Plastic Bottle
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A plastic bottle is a
bottle A bottle is a narrow-necked container made of an impermeable material (such as glass, plastic or aluminium) in various shapes and sizes that stores and transports liquids. Its mouth, at the bottling line, can be sealed with an internal ...
constructed from high-density or low density
plastic Plastics are a wide range of synthetic polymers, synthetic or Semisynthesis, semisynthetic materials composed primarily of Polymer, polymers. Their defining characteristic, Plasticity (physics), plasticity, allows them to be Injection moulding ...
. Plastic bottles are typically used to store liquids such as water, soft drinks, motor oil, cooking oil, medicine, shampoo or milk. They range in sizes, from very small bottles to large carboys. Consumer blow molded containers often have integral handles or are shaped to facilitate grasping. Plastic was invented in the nineteenth century and was originally used to replace common materials such as ivory, rubber, and shellac. Plastic bottles were first used commercially in 1947, but remained relatively expensive until the early 1950s when high-density
polyethylene Polyethylene or polythene (abbreviated PE; IUPAC name polyethene or poly(methylene)) is the most commonly produced plastic. It is a polymer, primarily used for packaging (plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes and containers including bott ...
was introduced. They quickly became popular with both manufacturers and customers because compared to
glass bottle Common uses for bottles made from glass include food condiments, soda, liquor, cosmetics, pickling and preservatives; they are occasionally also notably used for the informal distribution of notes. A glass bottle can vary in size considerably, b ...
s, plastic bottles are lighter, cheaper and easier to transport. However, the biggest advantage plastic bottles have over their glass counterparts is their superior resistance to breakage, in both production and transportation. Except for wine and beer, the
food industry The food industry is a complex, global network of diverse businesses that supplies most of the food consumed by the world's population. The food industry today has become highly diversified, with manufacturing ranging from small, traditional, ...
has largely replaced glass bottles with plastic bottles.


Production

The materials used in the manufacture of plastic bottles vary by application.


Petrochemical resins

;
High-density polyethylene High-density polyethylene (HDPE) or polyethylene high-density (PEHD) is a thermoplastic polymer produced from the monomer ethylene. It is sometimes called "alkathene" or " polythene" when used for HDPE pipes. With a high strength-to-density rati ...
(HDPE) :HDPE is the most widely used resin for plastic bottles. This material is economical, impact resistant, and provides a good moisture barrier. HDPE is compatible with a wide range of products including acids and caustics but is not compatible with
solvents A solvent (from the Latin '' solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid. Water is a solvent for p ...
. It is supplied in FDA-approved food grade. HDPE is naturally translucent and flexible. The addition of color will make HDPE opaque, but not glossy. HDPE lends itself to silk screen decoration. While HDPE provides good protection at below freezing temperatures, it cannot be used with products filled above or products requiring a hermetic (vacuum) seal. ;Fluorine-treated HDPE :These bottles are exposed to fluorine gas in a secondary operation, are similar in appearance to HDPE, and serve as a barrier to hydrocarbons and aromatic solvents. Fluorine-treated bottles may contain insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, photographic chemicals,
agricultural chemicals An agrochemical or agrichemical, a contraction of ''agricultural chemical'', is a chemical product used in industrial agriculture. Agrichemical typically refers to biocides (pesticides including insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and nematicid ...
, household and industrial cleaners, electronic chemicals, medical cleaners and solvents, citrus products, d-limonene, flavors, fragrances, essential oils, surfactants, polishes, additives, graffiti cleaning products, pre-emergents, stone and tile care products, waxes, paint thinner, gasoline, biodiesel, xylene, acetone, kerosene and more. ; Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) :LDPE is similar in composition to HDPE. It is less rigid and generally less chemically resistant than HDPE, but is more translucent. LDPE is used primarily for squeeze applications. LDPE is significantly more expensive than HDPE. ;
Polyethylene terephthalate Polyethylene terephthalate (or poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, PETE, or the obsolete PETP or PET-P), is the most common thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in synthetic fibre, fibres for clothing, packaging, conta ...
(PET, PETE) /
Polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain one or two ester linkages in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include some natura ...
:This resin is commonly used for carbonated beverages, water bottles, and food packaging. PET provides very good alcohol and essential oil barrier properties, generally good chemical resistance (although acetones and ketones will attack PET), and a high degree of impact resistance and tensile strength. The orienting process serves to improve gas and moisture barrier properties and impact strength. This material is not resistant at high temperature. Its maximum temperature is . ;
Polycarbonate Polycarbonates (PC) are a group of thermoplastic polymers containing carbonate ester, carbonate groups in their chemical structures. Polycarbonates used in engineering are strong, toughness, tough materials, and some grades are optically transp ...
(PC) :PC is a clear plastic used to make bottles for milk and water. Five-gallon water bottles are a common application of PC. ;
Polypropylene Polypropylene (PP), also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications. It is produced via chain-growth polymerization from the monomer Propene, propylene. Polypropylene belongs to the group of polyolefin ...
(PP) :PP is used primarily for jars and closures. It is rigid and is a barrier to moisture. Polypropylene is stable at temperatures up to . It is autoclavable and offers the potential for steam sterilization. The compatibility of PP with high filling temperatures is responsible for its use with hot fill products. PP has excellent chemical resistance, but provides poor impact resistance in cold temperatures. ;
Polystyrene Polystyrene (PS) is a synthetic polymer made from monomers of the aromatic hydrocarbon styrene. Polystyrene can be solid or foamed. General-purpose polystyrene is clear, hard, and brittle. It is an inexpensive resin per unit weight. It i ...
(PS) :PS is transparent and rigid. It is commonly used with dry products, including vitamins, petroleum jellies, and spices. Polystyrene does not provide good barrier properties, and exhibits poor impact resistance. ;
Polyvinyl chloride Polyvinyl chloride (alternatively: poly(vinyl chloride), colloquial: vinyl or polyvinyl; abbreviated: PVC) is the world's third-most widely produced synthetic polymer of plastic (after polyethylene and polypropylene). About 40 million tons of ...
(PVC) :PVC is naturally clear. It has high resistance to oils and transmits very little oxygen. It provides a strong barrier to most gases, and its drop-impact resistance is also very good. This material is chemically resistant, but it is vulnerable to some solvents. PVC has poor resistance to high temperatures and will distort at , making it incompatible with hot-filled products. It has attained notoriety in recent years due to potential health risks. ;Post-consumer resin (PCR) :PCR is a blend of reclaimed natural HDPE (primarily from milk and water containers) and virgin resin. The recycled material is cleaned, ground and recompounded into uniform pellets along with prime virgin material especially designed to build up environmental stress crack resistance. PCR has no odor but exhibits a slight yellow tint in its natural state. This tint can be hidden by the addition of color. PCR is easily processed and inexpensive. However, it cannot come into direct contact with food or pharmaceutical products. PCR can be produced in a variety of recycled content percentages up to 100%. ;K-Resin (SBC) :SBC is a highly transparent, high-gloss, impact-resistance resin. K-Resin, a styrene derivative, is processed on polyethylene equipment. It is specifically incompatible with fats and unsaturated oils or solvents. This material is frequently used for display and point-of-purchase packaging.


