Reusing Disposable Water Bottles
Disposable plastic water bottles leaching carcinogens if left in sun
Over the last few years, e-mails have been circulating about disposable plastic water bottles causing cancer if they are frozen, or left in the car and exposed to heat. These rumours are not true.
Disposable water bottles are generally made of a plastic known as PETE or PET (polyethylene terephthalate). Recycling codes, usually a raised mark on the bottom of the plastic item, help to identify different plastics from each other and make recycling more efficient. See the American Plastics Council for a description of recycling codes. PETE plastics can usually be identified by the raised recycling mark containing a “1†on the bottom of the item.
Some versions of the e-mail incorrectly say that cancer-causing substances known as dioxins leach from the bottles.
The facts:
Dioxins are a group of highly toxic substances that are known to cause cancer. They can be produced naturally, or during certain manufacturing processes that use chlorine-containing substances. However, there is no evidence that plastic water bottles contain dioxins.
Some versions of the e-mail incorrectly say that a cancer-causing substance known as DEHA leaches from the bottles.
The facts:
Some plastics contain substances known as “plasticizers†to make the plastic more flexible and less brittle. DEHA, also known as diethylhexyl adipate, is one common type of plasticizer. Most of the e-mail hoaxes say that the disposable plastic water bottles leach DEHA, but incorrectly identify it as diethylhydroxylamine, another substance sometimes used in plastics. Neither substance is believed to cause cancer.
Canadians should be aware that re-using disposable plastic water bottles can be harmful if they are not cleaned and dried properly or if they are left in warm areas because this can allow harmful germs to grow. These germs can make people sick if ingested, causing vomiting or diarrhea. This is true with other types of containers, not just disposable water bottles. However, there is no evidence that re-using disposable plastic water bottles can cause cancer.
Last modified on: 20 April 2009
2009 Canadian Cancer Society. All rights reserved.
