What can you do to still have a regular supply of pure water and not go wild on the plastic containers in the form of dozens of bottles of water it often comes in?

Concerned about the Environmental Impact of Bottled Water? Go Green with Bottled Water Delivery and Proactive Recycling

Learn How Bottled Water Delivery and Recycling Plastic Bottles Can Help the Environment

With all of the recent environmental concern about bottled water and recycling plastic bottles, you may be wondering how you can get the pure taste of bottled water that you love without impacting Mother Earth.

Bottled water delivery is one approach to greener living that consumers are taking advantage of more and more. The majority of the larger bottled water containers that are used in bottled water delivery services can be sanitized and reused, and when they can no longer be used, they can be recycled by the water delivery provider. Another approach is to go green by recycling plastic bottles from single-serve containers as well as encouraging friends and co-workers to recycle.

Going Green with Bottled Water Delivery

Throughout the United States many consumers and businesses are electing to purchase bottled drinking water instead of tap or well water, whether from the grocery store in single-serve containers or from a bottled water delivery service. The trend is clearly on the rise. A recent study of the bottled water industry indicates that U.S. bottled water sales and consumption continue to multiply at double digit rates as consumers and businesses increasingly choose bottled water as a beverage of choice

With this notable increase in bottled water sales has come increasing concern about the impact of plastic bottles on the environment.

Contrary to what the general public often believes, the bottled water industry was among the first to begin recycling plastic bottles. The industry was founded by utilizing the reusable container system of the Home and Office (HOD) delivery segment. The bottled water that is provided by bottled water delivery services typically comes in 3 or 5-gallon bottles that can be used by the consumer, then picked up by the water bottle provider, sanitized, sterilized, repackaged, and sent back to the consumer.

The exact number of times that these bottles can be reused varies, depending on where the bottles are stored and how much they are handled, but oftentimes they can be used for several years. These bottles can be delivered to your home or office and they can also be purchased at major retail locations.

Bottled water offers a healthy alternative to other beverages that container sugar and calories, and home and office bottled water delivery offers ease and convenience to consumers and businesses. The quality of product and service offerings in the marketplace differs significantly. Therefore, it is beneficial to the consumer to investigate any potential bottled water supplier with care. Bottled water delivery companies work hard to protect the environment, and urge those that enjoy their products to do the same.

Consumers’ Role in Going Green

The qualities spurring bottled water’s growth are clear.

Toxic BPA plastics are being replaced by safer alternatives such as PET plastic

Many consumers recognize it to be healthy and safe although some would still argue that it is not. The debate is still open. Some argue that tap water is safe and others claim it is not.

So, you may be wondering how you can continue to enjoy your favorite bottled water while lessening the impact on the environment. There are many actions we can take to reduce the amount of waste we generate or that we send to the landfill. Making recycling plastic bottles a habit and promoting recycling at home and in the office is a huge step towards going green. Challenge yourself, as well as your family and friends, to see how much waste you can reduce from your weekly curbside pickup.

Did you know that 100% of bottled water containers are recyclable, where facilities exist? Take advantage of your community’s recycling program, if one is available. For consumers that have recycling programs available through their municipality or locality, check your local phonebook to contact them and learn about recycling programs in your community and how to obtain the curbside recycling bins.

Recycling Programs

Recycling program guidelines differ depending on the area, so check with the local recycler regarding specific expectations and preparation of the materials. Here are some general guidelines:

• Separate caps, lids, or easily removable labels from the plastic prior to recycling plastic bottles.

• Rinse containers

• Step on the bottle or container to reduce its volume before placing it in your recycling container

If you are not currently using a bottled water delivery service, recycling should be encouraged away from home as well. To obtain specialized recycling bins that are made for the office, church, school or special events, contact your local recycler.

A note of caution – although it is tempting, refilling single-serve water bottles with tap water and reusing them repeatedly is not recommended due to potential sanitation concerns. Continually refilling these water bottles with tap water, without cleaning or sanitizing the bottles in between can introduce harmful bacteria to the water that should not be consumed. Recycling plastic bottles or using a bottled water delivery service that sanitizes bottles and then recycles them is a much better alternative for you, your family and the environment.

Conclusion

Amid concerns of the impact of bottled water on the environment, it is time to step up and take action to go green. There are several options that enable you to continue to enjoy the benefits of bottled water while lessening the impact it has on the environment. Taking advantage of a bottled water delivery service at home and in the office, as well as promoting and recycling plastic bottles, are two ways in which you can go green.

References

International Bottle Water Association Press Release dated April 13, 2006; http://www.bottledwater.org

By Joseph Silva Published  11/6/2007  Food & Drink , Environment

About the Author
Joseph Silva is the Director of Marketing for DS Waters. DS Waters is a bottled water manufacturer and distributor of Alhambra®, Belmont Springs®, Crystal Springs®, Hinckley Springs®, Kentwood Springs®, Sierra Springs®, and Sparkletts®. For more information on home or office water delivery, visit Water.com

Got Water?

When is the last time you bought bottled water? Why did you do that? You just paid a dollar for something that comes out of your tap for free. In the States, the water that comes out of the faucet is totally safe. Here, it is not. 