Other materials

;
Bioplastic Bioplastics are plastic materials produced from renewable biomass sources. Timeline of plastic development, Historically, bioplastics made from natural materials like shellac or Celluloid, cellulose had been the first plastics. Since the end of ...
:A bioplastic is a polymer structure based on processed biological materials rather than
petrochemical Petrochemicals (sometimes abbreviated as petchems) are the chemical products obtained from petroleum by refining. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable s ...
s. Bioplastics are commonly made from renewable sources like starch, vegetable oil, and less commonly, chicken feathers. The idea behind bioplastic is to create a plastic that has the ability to biodegrade. ;
Bisphenol A Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound primarily used in the manufacturing of various plastics. It is a colourless solid which is Solubility, soluble in most common organic solvents, but has very poor solubility in water. BPA is produced on a ...
(BPA): :BPA is a synthetic compound that serves as a raw material in the manufacturing of such plastics as polycarbonates and
epoxy resin Epoxy is the family of basic components or cured end products of epoxy resins. Epoxy resins, also known as polyepoxides, are a class of reactive prepolymers and polymers which contain epoxide groups. The epoxide functional group is also co ...
s. It is commonly found in reusable drink containers, food storage containers, canned foods, children's toys and cash register receipts. BPA can seep into food or beverages from containers that are made with BPA. ;
Acrylonitrile Acrylonitrile is an organic compound with the formula and the structure . It is a colorless, volatile liquid. It has a pungent odor of garlic or onions. Its molecular structure consists of a vinyl group () linked to a nitrile (). It is an im ...
:Acrylonitrile is an organic compound and one of the components of ABS plastic. Acrylonitrile bottles were introduced in 1974 by
Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings ...
to replace glass but was banned by the Food and Drug Administration after showing adverse health effects in animal studies.


Concerns

There is ongoing concern as to the use of plastics in consumer
food packaging Food packaging is a packaging system specifically designed for food and represents one of the most important aspects among the processes involved in the food industry, as it provides protection from chemical, biological and physical alterations ...
solutions,
environmental impact Environmental issues are disruptions in the usual function of ecosystems. Further, these issues can be caused by humans ( human impact on the environment) or they can be natural. These issues are considered serious when the ecosystem cannot reco ...
of the disposal of these products, as well as concerns regarding consumer safety. Karin Michaels, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, suggests that toxins leaching from plastics might be related to disorders in humans such as endocrine disruption. Aluminum and cyanide were found as trace elements in the examined samples, which are considered to be toxic elements according to the United States food and drug administration
FDA The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...
. In the United States, plastic water bottles are regulated by the
FDA The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...
which also inspects and samples bottled water plants periodically. Plastic water bottle plants hold a low priority for inspection due to a continuously good safety record. In the past, the FDA maintained that there was a lack of human data showing plastics pose health problems. However, in January 2010, the FDA reversed its opinion saying they now have concerns about health risks. It is a common misconception that drinking from plastic water bottles increases cancer risk; there is no such risk.


Microplastics

An article published on 6 November 2017 in Water Research reported on the content of
microplastics Microplastics are "synthetic solid particles or polymeric matrices, with regular or irregular shape and with size ranging from 1 μm to 5 mm, of either primary or secondary manufacturing origin, which are insoluble in water." Microplastics a ...
in mineral waters packed in plastic or glass bottles, or beverage cartons. In 2018, research conducted by Sherri Mason from the State University of New York in Fredonia revealed the presence of polypropylene, polystyrene, nylon and polyethylene terephthalate microparticles in plastic bottles. Polypropylene was hereby found to be the most common polymeric material (54%) and nylon the second most abundant (16%) polymeric material. The study also mentioned that polypropylene and polyethylene are polymers that are often used to make plastic
bottle cap A bottle cap or bottle top is a common closure for the top opening of a bottle. A cap is sometimes colorfully decorated with the logo of the brand of contents. Metal caps with plastic backing are used for glass bottles, sometimes wrapped in dec ...
s. Also, 4% of retrieved plastic particles were found to have signatures of industrial lubricants coating the polymer. The research was reviewed by Andrew Mayes of the University of East Anglia (UEA) School of Chemistry The European Food Safety Authority suggested most microplastics are excreted by the body, however the UN Food and Agriculture Organization warned that it is possible that the smallest particles (< 1.5 μm) could enter the bloodstream and organs, via the intestinal wall. Microplastics have been observed to cross the blood-brain barrier, found in semen, testes, and placenta tissue.


