Secondhand plastic bottles dangerous<\/p>\n
With the increase of the price of plastic bottles two or three
\nfold since early 1998, several brands of small-pack bottled water
\nin Greater Jakarta are using used bottles. In accordance with the
\nMinistry of Industry and Trade's regulation No.167\/MPP\/KEP\/5\/97,
\nof May 28, 1997, plastic drinking-water bottles (BDW) are
\nprohibited to be reused, except for 5 gallon PC (polycarbonate)
\nbottles. The reason for this is because small-pack plastic
\nbottles made of poly ethylene therephtalate (PET) cannot be
\nsanitized and disinfected effectively with hot water because the
\nbottles will then be deformed. Cleaning the bottles alone is by
\nno means enough because bacteria, including pathogenic bacteria,
\nwill not be killed or removed.<\/p>\n
It is, therefore, obvious that bottled water in used plastic
\nbottles is almost all, if not all, contaminated with bacteria,
\nwhich is evident from laboratory analysis. This kind of water
\ncontains more than one million of common bacteria per ml. Worst
\nstill, they contain also E.coli, a sort of bacteria that is
\ncommonly found in human feces. The presence of this bacteria in
\nwater is indicative of contamination with feces. This is a
\nserious violation of the standard for bottled water i.e. SNI-01-
\n3553-1996.<\/p>\n
It is no wonder the water is so heavily contaminated because
\nthe empty used bottles are collected by scavengers from rivers,
\nwaste or trash containers and trash heaps, and are sold or
\ndelivered to non-bona fide bottlers who used them for their
\nproducts. It has happened that the Salmonella bacteria, the cause
\nof typhoid fever, was found in a bottled water product bearing
\none of those inferior brands. Someone who consumes this water is
\nat great risk of getting sick.<\/p>\n
Needless to say that using secondhand PET bottles for the
\nproduction of bottled water is absolutely irresponsible because
\nit is against the law and worst of all, it will expose the
\nconsumers to microbiological and chemical risks which may be
\nhazardous to human health.<\/p>\n
The irresponsible companies that produce bottled water using
\nsecondhand bottles instead of brand new bottles are only
\nconcerned with a big and easy profit, without bothering at all
\nabout the safety of the products and consumers. As an
\nillustration: a new 600 ml PET bottle costs Rp 400, while
\nsecondhand bottles are available for Rp 10 to Rp 20 a piece. So,
\nthey can sell bottled water at a lower price and make enormous
\nprofits.<\/p>\n
This ill practice of using secondhand bottles not only harms
\nthe consumers but also the bottled-water industry as a whole. If
\nsomebody gets sick from drinking such inferior bottled water, the
\nwhole industry will suffer because the only thing that people
\nknow is that somebody fell sick after drinking bottled water.
\nMost consumers do not pay attention to what kind of brand they
\nbuy, let alone the quality.<\/p>\n
We urge consumers to carefully look at the condition of the
\nbottle. Do not buy it if the bottle is very dirty, not clear,
\ndull and suspected of being a secondhand bottle. Very often these
\nproducts are clandestine and, therefore, they do not have a SNI
\nand MD (Depkes Registration number) on their label.<\/p>\n
These unfair and dishonest practices are unlawful and action
\nshould be taken against them because they constitute a danger to
\nthe consumers. To consumers, we would like to suggest once again
\nthat they be cautious and careful when purchasing bottled water
\nproducts. Don't choose a brand only because it is cheap. Your
\nhealth may be at stake.<\/p>\n
DR. RAYMOND CHASPURI<\/p>\n
Head Control Division<\/p>\n
Indonesian Bottled Water Association<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/secondhand-plastic-bottles-dangerous-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }