Is it safe to reuse SOLO brand plastic drinking cups for drinking
water only, and without washing or cleaning between uses??

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 28 Nov 2004 11:18 PST

Are the cups to be reused by the same people who used them the first
time, or are they being redistributed?

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Clarification of Question by mob1948-ga on 28 Nov 2004 12:17 PST

Yes, they are being used by the same people. My husband and I use them
in the bathroom for drinking cups.  I replace the used ones about once
a week

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Clarification of Question by mob1948-ga on 28 Nov 2004 13:17 PST

I have read a lot about the dangers in reusing plastic water bottles. 
To quote from one article:

"The chemical problem is connected to the type of plastic used in
making the water bottle and how the plastic water bottle is handled by
consumers. Plastics are petroleum products. When bottled water
plastics are not handled properly, potentially carcinogenic compounds
may leach out of the bottle plastic into the drinking water."

My concern is that SOLO cups are perhaps made out of the same material
as plastic water bottles.

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Clarification of Question by mob1948-ga on 28 Nov 2004 17:13 PST

The cups are clear plastic - 9oz size.  It looks like the recycle code
on the bottom is 1.  The letters PETE are just below the recycle code.
 And then below that is the number 58.  Not sure is that is relevant
or not.

Appreciate your input.

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 28 Nov 2004 17:45 PST

PETE is polyethylene terephthalate. I'll be glad to research the
safety aspects of this type of plastic for you, if that would be
satisfactory as an answer.

I once had a house guest who was very fastidious, and rather phobic
about germs. When she saw me reusing my drinking glass in the bathroom
she blanched and said "What? You're going to use that again without
sterilizing it?"

The next time I happened to see her in the bathroom reaching for her
toothbrush, I said to her, "What? You're going to use that again
without sterilizing it?"

Although both drinking utensils and toothbrushes might harbor
bacteria, it seems to me that if the person who was the initial source
of the bacteria is reusing these implements, no new bacteria are
likely to be introduced to that person's mouth. We reuse things like
toothbrushes and lip balms without a thought. I doubt that a plastic
drinking cup would be that different.

I'd misunderstood your concern.

Regarding the possible carcinogenic properties of certain plastics,
the safety of reusing the cup will depend upon exactly what kind of
plastic the cup is made from. Look for the recycling code number (it
should be either on the cup itself or on the package). Here's some
useful info:

"Plastics are assorted by the recycling code that is most often found
on the bottom side of the bowl or bottle. They have been categorized
into two categories. The first category includes plastics where
conclusive testing has been done to show that they leeched. This
includes the polycarbonate plastic mentioned earlier. This category
includes recycle #3, which contains 'plasticizer', a component thought
to cause cancer and other health problems, (includes Reynolds and
cling wraps, 64 oz Wesson cooking oil, and Appalachian Mountain Spring
water to name a few); #6, which is best known in its inflated form as
Styrofoam, and its non-inflated form as disposable cups and bowls; and
#7, which includes children's 'sippy' cups, 5-gallon water bottles,
and even dental sealant.

Although many feel there are no 'safe' plastics, recycle codes #1, #2,
#4 and #5 are still available."

http://www.islamonline.net/english/science/2003/09/article18.shtml

A friend of mine who used to work in a plastic-extrusion plant says
that he thinks your Solo cup is likely to be made of polystyrene, if
it is opaque. If so, that's good news: it's one of the safer plastics.
Let me know if you find a recycling code, and I'll be glad to do more
research for you.

>If so, that's good news: it's [polystyrene] one of the safer plastics.

According to the original article, quoted in the Islam Online article,
it's not: http://www.ecologycenter.org/iptf/toxicity/mothersandothers.html

Do you store water in the cups; or just drink from them? If you're not
storing water in them, you should be safe. Leaching occurs over time,
and is influenced by heat and sunlight.

:-) As2O3

The comment by arsenic is correct: polystyrene isn't all that safe. I
was quoting my friend who worked in the plastics industry. I guess
"safe" is a relative term. ;-)

Thanks to all of you for the information.  As I said, it looks like a
recycling code of 1.  The cups are clear but water is not stored in
them  They are left on the counter and there is direct sunlight in the
room.  Could you clarify the implications of heat and sunlight as far
as leaching is concerned?  Thanks

PETE is listed as a "safe plastic" in the article, so there shouldn't
be any problems:-)

(Although I tend to agree with pinkfreuds friend, the minute amounts
of harmful substances that *might* leach from plastic are safe
compared to the sometimes large amounts of harmful chemicals from
other sources.)

:-) As2O3

>Could you clarify the implications of heat and sunlight as far
as leaching is concerned?

Heat and sunlight accelerates the degredation of plastics, and thus
releases more of the additives (plastizisers and softeners). A bottle
made from the wrong kind of plastic, filled with water, and put in the
sun on a hot day *may contain* undesirable levels of chemicals that
are suspected to be harmful.

PETE, the plastic your SOLO cups are made from, does not contain any
of the possibly harmful additives, so even if the cups are exposed to
direct sunlight, no leaching would occur. If you want to be perfectly
safe, I would reccomend rinsing the cup with some water before you use
it. This way you can eliminate the risk of harmful substances being
present, and also rinse away any bacteria and dust.

:-) As2O3

I should perhaps have added that my comments are based on memory, and
a brief read-thru of the article pinkfreud provided; so please let her
properly research this question:-)

Reassuring information.  But why are there so  many warnings about
reusing Plastic bottles from bottled water?  According to what I read,
those bottles are also made from the same kind of Plastic as the Solo
cups.

is microwaving food in plastic containers to be avoided under all
circumstances?  Are there any safe plastic containers you can use to
store food and then microwave to re-heat?