Labelling

Plastic bottles are marked at their base with the
resin identification code The Resin Identification Code (RIC) is a technical standard with a set of symbols appearing on plastic products that identify the Synthetic resin, plastic resin out of which the product is made. It was developed in 1988 by the Society of the P ...
to indicate the material used. Product labels are attached with adhesive or are shrunk to fit. In-mould labelling is a process of building the label into the bottle during molding.


Speciality types


Collapsible bottle

An accordion bottle or collapsible bottle is a plastic bottle designed to store
darkroom A darkroom is used to process photographic film, make Photographic printing, prints and carry out other associated tasks. It is a room that can be made completely dark to allow the processing of light-sensitive photographic materials, including ...
chemicals or any other chemical that is highly susceptible to
oxidation Redox ( , , reduction–oxidation or oxidation–reduction) is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of the reactants change. Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is ...
. They work by being able to squeeze down to remove excess air from the bottle to extend the life of the product. An alternate benefit is minimizing storage, transportation, or disposal space when the bottle is empty or as the content is being dispersed, for example with water bottles used by hikers. Collapsing can also keep foods fresher.


Carbonated drinks bottles

Bottles, used for storing
carbonated water Carbonated water is water containing dissolved carbon dioxide gas, either artificially injected under pressure, or occurring due to natural geological processes. Carbonation causes small bubbles to form, giving the water an effervescent quali ...
and
soft drink A soft drink (see #Terminology, § Terminology for other names) is a class of non-alcoholic drink, usually (but not necessarily) Carbonated water, carbonated, and typically including added Sweetness, sweetener. Flavors used to be Natural flav ...
s, has an uneven bottom for stability reasons. The technology was developed and
patent A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an sufficiency of disclosure, enabling discl ...
ed by Domas Adomaitis in 1971. Although carbonated soda bottles were designed for holding beverages, they have been used for other purposes. For example, in poor countries, empty two-liter soda bottles have been reused as an improvised
personal flotation device A personal flotation device (PFD; also referred to as a life jacket, life preserver, life belt, Mae West, life vest, life saver, cork jacket, buoyancy aid or flotation suit) is a flotation device in the form of a vest or suit that is worn by a u ...
to prevent
drowning Drowning is a type of Asphyxia, suffocation induced by the submersion of the mouth and nose in a liquid. Submersion injury refers to both drowning and near-miss incidents. Most instances of fatal drowning occur alone or in situations where othe ...
.


See also

*
Bottle wall A bottle wall is a wall made out of Glass Bottles, glass or plastic bottles and binding material. Bottle wall construction This is a building construction style which usually uses glass bottles (although mason jars, glass jug (container), jugs ...
* Boil-in-bag * Drink can *
Glass bottle Common uses for bottles made from glass include food condiments, soda, liquor, cosmetics, pickling and preservatives; they are occasionally also notably used for the informal distribution of notes. A glass bottle can vary in size considerably, b ...
* In-mould labelling * List of bottle types, brands and companies *
Packaging Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of designing, evaluating, and producing packages. Packaging can be described as a coo ...
*
Plastic pollution Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles (e.g. plastic bottles, bags and microbeads) in the Earth's environment that adversely affects humans, wildlife and their habitat. Plastics that act as pollutants are catego ...
* PET bottle recycling * Society of the Plastics Industry *
Squeeze bottle A squeeze bottle is a type of container such as a plastic bottle for dispensing a fluid, that is powered by compression (physical), squeezing the container by exerting pressure with the user's hand. Its fundamental characteristic is that manual ...
* Tetra Brik * Wash bottle * Windowfarm * History of bottle recycling in the United States


References


Books

* Soroka, W. (2002). ''Fundamentals of Packaging Technology''. IoPP. * Yam, K. L. (2009). ''Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology''. 978-0-470-0870


External links


A guide to UPC label use on plastic bottles including printing
(archived)
PET Plastic Recycling
{{authority control Bottles Materials Plastics applications Containers Packaging Mass production