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Into the drink: hitting the bottle could be hazardous to your health

Men's Fitness, Oct, 2004 by Peggy Noonan

Refilling a used soda or juice bottle with water may seem like a good idea--it's cheap and you're saving the environment, right? Well, think twice before filling up.

A recent Canadian study warns that it's very easy for used water bottles to become contaminated with dangerous levels of bacteria. And since most bottles never fully dry out, every time you fill the bottle up, you recontaminate the water inside.

Worse still, a study from Case Western Reserve University cautions that the more often you refill an empty plastic bottle, the more likely toxic chemicals from within the plastic will leach out into your [H.sub.2]O.

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Instead of reusing empty bottles, buy one made for multiple usages, like these plastic camping lugs by Nalgene ($10 @ nalgene-outdoor.com). Each of the company's 150 different bottle types is designed to prevent the growth of bacteria. They're also guaranteed never to absorb odors or taste like plastic--a sure sign that something unpleasant is seeping into your drink.

Into the drink: hitting the bottle could be hazardous to your health

Men's Fitness, Oct, 2004 by Peggy Noonan

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