Water Filtration: Safe Drinking Water from Thin Air

Anyone who has ever tasted “plasticy” bottled water or chlorinated tap water will know that taste is the real test of any filtration system. Dewpointe claims that its water is more pure than anything you’ll get out of your tap

Contaminated Drinking Water in Our Schools

Roughly one of every five schools with its own water supply violated the Safe Drinking Water Act in the past decade, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency analyzed by the AP. In California’s farm belt, wells at some schools are so tainted with pesticides that students have taken to stuffing their backpacks with bottled water for fear of getting sick from the drinking fountain. 

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Polywood outdoor furniture is attractive, durable and easy to maintain and is becoming more popular than regular light plastic furniture

Plastic versus Polywood: don’t know the difference? Well keep reading.

Plastic outdoor patio furniture

Plastic outdoor patio furniture that so many of us are accustomed to seeing at the local home improvement store or even at the local super market is lightweight.

It goes swimming every time the wind blows and is easily broken. You will find plastic outdoor furniture only available in white or green that I have seen. Did I mention that quite often it needs to be replaced every year due to the chalky film that develops after a couple of months in the hot sun?

Poly outdoor furniture

Poly outdoor furniture, on the other hand, is a High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic which is made from recycled milk jugs, bottles and containers. The HDPE plastic is then formed into typical wood profiles that will later be cut, drilled and screwed into sustainable outdoor furniture, decking, and a variety of commercial uses that are built to last a lifetime. Poly outdoor furniture is weighty and will withstand the north wind blowing as the lightest adirondack chair is weighing in at about forty pounds.

There are now several poly lumber furniture manufacturers taking the outdoor patio furniture market by storm.

The company on the leading edge is Poly-Wood outdoor furniture which is a name brand for recycled poly lumber furniture. PolyWood outdoor furniture may cost you more initially however is a far wiser investment when you consider the longevity of the outdoor furniture and the virtually maintenance free qualities.

Poly-Wood outdoor furniture is backed by a manufacturers warranty which promises that it will not rust, split or splinter. PolyWood outdoor furniture uses commercial grade stainless steel with an additional ‘Xylan’ protective and cosmetic coating. All these features intentionally planned to create sustainable outdoor furniture built to last a lifetime.

Poly-Wood outdoor furniture is available in a wide variety of styles from the timeless Nautical collection to the Long Island and South Beach Collections, to the stylish Chippendale Collection and let me not forget the Adirondack Collection.

Adirondack

All of these collections will handsomely complement any outdoor environment. You will find the classic Adirondack chair in several styles and a minimum of six traditional colors and six bright, vivid colors. Also, you can find Traditional Benches, Rockers, Gliders, Dining and Bistro Tables, Dining Chairs and Bistro Chairs and Swings all made out of sustainable PolyWood outdoor furniture.

New styles and collections are being added each year. New this year is the Rockford Collection which features a high back vertical slat design available in three different size benches a Dining Side Chair and a Dining Arm Chair. Also, taking the market by storm is the Presidential Rocker Series the Jefferson Rocker and the Kennedy Rocker. Both available in the polywood we have come to trust.

In the end you need to decide whether you are interested in sustainable PolyWood heavy duty outdoor furniture for a lifetime of enjoyment that will withstand high winds and blazing sun. Or you can go with lightweight plastic furniture that will blow in the breeze, chalk and crack after a few years of use and then be tossed aside to further fill our overflowing landfills.

By Donna Reed. Donna Reed is an active environmentalist associated with Green Peace and the Sierra Club. Her focus on environmental issues has turned to the recycling industry and products that are made from recycled plastics. Polywood and Polywood Products save millions of pounds of plastic from landing in our ever growing landfills each year and have caught her eye with their environmentally friendly advantages! Donna is currently working with Premium Poly Patios to help make the public aware of the environmental benefits of this Eco-Friendly Furniture.

Article Source: ArticleSnatch Free Article Directory

Check out these opther blog posts on recycled plastic furniture…

Polywood Patio Furniture

There has been a large surge in interest for patio furniture in the last few years. We are all trying to get a little bit more back to nature.

Recycled wood furniture

PolyWood Terrace Furniture offers these consumers an earth-friendly alternative to conventional area furnishings. PolyWood, a Dominating Denseness Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic, is made from 100% recycled materials such as bottles 

Polywood wood-plastic patio furniture

Anyone looking for outdoor garden furniture should seriously consider polywood patio furniture. the fef quality of poly wood garden furniture is second to none. it is extremely durable and is becoming extremely popular.

Technorati Tags: Adirondack, bottles, collection, furniture, garden, outdoor, patio, plastic, Poly-Wood, recycled

In times of emergency we may realize that clean water is of prime importance

Then we start to look for places or containers to store it. It is here that we must be careful what we use.

How Not to Store Water

In an emergency survival situation, you may be tempted to store water in any available container.

However, when you can, plan for emergency water storage, your water storage options can be better defined. Let’s start with what not to store water in:

• Containers that can’t be sealed tightly
• Containers that can break, such as glass bottles
• Containers that have ever held any toxic substance
• Plastic milk cartons or bottles
• Hard plastic bottles made with polycarbonate plastics and identified by the #7 recycling symbol
• Used pre-packaged water bottles

Any containers that can not be sealed tightly are not a good choice for water storage as contaminants may easily enter the container. While glass bottles are easily cleaned and may seal well, their breakability and weight make them to be less desirable for emergency water storage use.

Obviously, you would not intentionally store water in any container that previously held a toxic substance. Such substances can not be adequately cleaned from the walls of the container. If you don’t know what was in a particular container – it should not be used. The biggest problem with plastic milk cartons is their inability to be resealed, plus they are difficult to clean and break down over time.

We now know that hard plastic bottles made with polycarbonate plastics and identified by the #7 recycling symbol, may leach BPA (Bisphenol A) and should not be used for water storage. The type of plastic bottle in which water is usually sold is generally a #1, and is recommended for one time use only. Do not refill these pre-packaged water bottles.

It is plastics made with BPA, used for example for baby bottles and plastic dishes that are used in the microwave that need to be avoided

Not all plastics are harmful however so it is a good idea to become aware of which ones are safe

Protect your world by making a plan for your home, business and school.

Choose the right emergency preparedness supplies

Safe plastics

• PET plastics: examples include some soft drink, water and sports  bottles and jam jars.They are not known to leach any toxic chemicals

• High density polyethylene or HDPE for short and Polypropylene are plastic containers used for water, juice, ketchup and milk bottles, margarine and yoghurt tubs, rubbish bags and grocery shopping bags.There is no evidence of these containers leaching any cancer causing chemicals

• Low-density polyethylene  such as frozen food bags is not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer

How to Store Water

Refill your emergency water storage container with tap water. You should dump and refill each container every 6 months to keep it fresh.

TIP: Using a garden hose to fill containers from an exterior hose bib can result in water that has a distinct plastic or rubbery taste. Instead, try using a potable water hose found at most RV service centers.

All public water supplies are already treated and should be free of harmful bacteria. However, as an additional precaution, it is recommended that you add 5-7 drops, about 1/8 teaspoon, of chlorine bleach per gallon of water stored. This precaution protects you against any lingering organisms in storage containers that may have been inadvertently missed during the cleaning process.

Water preserver Concentrate

You may also extend the storage life of your water by using a product called Water Preserver™ Concentrate.

This is a liquid additive that disinfects, preserves and extends the safe storage life of emergency drinking water. Water Preserver™ provides 5-year storage guaranteed for regular tap water or commercial bottled water. Water Preserver™ kills and prevents the re-growth of Coliform bacteria and other disease-causing microorganisms for 5 years, when used as directed. Water Preserver™ kills the pathogenic organisms responsible for typhoid, dysentery and other serious diseases, and also kills and prevents growth of yeast, mold, fungi and algae which also make water undrinkable.

Do not store your emergency water supply in the attic due to the potential for excessive floor loading (water weighs 8.3 lb/gallon) and leakage. Don’t stack containers over 2 high and secure them from falling over, especially in earthquake zones.

If possible, store emergency water in a cool dark place. To increase the shelf-life of water stored in translucent containers, group the containers together in dark plastic bags to keep out the light.

Store your water supply away from gasoline, kerosene, pesticides, or similar substances that give off vapors.

Recommended Water Storage Containers

Plastic water bottles are very convenient for carrying water around when we are on the go, as they don’t break if we drop them. However, it is worth paying attention to the type of plastic your water bottle is made of, to ensure that the chemicals in the plastic do not leach into the water. To be certain that you are choosing a bottle that does not leach chemicals, check the recycling symbol on the bottle. If it has a #1, #2 HDPE (high density polyethylene), a #4 LDPE (low density polyethylene), or a #5 PP (polypropylene), your bottle is fine.

Survival quantities of water can be purchased in small single-use packages including juice boxes and pouches. Such water is packaged with a 5 year shelf-life as approved by the U. S. Coast Guard. Larger quantities of water may be stored safely in approved containers such as 2 gallon plastic bags, 5 gallon containers or 55 gallon barrels. A key consideration with larger containers is the inability to move them or carry them very far once they are full.

Cleaning Water Storage Containers

Assuming you are using an approved storage container as noted above, follow the steps below to clean your container.

Step 1: Drain all water from your emergency storage container. Keep in mind, you do not have to throw this water away, it can be used to water plants, the lawn, or even give the dog a bath.

Step 2: Mix dish washing soap and clean water and pour into your storage container. Agitate the container so that the soap and water mixture hits all of the cracks and crevices and internal surfaces including the cap or pour spout.

Step 3: Thoroughly rinse your water storage container several times with clean tap water to remove any soap residue.

Step 4: Mix a solution of 4 cups water and 1 tablespoon of chlorine bleach (with 5.25% – 6% sodium hypochlorite as an active ingredient) for every gallon of water your storage container holds.

WARNING: Do not use scented or “color safe” bleach products. Liquid bleach loses strength over time. If the bleach is a year old, double the amount to 2 tablespoons. Two year old bleach should not be used. Bleach should be stored out of direct sunlight and away from heat to avoid deterioration.

Step 5: Pour the bleach solution into the container and close the top of the container and shake it, roll it and swish the solution around in the container until it has been well rinsed Allow the solution to sit in the bottom of the container for at least thirty minutes. This solution will clean several containers.

Step 6: Open the container and pour the solution into the next container, assuming it is the same size. Repeat the rinsing action described in Step 5. When done, dispose of the bleach solution in a load of white laundry in your washing machine.

Step 7: Thoroughly rinse the container(s) several times with clean tap water. If any algae or discoloration is visible, do not reuse the container.

Dangers of Water Storage

If water is stored improperly (in heat, lid not tight, outside air comes in contact with the water, etc.), or if the freshness/expiration date is exceeded, the water may become contaminated.

Vapors from gasoline, kerosene, pesticides, paint or similar substances can permeate Polyethylene plastic containers (water, milk, and bleach bottles) and affect the water quality. Thick-walled polyethylene containers are significantly less permeable to such vapors.

Stored water may eventually develop a disagreeable appearance, taste, or odor. A lot of times people will refer to stored water “tasting flat.” This condition can generally be resolved by pouring the water from one container to another, back and forth about three or four times to aerate the water.

Public water agencies don’t chemically treat drinking water with the intent of keeping it preserved forever. While Chloramine is a good preservative, public drinking water is not designed to have a long shelf-life. When you pour water into a container, don’t assume it will last forever.

Author: Jim Serre

Copyright © 2009 GetReadyGear.com

Jim Serre has over 30 years of engineering, safety and corporate training experience. He is an Office of Emergency Services qualified Search & Rescue Unit member in two northern California counties. He has provided Emergency Training to thousands of citizens in neighborhoods, businesses and faith-based groups and is a certified instructor for FEMA’s Community Emergency Response Team training. His knowledge of survival and preparedness skills make him uniquely qualified to design emergency kits that can save your life. For more emergency preparedness information see his website at www.getreadygear.com.

Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_780467_27.html

Protect your world by making a plan for your home, business and school.

Choose the right emergency preparedness supplies

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Technorati Tags: bottles, buy, clear, container, containers, drink, drinking, empty, plastic, refilling, storage, used, water

For small businesses that offer bottled products, custom labels are needed to compete with the big boys. In the past, it wasn”t a big deal to apply labels on the container without the use of a bottle label applicator because the demand for bottles was light and manageable.

But then the demand for your product increased which led to more work and less time. So with the help of a bottle label machine you can apply more labels on the bottle with less time. Bottle labeling applicator is a revolutionary machine perfect for small business owner. You can get manual bottle labeler machine which is used to label wide range of bottles from a small pharmaceutical bottle to a large gallon jug. Features of Manual Bottle label applicator are easy to operate, light and portable and exact label placement.

Bottle Labelers are used to label water bottles or any other cylindrical objects. It is very easy to use a bottle labeler machine, simply insert the cylindrical container and press the foot switch. Once the foot switch is on, it will just take 4.5 per second to label a container.

Most water bottles are labeled in less than 2 seconds. As the process is very quick and simple, a user can remove the bottle and insert another in less than one minute. Once the rhythm is established bottles will be labeled very quickly. Many online stores provide a guarantee for bottle labeling machines. If you are not happy with their service you can return back their machine within a few weeks. Bottle labeling machines can label test tube size up to 1.5 gallon bottle. Label cylinders are 15″ length. If a person manually does label work, he may insert only 100 to 200 labels in water bottles within 1 hour. But if you use bottle labeling machine more than 1000 labels can be inserted in one hour.

Bottle labeling machines are suitable for labeling bottles of different shapes, sizes and material such as glass and plastic. There are various types of bottle labeling machine such as Wrap-Around, Top/Bottom and Front & Back Bottle labeling machine. Certain features of labeling machine are it is user friendly, constructed of stainless steel and aluminum alloy for rust-free performance.

A Label Dispenser is used to label Ampoules, Glass bottles, Pet bottles, Tins, Pouches, Cassettes, Floppy Disk, Square box, Containers, Syringes etc. Label applicator are used in various industries like food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, personal care products, electronics, Health care, Agriculture, Pesticides, FMCG Distribution, logistics, handling etc.

Alex powell is an expert author, who is presently working on the site label dispenser He has written many articles in various topics. For more information about bottle label applicators. Visit our site bottle-labeler.com/

Article Source: ArticleSnatch Free Article Directory

Technorati Tags: applicator, automatic, bottle, containers, label, labeler, labelers, labeling, labeller, labelling, maker, plastic, printer, water

Well, that may be over simplifying it, but containers go a long way when you have an organizing dilemma. Do not go out and just start buying containers thinking then you will be organized. Containers can become clutter too. Here are eleven tips to help you select and use the right container in your home.

Measure the space where you are going to put the container. Measure the height, width and depth. Make a note of the room you will use it in. When you go to the store remember to take these measurements with you. It is so exciting to see all the containers that stores offer you may forget why you are there and buy containers you don’t need.

Consider where it will be used and buy accordingly. If it is going to be out of site, in a storage room or in the garage buy the heavy duty containers rather than those purchased for their looks as well as for their purpose.

Buy containers that can be stacked on top of each other for storage. These would be heavy plastic, or they could be clear plastic bins if heavy items aren’t going to be stored in them.

If you are going to store items like food or water either at home as plastic water storage tanks, drinking water containers, or as an  office water cooler look on the bottom of the container where there is a number in a triangle. Plastic containers with #3 and above are safe to store food items in. Numbers 7 & 8 are best. A plastic container lower than a #3 will leak toxins.

>> Get A Top Drinking Water Filter System Here!

To store china or other breakable dishes use plastic padded containers. They come with dividers for cups as well. After putting the china in the containers then place in a hard plastic tub for extra protection if you plan on moving. The china containers cost about $20.00 for the round ones. There are also boxes ideal for square plates. They sell for about $30.00.

Glass containers are great for the kitchen as they don’t pit and discolor. Glass is not recommended for the bathroom in the tub/shower area because it is breakable.

Linens, quilts, or blankets should not be stored for a long period of time (Over one year) in plastic. There are cloth bags on the market for these items. Plastic sweats which can cause fabric to rot.

