Lanfox

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Has any one checked to see what kind of plastic Culligan uses on there water bottles? I havent receved a responce from them yet.

Revvy

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There's a lot of discussion about using waterbottles...and a lot of differring opinions. Some people use water bottles...some don't, and some only use them for making meads and apfelweins, but not beer. Unltimately it'll come down to your own choice.

But take a look first at the underside of the bottle at the symbol...


Here's some of the other codes....and some info.



1. PET or PETE – Light gauge containers such as store bought pop bottles should be a one time use only. Heavier gauge containers show no evidence of leaching chemicals.

2. HDPE – not known to leach unwanted chemicals.

3. PVC or V – Bad – Strong evidence to show the leaching of DEHA, a known human carcinogen.

4. LDPE – not known to leach unwanted chemicals although not as widely recycled as #1 or #2.

5. PP – not known to leach unwanted chemicals although not as widely recycled as #1 or #2.

6. PS - suspected to possibly leach harmful carcinogens

7. Assorted but usually polycarbonate – Bad – may contain leaching BPA.

Basically though 1 is the best 2 is ok....the other ones besides leaching problems are also the most succesible to oxygen permeability.

It may be regional....but I've seen some in Michigan with <7> on them...

Some stores carry them with <1>'s on them.

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keiths

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I have a Culligan bottle and it has a 7 on the bottom.

riored4v

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just fwiw.. after a similar thread the other day, i checked the bottoms of my Arrowhead bottle and they were 7 as well.

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Dean Palmer

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None of the water bottles out there I've seen are suitable for use as a fermenter or conditioning vessel. There is the chemical issue as stated above, then there is oxygen permeation concerns. If you want plastic, spend a few more bucks and get a Better Bottle. Your beer is worth it! :-)

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reshp1

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I buy Absopure in 3 gal bottles from Lowes and the bottles are made from PETE, same as Better Bottles (AFAIK). I re-use the bottles once or twice as secondaries before I recycle them. They're nice when you're adding stuff like fruit or chocolate since you don't have to worry about getting all that gunk out when you're done. Just give it a good rinse and toss in the recycling bin.

wilserbrewer

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Well I'm a bit embarassed to admit it...but I use the #7 polycarbonate bottles on occasion. Being a bit concerned I did a little research and offer the following:

Polycarbonate has, and is the most common plastic used in baby bottles and is approved for food use by the US FDA as well as in Europe and Germany.

The O2 permeability of polycarbonate is relatively similiar to HDPE (aka ale pails)

That's it...I use em to ferment in on occasion. I also use stainless steel as well as HDPE buckets.

Do the research and make an informed judgement.

Sorry...but to read the above sounds like using polycarbonate is akin to making beer in a lead lined open crock.

MW

Dr_Deathweed

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And the debate begins yet again....

jfish63

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My wife works in the hospital supply industry and there is a big push to stop using that plastic in baby bottles. Some hospitals have already switched over.

abracadabra

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I'd say the jury is still out on PET or PETE. Although they are generally considered safe. Antimony a toxic chemical used in making PET/PETE may leach into the water or beer. According to the Reader's Digest Feb 2008 " Last year, scienctists in Germany found that the longer a bottle of water sits around the more antimony it develops. High concentrations of antimaony can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. In the study the levels found were below those set as safe by the EPA, but it's a topic that needs more research".

Unfortunately for us the way industry and govt works, it seems most everything is considered safe until proven otherwise.

Lead, Mercury, Asbestos, DDT, Thalidmide, Vioxx ect. We have a long history of pulling products off the shelves only after the harmful effects are later discovered.

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