| Polyethylene terephthalate or PET is a | | | | However, environmentalists have raised serious |
| thermoplastic polymer resin that belongs to the | | | | concerns over the indiscriminate use of PET |
| polyester family and is mainly used in combination | | | | bottles. According to them, PET bottles have the |
| with glass fiber for the manufacture of synthetic | | | | potential to cause significant health hazards for |
| fibers, liquid containers,thermoforming applications | | | | users. Scientists and reserachers at the Goethe |
| and engineering resins. It was in the 1970's that | | | | University in Frankfurt discovered that estrogenic |
| PET bottles came to be rapidly manufactured | | | | compounds leach from the plastic in PET bottles |
| using blow moulding techniques and thus it | | | | into water. There is a strong probability |
| became an excellent material for beverage | | | | thatcertain unidentified chemicals in these plastics |
| bottles. Some of the outstanding beneficial | | | | have the extreme potential to interfere with |
| properties of PET include its lightweight, durability, | | | | estrogen and other reproductive hormones, |
| strong material, extremely good optical | | | | causing disastrous health hazards. |
| properties and sufficient gas barrier performance. | | | | Environmentalists and scientists recommend that |
| PET bottles are made by employing a process | | | | PET bottles including single-use water, soda and |
| called ‘injection stretch blow moulding' which | | | | juice bottles must not be reused. The Green |
| enhances the properties of PET. Today, PET is | | | | Guide reports that such bottles could be safe only |
| used as a raw material for manufacturing bottles | | | | for one-time use and reuse should be strictly |
| and containers for packaging a varied range of | | | | avoided. Studies reveal that they may leach |
| food products and consumer goods such as soft | | | | DEHP(Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate) another possible |
| drinks, alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, | | | | human carcinogen, into water which could create |
| pharmaceutical products etc. | | | | serious health risks. The Berkeley Ecology Center |
| PET bottles can be recycled so as to reuse the | | | | has come up with a recent discovery that the |
| material with which they are manufactured and to | | | | manufacture of PET bottles uses tremendous |
| lessen the amount of waste that goes to landfills. | | | | amounts of energy and resources and releases |
| They are also recycled and reused for solar | | | | toxic pollutants into the atmosphere that |
| water disinfection in some of the developing | | | | ultimately contributes to global warming. |
| nations. | | | | |