that are still unable to remove these substances from the body.

Why can reusing plastic bottles be dangerous?

Not only is the chemical content contained in it, just like other tableware, plastic bottles tend to be a source of bacteria. This is mainly due to repeated use of less attention to bottle hygiene. You might feel that the bottle is just water and does not need to be washed because it is not dirty, even though this can actually trigger bacterial growth in the bottle.

The bacterial contamination will get worse if the plastic bottle you use is a plastic bottle that comes from bottled water, where the type of bottle is actually not recommended for repeated use. The more often it is used, the more likely the bacteria can multiply, even increasing the risk of thinning the layer of plastic bottles so as to allow damage to the bottle layer and ultimately facilitate the bacteria into the bottle.

As quoted from the Huffington Post, Richard Wallace, M.D., from the University of Texas Health Center revealed that the bottle neck where it normally occurs in contact with the mouth is a part that contains a lot of bacteria. If left unchecked, these bacteria can have the same effect as food poisoning such as nausea, vomiting, and even diarrhea.

If after this you think of washing your plastic bottle with hot water so that all the bacteria in the plastic bottle die, then that is not the right action. Depending on the type of plastic bottle used, usually washing plastic bottles is recommended to use warm water. But this only applies to refillable bottles, not bottled plastic bottles. Plastic bottles of drinking water in containers are actually designed only for single use. Excessive use can physically damage the bottle and if the bottle is heated it can increase the speed of the components and chemical compounds ‘move’ from the plastic to your drinking water. That is also why you should not leave plastic bottles with drinking water in a high temperature place or room.

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