Baskets made of bamboo, or wicker are ideal to be used anywhere in the home as they are attractive and functional. They can be cleaned by wiping with a damp cloth. They can be used for magazines, books, crafts, to give as gifts or to package gifts in as part of the gift.

Containers for seasonal storage can be color coded. Red/green for Christmas, pink for Easter/spring, blue for snowmen/winter, red for summer/4th of July, orange/black for Halloween or Thanksgiving. It is easy to pick the right bin for the right holiday when the bins are color coded.

Cloth containers are ideal for clothing, if storing a valuable dress such as a wedding dress, formal or other type of clothing ties rather than a zipper are best as the zipper can rust and it can get on the clothing.

Use containers to organize all drawers from the bedroom to resource drawers. The purpose of containers is to contain-drawers will stay neat and tidy when there are limits to what can go in them and where the item is to stay.

Before buying any container look around your home and see if you can use containers in other ways than originally purchased. Such as; a jar for buttons, a tin that held mints for change in the car, the plastic zippered bag that sheets came in can be used for craft projects, let your imagination run wild. Do not buy a container just because it is cute or pretty. And don’t buy because it is on sale and you think you might be able to use it someday, unless you use it, it has the potential to just become more clutter.

Marilyn Bohn’s Bio

Marilyn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and is working towards becoming a Certified Professional Organizer. Professionally she has been organizing homes and offices for over two years. She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Marilyn invites you to visit her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.

Originally published on SearchWarp.com for Marilyn Bohn Monday, April 07, 2008
Article Source: Eleven Tips to Know Before Buying a Container

Technorati Tags: container, containers, drinking water, office, plastic, storage, tanks, water, water cooler

Plastic is a substance which is becoming more and more common in our society each day. It is inexpensive to produce, easy to mold into virtually any form, can be hard or soft and offers an impressive lifespan.

While plastic offers many benefits it is our inability as a society to effectively recycle plastic combined with its high environmental cost that make it so dangerous.

I Thought We Recycled All Our Used Plastic

While the annual plastic resin production in the United States has been on the rise since the 1970s, in the past 20 years plastic production has doubled, only 3 to 5 percent of plastics are actually recycled. According to a recent best Life Magazine article, we can expect yearly plastic resin production in the United States to reach 120 billion lbs by 2010.

The Problem With Recycling Plastic

While there are seven different types, one being “other,” of plastic that are commonly used – only two have much of a secondary life. At least PET, commonly used in soda bottles, and HDPE, commonly used in milk jugs, offer some sort of real recyclable value.

Doesn’t Plastic Eventually Biodegrade?

The short answer is – “No.” Unlike many other materials plastic does not biodegrade – instead it photodegrades. When plastic photodegrades it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic instead of splitting into simpler compounds. In our oceans the small bits of plastic created through photodegradation are actually called mermaid tears or nurdles.

Managing our Plastic Addiction

With new plastic being churned out at an estimated rate of 328 million lbs a day by 2010 – it seems like an overwhelming addiction. How do we manage this addiction? By reducing our usage of plastic and by recycling and reusing the plastic we already have. As consumers we can actively chose products in paper and glass packaging and we can choose not to purchase over-packaged items – this in turn will force manufacturers to make changes.

Understanding Recycling Symbols

Recycling symbols can be separated into two groups; “recycled” and “recyclable.” The use of “recycled” and “recyclable” are both governed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC provides guidelines for their use in the document “Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims.”

• http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/grnrule/guides980427.htm

While the FTC governs these standards in the United States, on an international level the standards are defined in the ISO 14021: Environmental Labels and Declarations-Self-declared Environmental Claims. You can find the ISO standard here:

• http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm? csnumber=34425

Plastic recycling symbols were originally created in 1988 by the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI). Like the FTC and ISO, SPI provides a guide for proper usage of the symbols.

• http://www.plasticsindustry.org/outreach/recycling/2124.htm

In January 1995, thirty-nine US states adopted legislation requiring the use of the SPI number codes.

Recycled Plastic Symbols and Numbers

Plastic items that have been recycled will bear the recycled symbol on them. The symbol should be as close to the bottom center of the product as possible. Inside the symbol you should find a number which indicates what type of plastic it is. The following is a list of numbers and the types of plastic they indicate:

1. PET/PETE or Polyethylene Terephthalate. PET is a “thermoplastic polymer resin” and is commonly used in synthetic fibers, beverage, food and other liquid containers. PET is also used in both thermoforming applications and engineering resins often in combination with glass fiber. It is considered by some to be “one of the most important raw materials used in man-made fibers.”
2. HDPE or High-density Polyethylene. HDPE is a “polyethylene thermoplastic” made from petroleum. It takes 1.75 kilograms of petroleum in energy and raw materials to make one kilogram of HDPE. With peak petroleum production a reality in our lifetimes should we still be manufacturing new HDPE? Milk jugs are commonly made out of HDPE.
3. PVC/V Poly or Polyvinyl Chloride. PVC is a “thermoplastic polymer” and while it is traditionally thought of as a hard plastic it can be made softer and more flexible. PVC is widely used in construction as it is cheap, durable and easy to assemble. In the hard form PVC is used as vinyl siding, magnetic stripe cards, window profiles, records, pipe, plumbing and conduit fixtures. In soft form it is used in both clothing and upholstery Soft PVC can also be used to make flexible hoses and tubing, flooring, roofing membranes, and electrical cable insulation.
4. LDPE – Low-density Polyethylene. LDPE is a “thermoplastic” made from oil. Similar to HDPE in our current environmental climate should we still be manufacturing new LDPE? LDPE is most commonly used for manufacturing containers. LDPE is used in dispensing bottles, wash bottles, tubing, plastic bags for computer components, and various molded laboratory equipment. The most common use of LDPE is plastic bags.
5. PP – Polypropylene. PP is a “thermoplastic polymer” which is commonly used in packaging, textiles, stationery, plastic parts, lab equipment and loudspeakers . PP is also found in automotive components and polymer banknotes.
6. PS – Polystyrene. PS is an “thermoplastic” made from petroleum. In this way, PS is very similar to both HDTP and LDPE. While solid at room temperature PS, when heated PS melts only to return solid again once it cools. It’s this quality that makes it attractive for a variety of uses such as producing plastic model assembly kits, license plate frames, plastic cutlery, food containers and jewel cases for CDs.
7. Other. Which means the product is made up of plastic resins that are not in the initial six or is some unique combination of the initial six.

