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Despite the whole BPA plastic carcinogens debacle that I read about a few years back, I've been getting lazy lately and just reusing my Poland Spring bottle. I don't see the difference between drinking from a reused bottle and drinking from a new bottle that has been sitting on my shelf for quite some time. Or perhaps both are situations in which you shouldn't drink bottled water... Can anyone shed some light on this? |
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There is a difference between a new sealed water bottle and a used water bottle. During the bottling process, the water and packaging are flash-pasteurized to kill most (hopefully all) bacteria. An open and used water bottle can be a breeding ground for bacteria - just like a stagnant pond in the summer time. I commend you for wanting to reuse, either for "green" initiatives or simply to save some bucks. But, I would caution against it, especially for prolonged periods of time. If you choose to reuse, I would recommend rinsing the bottle with warm soapy water EVERY day and possibly with bleach once a week. Please note, years ago, I attempted this for similar reasons. And even with washing every day, I eventually, and repeatedly ended up with a sore throat within a week or two. What I currently practice at work is keeping a pint glass around that I fill with water from a fountain, filtered pitcher, or worst case, hot kettle water that I allow to cool. |
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Snopes and Livestrong both have a good summaries of the issues. My preference is to use a steel bottle with a wide mouth to make washing simple. |
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Water is H2O, whether it is in a new bottle or a used bottle. The only thing you may want to do is periodically wash the lip of the bottle. I routinely reuse my water bottles, and it is a lot better than spending another couple of bucks every time I want some water. |
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