In the photo above, there are two plastic bottles. The bottle on the right was washed in our dishwasher. When it went into the dishwasher, it was the same size as the bottle on the left. You can see that the paper label on the small bottle is the same size as it was before being washed.
We have been hearing warnings about reusing plastic bottles. This experience makes us believe there is something to be concerned about. Looking online, we found a site where a medical doctor claimed that plastics labeled #2, #4, and #5 are safe to re-use. The other numbered plastics have some problems. This bottle is #1 plastic, and the doctor said it should not be refilled. Also, plastic #7 emits some bad chemicals. Our Nalgene bottles that we used for backpacking are #7. Yikes!
There are lots of differing opinions about the safety of plastic. If you find out something definitive, please let us know.