Recyclable Symbol

A plastic item that carries a recyclable symbol indicates it is recyclable. The more you properly recycle, the less waste that will end up in our landfills and oceans. Please properly recycle all plastic of this type.

Does Any Symbol Ensure Human Health?

While theses symbols allow you to quickly identify what type of plastic you are dealing with, and they also let you know if you can recycle it – they don’t cover any human health concerns.

For example, let’s consider PS or Polystrene which is used for human food containers and cutlery. What is the health effect for humans when the PS food containers leach chemicals into the food they are carrying through heat exchange? According to the EPA, “Acute (short-term) exposure to styrene in humans results in mucous membrane and eye irritation, and gastrointestinal effects. Chronic (long-term) exposure to styrene in humans results in effects on the central nervous system (CNS), such as headache, fatigue, weakness, and depression, CSN dysfunction, hearing loss, and peripheral neuropathy. Human studies are inconclusive on the reproductive and developmental effects of styrene; several studies did not report an increase in developmental effects in women who worked in the plastics industry, while an increased frequency of spontaneous abortions and decreased frequency of births were reported in another study. Several epidemiologic studies suggest there may be an association between styrene exposure and an increased risk of leukemia and lymphoma. However, the evidence is inconclusive due to confounding factors. EPA has not given a formal carcinogen classification to styrene.”

Are All Plastics Bad?

While there is room for plastic in our world there isn’t room for our present plastic addiction. We are burning through natural resources, creating incredible waste and all the time neglecting to even properly recycle the plastic we’ve already created. Plastic isn’t our only option, depending upon the application, glass is a much greener alternative.

Working together we can actively reduce our plastic consumption and improve our recycling rates. Why waste our valuable natural resources on petroleum based plastics when we can recycle? We created this addiction to plastic together, and we need to work together to free ourselves from it. Remember by reducing, reusing and recycling you are doing your part to fight global warming.

Author: Sam Greyhawk

Sam Greyhawk is an energy efficiency evangelist working with Cool-N-Save(tm), an Energy Star Partner. Cool-N-Save(tm) is a revolutionary new air conditioner add-on can be installed in 10 minutes with no tools required. During the hottest months, your air conditioner can be responsible for up to 90% of your monthly electric bill. The Cool-N-Save(tm) improves air conditioner efficiency by up to 30%. – which translates into real savings for you. Saving energy helps fight global warming and Cool-N-Save(tm) is a cost-effective way to reduce your energy use.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Greyhawk

Recycled Plastic PET Bottle Lights

Here are two creative individuals who have decided to DO something instead of offering lip-service to the term RECYCLE. They use their imagination to craft out the most amazing Recycled Plastic PET Bottle Lights.

Want to Recycle Your Ride

Even if auto plastics are recycled, certain parts of the car will end up in a landfill. But Argonne estimates that recycling just the plastic and metal would represent 24 million barrels of oil saved each year.

PET container group  eco-plastic PLA

The National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR), which represents those who recycle plastic soda and food bottles has fired a criticism at the alternative corn-derivative plastic known as PLA

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The majority of plastic baby bottles marketed to parents of young children have known carcinogens and can leak these toxins over time when washed with harsh dishwashing soap. Recent tests have also shown that BPA can and do migrate from polycarbonate when used in a microwave oven.

Besides baby bottles, a common source of plastic used in food storage can be found in the plastic polycarbonate lining of cans used to store and sell baby food. Another known plastic that can leach unfriendly toxins are based on Polyvinyl chloride or PVC.

Pregnant women should avoid BPA derived polycarbonate bottles and refrain from eating canned foods. The plastic lining in food cans contain polycarbonate. BPA is known to mimic the behavior of DES, an artificial estrogen banned for use by pregnant and nursing mothers.

Since most plastic is made using BPA and the labels do not normally indicate the use of this toxin, it is important look at the bottom of the plastic container or baby bottle and check the SPI code in or around the recycling triangle. It is also important to note that SPI labeling requirements vary between states in the USA.

The first of the SPI codes represents the plastic resin PET or PETA and is represented by the number 1 inside the recycle triangle on the label or bottom of the container. These have no known hazards and are supposedly BPA free. The second SPI code represents the plastic resin HDPE and is represented by the number 2 inside the recycling triangle. HDPE has no known hazards and is used heavily in plastic toys.

