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The South African Natural Bottled Water Association (SANBWA) has dismissed as untrue claims that continued use of water bottles is unsafe.
‘SANBWA” is satisfied with the substantial evidence from international reports on studies performed on PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles that there exists no risks associated with using PET bottles,” said SANBWA’s technical manager, Charlotte Metcalf.
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Metcalf was responding to an email that had been circulating since late last year. The e-mail states: “Many are unaware of poisoning caused by re-using your disposable mineral water bottles (eg Evian, Aqua, Ice Mountain, Vita, etc), keeping them in your car or at work.
“Not a good idea. In a nutshell, the plastic (polyethylene terephthalate) used in these bottles contains a potentially carcinogenic element (diethylhydroxylamine or DEHA)”.
It says that bottles are safe for one-time use only. “if you must keep them longer, it should be for no more than a few days, a week max, and keep them away from heat as well,” reads the e-mail.
Metcalf disputes this: “Studies performed demonstrated that there is no migration of DEHA or DEHP from PET into the product. These scientific investigations have shown that under increased exposure to sunlight and heat no additional organic components could be detected other than which is present environmentally. Re-using PET bottles thus does not present a carcinogenic risk.”
She was making reference to a study done by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates water as a packaged food product, on PET bottles. For bottled water and all other foods and their packaging, the FDA determined that: “PET meets standards for food contact materials. DEHA has been cleared by FDA for food contact applications and would not pose a health risk even if present,” the study found.
The Plastic Federation of South Africa agrees. In an article posted on their website, www.plasfed.co.za, it states: “The DEHA plasticiser is an organic contaminant in just about all drinking water: DEHA plasticiser is not used in PET bottles and people are worrying unnecessarily.
“People who re-use a PET bottle to carry drinking water are in no danger from chemicals leaching from the plastic into the water,” said the federation.
However, both organisations advised that customers should follow basic hygiene guidelines in using the bottles.
Said Metcalf: “We would like to stress the consumer’s role in reusing containers responsibly. Proper washing hygiene should always be done as with any other container.”
“Don’t forget the sniff test: If you can smell or taste the plastic in a bottle, toss it in the bin and get yourself a new one,” the federation states.
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