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So many know that single use plastic water bottles break down with repeated use. Well the other day, I decided to buy a reusable water bottle. I am on a budget and picked up a Nike Hyperfuel 32oz. Its composition is 60% low density polyethylene/30% polypropylene/10% thermoplastic elastomer.

I bought with a little hesitation to be honest cause I have this fear since it’s plastic that it will break down and I will ingest tiny plastic particles even if it’s not severe as the single use ones. Any chemistry gurus out there that can tell me whether or not this type of plastics are susceptible to water break down?

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  • Hello and welcome! I think this question is a good fit for this site, however there's a chance you might get some better answers over on Chemistry.SE.
    – LShaver ♦
    Jan 8, 2019 at 17:27
  • Related (but different) questions: Sustainability of steel versus plastic bottles and Leak proof water bottles?
    – THelper
    Jan 9, 2019 at 7:36
  • The amount of plastic microparticles/molecules you ingest from a reusable plastic bottle will be in the same order of magnitude as from a single use bottle.
    – user2451
    Feb 13, 2019 at 9:52

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Drinking from this bottle probably will not cause any measurable health effects.

Realistically, any material will experience wear. This means you will be drinking some amount of plastic regardless of the chosen material. Both LDPE and PP degrade from UV exposure so keeping it out of the sun is a good idea. Both polymers have low melting temperatures so I would not put hot liquids inside. The elastomer is probably on the outside of the bottle.

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