The third plastic is called PVC and we know this to be commonly used in PVC pipes, but it can also be found in plastic food wraps, so look for the number three in the recycling triangle. Low Density Polyethylene is commonly known as LDPE and is plastic number 4, there are no known hazards as in BPA derived plastics, one reason why it is used in plastic food packages and soft sport bottles.

Polypropylene is a BPA free plastic and is plastic number 5 or PP in the SPI code. You can find this plastic used in food containers for storing butter and yogurt. Following PP is the plastic used commonly in egg cartons, known as PS, using the SPI code number 6.

With the advent of new resin combinations, the SPI code included the number 7 designated as OTHER to differentiate these plastics from SPI codes 1 – 6. Many plastics were clumped under SPI code 7 including BPA derived polycarbonates and natural non-hazardous plastics.

Author: Anna Myers

Baby Gadgets and Gear is your online source for natural baby products and glass baby bottles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anna_Myers

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This article is for anyone concerned about BPA that is looking for bottled water and water bottles that are BPA free. You will learn about BPA and about a new BPA free water bottle option on the market. You will also learn where to get BPA free water bottles from.

BPA Basics

Bisphenol-A, commonly abbreviated BPA is a difunctional building block of several important polymers and polymer additives. It is used in some plastics including polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins which are used to line the majority of food and beverage cans. BPA is used in packaging for a lot of food and beverage products including polycarbonate water bottles (marked with recycling symbol #7), baby bottles, beer cans, soup cans, baby food cans, vegetable cans and soda cans.

Some studies have shown that BPA can cause adverse health effects to mice, non-human primates and potentially humans. It is unclear how much BPA can actually leach into the food and beverages humans eat but it does give cause for much more research and study on the subject. For consumers looking to avoid BPA the alternate choices are not always easy to find but they do exist.

BPA Free Water Bottles

Millions of people enjoy bottled water and especially  bottled water delivery service  where large 5 gallon bottles of water are brought to their homes and offices. 5 gallon bottles made with polycarbonate plastic represent the overwhelming industry standard. In fact, in most cases they are the only large bottle type used by bottled water companies. However, polycarbonate bottles do contain BPA so for consumers who wants to avoid BPA and still enjoy water delivery service this presents a problem.

However, a new solution is emerging on the market and a few companies are blazing a new trail by offering BPA free water bottle options in the form of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic 5 gallon bottles. These new BPA free PET 5 gallon bottles offer the same durability and weight of the standard polycarbonate bottles and they can even have built-in handles. However, unlike the polycarbonate bottles these new water bottles are completely BPA free. The PET bottles, marked by the #1 recycling symbol, can be re-used after sterilization and also offer the durability needed for repetitive water delivery. For the concerned water drinker, these bottles are an excellent solution with the only challenge being to find a water delivery company in their locale that offers them.

BPA Free Water Delivery

For those water drinkers that don’t have water delivery and might be relying on a home or office water filtration system they should be aware that many systems can’t remove BPA from the tap water. If they truly want to enjoy BPA free water they should look for a water company that will deliver ultra-purified bottled water to them in 5 gallon BPA free PET bottles. By choosing a water company that can deliver water and bottles that are free of BPA they will be able to  enjoy refreshing water  while eliminating there exposure to Bisphenol-A. For consumers that receive water delivery in polycarbonate bottles they should seek out a bottled water company that will deliver water to them in PET plastic 5 gallon bottles. It may take a bit of research to find the right vendor but more companies are starting to offer BPA free water bottles.

BPA Free Water Bottles and BPA Free Water Delivery
Get BPA free water bottles and BPA free water now

By Jason Matthews

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Have you ever pictured what would happen if one day water runs out? Yes, you guessed it correctly, end of all living things. You see, water is one of the most precious resources on Earth. So, this article is a must read as it informs you things you must know about distill water.

I have been wondering how distilled water is made. I heard that it is a straightforward process. Simple, distilled water is made by distillation manner. The process of distillation is very straightforward and it incorporates boiling, steaming, evaporation and cooling. This procedure will enable the water to be distilled, leaving all the stains as the by-product.

The reason behind this process is that steam is lighter. Thus, steam by itself is already very pure and it is impossible to carry any impurities. At the end of the process, the water is now distillled is safe to be drunk, clear and safe from all foreign matters like chemicals, poisons and other wastes, including metal.

So is distillation a popular method adopted by the public? Well, check it out.. Distillation has been adopted all over the worlds. What is the main reason? This is because it is much more economical than other purification method. It is energy saving as well.

You may have heard of purifying water using chlorine but if you drink water with chlorine regularly, it may cause a number of health problems.

Let us defog a myth or a misconception concerning distilled water. Most people believe that consuming distilled water bad for our body because there is a lack of essential minerals. That is not true, you need to understand that we get minerals largely from the food we eat, not from the water. Remember, it’s safe to drink distilled water

Do you want to get distilled water at your home? The best way that I can give you is that you should install a home water distiller. There are a number of benefits of it. Just to list: it is cheap, you get healthier water and your overall home bills can be reduced.

So go and get yourself a home water distiller. Remember that distilled water gives you a healthy life.

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Plastic water containers and glass bottles are a convenience we can continue to benefit from if we simply take good care of our environment by making sure we recycle everything.

With a little understanding of the issues involved, we can re-use or recycle most of the masses amount of waste we produce from plastic and glass and at the same time we can reduce costs, save energy, protect the environment and even create new jobs. Although waste awareness is on the increase, recycling rates are on the low side and many people are still unaware of just why recycling is so important.

