Researchers are calling for more careful recycling methods after a review finds that some recycled plastic bottles leach more harmful chemicals into their contents than newly manufactured bottles, according to an article from The Guardian. Researchers reportedly also discovered that drinks bottled using recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) may contain higher concentrations of chemicals than those bottled using new PET.
Brunel University London scientists reviewed 91 studies from around the world that examined chemical contamination from plastic bottles, according to the article. They reportedly found 150 chemicals that had passed into drinks from plastic bottles, 18 at levels that exceed regulations. Thermoplastic PET is the third most widely used type of plastic in food packaging and is particularly popular for single-use drinks bottles, according to The Guardian.
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