PET plastic is widely used for bottles because of its many advantages. Mineral water and soft drinks in particular are often packaged in thin PET bottles. However, its use can pose health hazards. Various studies show that harmful substances can leak from this type of plastic, contaminating the contents. The dangers appear to be great, especially when reusing.
Polyethylene terephthalate
polyethylene terephthalate is also abbreviated as PET. PET is a thermoplastic polyester, which means that it melts and is deformable when heated. The melting point of PET is 255 degrees. PET is made with ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid and antimony trioxide is added as a catalyst. The production of one kilo of PET requires approximately 1.9 kilos of crude oil. PET is a clear transparent plastic that is sturdy and lightweight. The plastic type is indicated with recycling code 1.
Applications
About 30 percent of the total PET production is used for the PET bottle industry. Soft drinks and mineral water are mainly packaged in these bottles, but nowadays you also see fruit juices, beer and wine in PET bottles. PET is also used to make containers and blisters for the food industry. For example, salads, pastries and sandwiches are packaged in PET. In addition to bottles and packaging, the vast majority, estimated at around 60 percent, goes to the textile industry. For example, it is used to make yarn.
PET bottles and the environment
PET bottles were introduced in the Netherlands in the mid-1970s. After about five years, PET bottles had wiped out almost all glass bottles from stores. PET bottles are so popular compared to glass bottles because they are much lighter in weight. A glass bottle easily weighs around 700 grams, while an average PET bottle weighs only 50 grams. This saves a lot of fuel when using PET bottles.
Recycling
In addition, PET bottles are not fragile and can be easily recycled. During the recycling process, new PET bottles cannot easily be made from it, because PET discolors and becomes less good during the recycling process. In recent years, due to pressure from major soft drink manufacturers, a number of methods have been found that make recycling into new bottles possible. These methods are generally more expensive, making it still more popular to make other products such as clothing and films from used PET bottles. Until 2006, it was mandatory in the Netherlands to reuse PET bottles larger than one liter. That is why large soft drink bottles were often made of thicker material so that they could be washed. Immediately after the abolition of this obligation, most large soft drink bottles were changed to the now well-known thin-walled PET bottles.
Safety
In recent years, more and more research has been conducted into the safety of PET bottles. This mainly concerns the migration of parts from the plastic to the contents. It is known that PET cannot withstand heat well. When exposed to high temperatures, substances from the plastic will migrate more quickly to the contents. For example, harmful substances such as antimony and diethylhexyl adepate have been found in mineral water packaged in PET bottles. Critics therefore point out not to reuse PET bottles and not to expose them to high temperatures, for example by leaving them in a warm car. There are studies that substantiate these dangers.
Studies
The study by Goethe University showed that mineral water packaged in PET bottles was contaminated with xenoestrogens, while water packaged in glass bottles did not have this contamination. Another study from the University of Heidelberg showed that antimony can migrate from the PET bottle into the bottled water. PET bottles with spring water were found to contain thirty times more toxic metals than water in glass bottles. The concentrations of animony are higher as the water has been bottled for a longer period of time. Another study has shown that the water from PET bottles that have been refilled often contains the toxin diethylhexyl adepate, also abbreviated as DEHA. DEHA is carcinogenic and can cause liver problems.
Alternatives
Those who prefer not to use PET can choose from a number of alternatives.
Glass
Glass is one of the best alternatives. Many packaging that is available in PET is also available in glass. Glass is the predecessor of PET. An additional advantage is that glass is also easier to clean and often looks a bit nicer.
Stainless steel
If glass is not an option, for example because it is for children who regularly break something, choose stainless steel. Stainless steel must be kept clean, otherwise corrosion can occur. This is because stainless steel has a thin self-healing chromium oxide skin, which can only repair itself under the influence of oxygen. Dirt deposits or constant contact with water or soft drinks can prevent this recovery and cause corrosion.
Plastic
If you prefer plastic, at least make sure it is a safe type. You can often recognize types of plastic by the recycling code, which is indicated by a number in a triangle of three black arrows. Is this code three, six or seven? Then it is better to avoid the plastic type.
read more
- The dangers of PVC
- The dangers of polycarbonate
- Recycling code of plastic and safety
- Six reasons why glass is better packaging than plastic
