Drinks

According to the New York Times, folks who are trying to keep their water tippling a tad greener by re-using plastic water bottles might be sucking down some unexpected side-effects.


"The type of plastic bottle that typically holds water, soda and juice is made from polyethylene terephthalate, a petroleum-based material also known as PET that is labeled No. 1.

The trouble with reusing those plastic bottles is that each time they are washed and refilled they become a little more scratched and crinkly, which can lead them to degrade. That can cause a trace metal called antimony to leach out, said Frederick S. vom Saal, a professor of biology at the University of Missouri who has studied plastics for years.

"We have to assume that along with that metal, others are almost certainly leaching out as well, but we don't know what they are and we don't know what to look for because manufacturers won't tell us what else is in the bottles," Professor vom Saal said."

Perhaps it's because I live in a city with well-regarded tap water, but I've never really gotten into the whole bottled water toting thing. It's not as if I'm staggering around parched all the time -- there's always a water fountain or tap ice water available when I've needed it. I've just yet to really understand the circumstances in which one is frequently tasked to be an ersatz camel, toting along their own hydration lest potable water be scare throughout the journey. Might someone explain?

Read: The (Possible) Perils of Being Thirsty While Being Green

Drink Cocktails Instead!