Antimony suspected to leach from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) water bottles
Published: 14 February 2007
Category: PET (polyethylene terephthalate), Packaging CONCERNS, Studies/State & Federal Regulations
According to Environmental Science & Technology Online, some polyethylene terephthalate (PET) water bottles leach antimony, a reported catalyst in the manufacturing of polyethylene terephthalate, and as plastic polyethylene terephthalate water bottles are stored for longer durations of time, some of such “plastic bottles leach more of the trace element than others.” According to one study, after “letting the same bottles sit at room temperature for 6 months, the researchers found that average antimony concentrations in the Canadian bottled waters increased by 19%, and by 90% in the European brands.” While most of the waters tested were allegedly packaged in polyethylene terephthalate containers, different “PET bottles have different reactivities.” According to the article, “water bottled in PET contains much more antimony than regular tap water,” but it is not clear what implications this chemical has “for human health.” Antimony is a “suspected carcinogen,” thus has been placed “on a list for further study by the U.S. National Toxicology Program.”