Why do many drinks bottles now have 'do not re-use this packaging' on the label?

Question

I have noticed that many of the PTE and HDPE drinks bottles now have this information on the label - why is is now deemed unsafe to re-use these bottles? This relates more to the 500ml type bottles

Answer 1

1. Reuse of bottles is open to abuse. Bottles may be refilled with contaminated water, for examlple. In overseas countries, (India, China, etc.), I always check to see that the seal on any mineral water bottle is perfect and unbroken because unscrupulous traders do refill them with tap water. This happened to me in Delhi, India, where I noticed the broken seal before I drank any water.
2. UK Health and Hygene Regulations. Look on Yahoo/Google.
3. It is now cheaper to buy non-returnable sterile glass bottles new, than to have the whole infra-structure of collection, handling, transport, sorting, washing, storage in a bottling store, sterilising and inspection before reuse.
4. Drinking poisonous substances by mistake. Children, the elderly or people who are intoxicated may 'take a swig' from a bottle marked with a familiar beverage label without stopping to think. Result, illness or even death. A widow I knew lost her husband who had a drink problem. When intoxicated, he mistakenly drank 'Paraquat' from a drinks bottle and died as result of his mistake. Ask your doctor. It is surprising how many people are harmed by drinking harmful substances in error.
5. Product Protection. Copies of drinks may be offered for sale in reused labelled bottles. This is against the law.
6. There must be other reasons, eg, trace contamination in reused bottles, but the above list is sufficient to prevent me from drinking anything unless I know it is from a sealed bottle or can and I have confidence in what I am drinking. Never take a chance..
Brian O

Answer 2

Because people use drinks bottle to store leftover paint thinners, chemicals, all sort of things, and then children or adults drink poisons and die. Even if you wrote a label a foreigner who did not speak your language or a child would see a drinks bottle and think the contents were drinkable.
Besides, drinks have a use by date on them. This doesn't apply if you re-fill the bottle.
Unscrupulous people in restaurants fill water bottles with tap water which gives you upset tummies especially if you are not used to local water, like refilling champagne bottles with cheap wine, so now often a seal is put on and you should not accept a bottle if it is not opened in front of you. Especially not in hot countries such as India. Also in countries where the water is not drinkable the bottle could be washed in contaminated water before being re-filled.
Finally, if you re-fill the bottle and the new contents poison the drinker, the manufacturer has a hard time trying to prove his original drink wasn't contaminated.

Answer 3

unfortunately many people re-use them without regard to proper cleaning/sanitation & the bottle manufacturers have been forced to protect themselves from frivolous law suits (makes life more expensive for the rest of us!) if you have a favorite bottle/jar to keep something in- all one really has to do is run it through the dishwasher before each use(with the heat dry cycle) and it will be fine

BUT by putting the label on the bottle its left up to you the consumer to make (& live by) the decision whether to do so or not

the other issue is that some people try to save a few pennies by using jars (like spaggetti sauce) and then try to use them for canning- as they were not made for it = can be very dangerous.

and this is a sue-happy country so the makers have to actually go through the effort and treat people like 2 yr olds and tell them its a no-no@!

sheesh!

rj

Answer 4

My guess is that the contents were originally packaged in secure (health & safety wise) condition and anything used to refill would not. There is also the best before date printed on the bottle. Usual thing; compensation parasites forcing silly measures.

Answer 5

Many Bottles and Jars that do not have wide necks are required to print this. This is because it is difficult to properly clean these Items and Harmful Bacteria can build up inside which can Make you ill and even (though the chances are low) Kill you.

Answer 6

So thank you for that total essay. i will take that as a your positive as long as that is not chunky. i'm basically over with the aid of 5 months; i assume we can see if I finally end up on the information; demise with the aid of Starbucks.

Answer 7

They have discovered a chemical reaction between the drink and bottle over time

Answer 8

It is because there have been instances of bottles being used by people to store bleach, weedkiller etc. and causing accidents. People will still do it but it exempts the manufacturers from legal liability.

Answer 9

hygiene, you can't sterilise them well enough(heat sensitive) at home and naaaaasty germs can breed...

Answer 10

They won't be sterile.