Is it safe to use plastic bottles after being exposed to the sun and high temperatures?

Before grabbing a plastic water bottle to quench your thirst, think carefully about how long it takes to stay exposed to the sun or heat.
Experts say “the hotter the weather, the more chemicals are released from plastic into food or water.”
Most plastic packaging releases very small amounts of chemicals into the product they wrap. As temperatures rise and time passes, chemical bonds break down and chemicals are more likely to be released.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the amount of chemicals is too small to cause health problems, but scientists studying long-term health effects say these small doses can do create something bigger over time.

A disposable bottle on a hot summer day

Most plastic bottles found in supermarkets are made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate). The scientists noticed the release of Antimony (chemical substance) in PET bottles, which were exposed to high temperatures. Antimony can be converted to chemical substance in high doses.
A study was also done on plastic bottles that stay in cars, where temperatures can reach up to 65 ° C during the summer. The experiment took 38 days to release high levels of antimony in a bottle, a result which exceeded their safety expectations.
As a general rule, yes, heat helps break down chemical bonds in plastics, and those chemicals can migrate to the drinks or foods they contain.

Are you using a lot of used bottles?

Reusable bottles usually consist of high-density polyethylene approved by recycling programs, or polycarbonate but the latter are more difficult to recycle.
To make these bottles stronger and more shiny, manufacturers often use bisphenol-A (BPA), an element that is the focus of attention in terms of toxicity. BPA is an endocrine disruptor, which means that it disrupts the proper functioning of hormones and can result in dangerous health problems. Studies have linked ehd composition to breast cancer.
The FDA strictly prohibits the use of BPAs in baby bottles or pacifiers, but there is still no evidence to impose or support additional restrictions.
However, many manufacturers have responded to consumer demands by launching their products without any BPA content.
There are not enough studies regarding the safety of multi-purpose bottles exposed to heat, but in a study where hot water was thrown into a multi-purpose polycarbonate bottle, it turned out that significant amounts of BPA were released.

Conclusion:

Glass bottles are the best choice compared to plastic whenever possible. In cases where you only have plastic bottles, make sure they are not exposed to the sun or stay in the car for a long time, especially during hot periods. However experts raise to pedestal the use of multi-purpose metal bottles.
After all, the amount of trace chemical elements you can get from bottles or plastic packaging left in the sun will not harm their health. Despite the experts emphasizing the fact that you have to take care of how much plastic you surround yourself in on a daily basis.
If you drink one bottle of water (PET) a day, it certainly will not harm your health, but if you consume 20 such bottles of water every day, the answer to their safety would not be the same.
Researchers also say that the cumulative effect of being surrounded by plastics and various products, and microplastics in water have a potential impact on the health of the body./ Agroweb

top channel