Recycling Plastic Waste

According to Recoup (the UK’s leading authority on plastics waste management), every household uses approximately 373 plastic bottles a year of which 29 are recycled and yet recycling just one of these plastic bottles can save enough energy to light a 60 watt bulb for up to 6 hours. So why are we not recycling more plastic?

One of the main issues regarding the recycling of plastic is lack of opportunity to recycle. This is partly because plastic can be contaminated with other materials and the cost of processing this can outweigh the cost of producing more plastic so compared to other materials like glass and paper, there are fewer places to recycle plastic. However, plastic is lightweight and highly versatile and one way round this is to re-use plastic within the home.

There are many different types of plastic but most plastics fall into one of the following main types:

PET (Polyethylene terphthalate) – Fizzy drinks bottles and trays for convenience foods to put straight into the oven

HDPE (High density polyethylene) – Milk bottles and washing up liquid bottles

PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) – Cling film, juice and water bottles, shampoo bottles

LDPE (Low density polyethylene) – Plastic bags

PP (Polypropylene) – Margarine tubs and microwavable meal containers

PS (Polystyrene) – Egg cartons, plastic cutlery and cups, yoghurt pots, meat and fish foam trays

Plastics are largely used for packaging and because they have a relatively short life span (they tend to be thrown away as soon as their contents are used), they represent a major waste problem. They are also generally non-degradable which means they can take a long time to decompose and break down. Landfill sites require more and more space due to the amount of plastic being disposed of and this is an area of concern, particularly as around 80% of plastic is disposed of in landfill sites with less than 10% currently being recycled (Environment Agency Report 2001).

Solutions are constantly being sought and although more and more supermarket chains and retailers are now issuing biodegradable plastic bags, this in itself can be a problem as many people might think that it is ok to just throw them away as they will eventually break down, which is not always the case. Some of these biodegradable bags rely on sunlight to break them down so if they are thrown away as part of household rubbish and end up in a landfill site, they will not degrade because there is no light.

What you can do to help…

Re-use plastic bags as much as possible – don’t throw them away

Buy products with very little packaging

Try to re-use plastic pots and tubs within the home, for example to store small items like buttons and screws and for germinating seeds or donate them to playgroups and schools for arts and crafts

Buy refillable products as much as possible

When purchasing fruit and vegetables at the supermarket, don’t put them into plastic bags – it isn’t necessary

Find out what plastic re-cycling facilities there are in your own area and use them, encourage your family and friends to do the same

Try to buy products made from plastic that has been recycled

Recycling Glass Waste

Glass is an inert substance and so is not directly harmful to the environment but it is not degradable either so if sent to a landfill site it will stay there indefinitely which is a real shame because glass is such an easy and very useful material which can be recycled over and over again without any loss to quality.

Recycling glass is easy for the consumer, particularly as the number of bottle banks and roadside collections of glass are increasing. By far the most common use for glass within the home is in the form of bottles and jars and this makes up around 80% of recycled glass.

When recycling your glass containers, bottle banks often require the glass to be separated according to colour, which in itself can be a barrier to recycling as the consumer has to put in a little more effort, but there are reasons for this. As you can imagine, it would be a mammoth not to mention expensive task to separate every bit of coloured from clear broken glass before processing so there are few facilities that can currently do this, which is why it is so important to separate them beforehand.

One of the issues with recycling glass in the UK is that the UK produces a large amount of clear glass and yet the amount of clear “cullet” produced (cullet is basically a collection of broken glass) is low in comparison to the amount of green cullet. One reason for this is that a lot of green bottles (wine for example) are imported leading to a surplus of green cullet and at the same time a lot of clear glass is exported in the form of spirits. Another is that a lot of people are still not recycling clear glass containers other than bottles and this reduces the amount of clear glass cullet available. However, on a positive note, mixed coloured glass waste can be used for the building of roads and in the construction industry so it is important to recycle ALL glass containers.

Contaminants like metal rings, paper labels, plastic etc. must be identified and removed from the glass before the glass can be turned into new containers and much of this is done using equipment like metal detectors, vacuums, crushers and also by plain old manual inspection.

What you can do to help…

Re use bottles and jars within the home

Where possible, return jars and bottles (milk bottles for example)

Before recycling glass rinse out all bottles and jars and remove any tops and metal rings etc. as these can damage the furnaces used to recycle the glass

Recycle all glass containers not just drinks bottles, this can include jars, medicine bottles, glass food containers and so on

Make sure when placing glass into a bottle bank that you put the right colour in the right bank

Making a difference

Surveys have shown that if recycling was made easier, more people would be willing to recycle. The fact is, it doesn’t take a lot of effort or time to recycle or re-use an item, only a little initiative, and yet it is one way we can be sure of making a real difference to the environment and the world in which we live.

Author: David McEvoy  Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_McEvoy

For more information about waste removal and skip hire please come and visit our site skip hire preston

Start Recycling

Who hasn’t heard that recycling is one of the best ways to protect the environment? There are all sorts of benefits to recycling. Creating aluminum from ore requires 95% more energy than recycling aluminum. 

The benefits of recycling glass Recycling Ideas

While we are often told to recycle as much class as possible there are some rather startling and worrying statistics for many of us to consider.

Primary School goes eco-friendly

Pupils now realise some of the long term benefits of recycling such as a reduction in the need for landfill, the reduction of pressure on natural resources, the increase of exports and reduction of imports, a reduction in pollution.

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