Transitioning from Polycarbonate to PET: The Well Water Adopts Petainer Water Cooler Bottles

The Well Water t/a Purely Scottish Bottlers Limited is a Natural Mineral Water bottler based in the UK. It has moved a number of its clients from Polycarbonate water cooler bottles to Petainer’s PET Water Cooler Bottle. Since its inception, The Well Water has put the delivery of clean, safe drinking water at the heart of its operation, bottling Natural Mineral Water from its source in Scotland.

So why did The Well Water start to offer Petainer’s Water Cooler Bottle to its clients? We spoke with CEO David Albers to find out.

We started by discussing the question of BPA (Bisphenol A). BPA is a chemical used in the production of polycarbonate plastic but is not found at all in PET plastic. BPA, he explains, has been under investigation for a while in to its potential toxicity when ingested. Whilst there is a safe limit set today, there are signs that the limit may be reduced, with a recent EU proposal looking to slash the safe limit by some 100,000 times. The issue surrounding BPA is one heard more on the continent than the UK, but David see’s this changing as more data is released. To be on the safe side of any legislation changes down the line, following The Well Water’s customers to PET looks to be the way forward.

The Well Water use Petainer Water Cooler Bottles with handles.  Unlike polycarbonate options, the Petainer handle is not integrated into the body of the bottle. This is important for washing the bottles, David explains. Petainer Water Cooler Bottles are reusable, being filled, used, and returned to undergo the process again. The washing step is essential to ensure mineral water is uncontaminated after filling. With some polycarbonate options, the handle is integrated into the body of the bottle, meaning the flow of washing water can be restricted and leave this area less thoroughly cleaned.

David explains that the reuse model requires robust bottles that can survive rough handling in the logistics chain as well as in customers environments. Some of the bottles in his supply chain are many years old, and he explains that even with some cosmetic damage, an intact bottle will still do the job. Petainer bottles have scuff resistance to keep them looking clean and appealing to customers. The Petainer Water Cooler Bottle is tested to be robust, with drop tests and shrink tests showing many reuses are possible, up to 40 times. With PET, the neck of the bottle is smoother than polycarbonate, providing a better seal, and reducing leaks – a key problem for bulk water delivery!