PET SAFETY

Is PET Safe? Is It Approved By The FDA or Other Health-Safety Agencies?

PET has been approved as safe for contact with foodstuffs and beverages by the FDA, Health Canada, the European Food Safety Authority and virtually every other health-safety agency in the world. It has been used for food and beverage containers for decades without any known adverse effects. Extensive studies of PET and PET packaging have repeatedly shown it to be safe.

Does PET React With Foods or Beverages?

No. PET is a very stable, inert material that doesn't react with foods or beverage and is resistant to attack by micro-organisms. PET itself is biologically inert if ingested.

Do PET Bottles or Containers Contain BPA?

No. PET does not contain BPA. Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a compound used in polycarbonate, a different type of plastic that is sometimes used in baby bottles, the lining of metal cans, and reusable sports bottles. PET does not contain BPA and never has.

Can PET Bottles That Are Left In A Hot Car or Put In The Microwave Release Dioxins?

No. PET does not contain dioxins, nor can it produce dioxins, and no dioxins are created in the manufacturing of PET. Dioxins are a group of compounds sometimes formed by high-temperature combustion (over 750 degrees F.) and certain types of industrial processes involving chlorine. Dioxins can't be created without the presence of chlorine, and PET does not contain chlorine. Consequently, dioxins can't be produced when a PET container is heated or microwaved, exposed to sunlight, or washed and reused (all urban myths).

Does PET Contain Phthalates?

PET contains no phthalates. Phthalates (i.e., phthalate ester plasticizers) are not used in PET, and PET is not a phthalate. Plasticizer phthalates are sometimes used to soften other types of plastic, but they are not used in PET. Some consumers may have incorrectly assumed that PET is a phthalate because PET's chemical name is polyethylene terephthalate. Despite the suffix, PET is not a phthalate. Phthalates are low molecular weight monoesters made from ortho-phthalic acid. By comparison, PET is a high molecular weight polyester made from tere-phthalic acid. Chemically they are very different.

Does PET Contain Endocrine Disruptors?

No. PET contains no known endocrine disruptors, and there is no credible scientific data to suggest that PET produces estrogen or endocrine modulating activity. Studies that exposed both male and female laboratory animals to terephthalates during all phases of the reproductive cycle found no reproductive or developmental effects in either the test animals or their offspring.

There Have Been Reports Identifying Antimony As A Human Carcinogen. Is This True, and Should I Be Concerned About Antimony In PET?

No. Human caner risk from antimony is low where there is low exposure to antimony.

I've Heard That A Hot Environment Can Create Harmful Levels Of Antimony Oxide In PET-Bottled Water. Is That True? Should I Be Concerned?

There is no reason for concern. No studies have found any toxic amounts of antimony in PET-bottled water or containers. Unfortunately, there has been some consumer misunderstanding of studies showing higher-than-normal levels of antimony when water bottled in PET was exposed to extreme heat (176 degrees F) for extended periods of time. Even then, the highest measured levels paralleled established safe levels for antimony in drinking water. In short, the very small amounts of antimony that might be found in PET-bottled water are of no concern and do not pose any health risk.