Do plastic bottles leach harmful substances into water?
Most water bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The FDA has determined that PET meets standards for food-contact materials established by federal regulations and therefore permits the use of PET in food and beverage packaging for both single use and repeated use. FDA has evaluated test data that simulate long-term storage and that support repeated use. The toxicological properties of PET and any compounds that might migrate under test conditions have also been well studied. The results of these tests demonstrate that PET is safe for its intended uses. (For details, see The Safety of Polyethylene Terephthalate.) The FDA allows PET to be used in food-contact applications, including food and water bottle packaging, regardless of whether the packaging is intended for single or repeated use. PET Water bottles are designed for single use for economic reasons, not because of any safety concerns with PET. Refillable bottles made with the same PET resin as single-use bottles
