Why are CLEAR CREEK bottles more Expensive? Are They BETTER?

1. POLYCARBONATE, which is also known as LEXAN, is the strongest form of plastic currently available for water bottles. It has GLASS-LIKE Clarity, Appearance, and Durability. It will also withstand substantial heat and will NOT distort its shape or develop an odor or give a funny "plastic" taste to the water. It is by far the most costly, but it offers the longest life of any plastic currently used for water storage and consumption. This type of plastic can be identified with a #7 inside the recycling triangle on the bottom of the bottle.

2. POLYVINYLCHLORIDE, also known as PVC, is very popular in the "home delivered" market. Because the cost of its raw materials is about half that of Polycarbonate, it is very inexpensive to make, and it can achieve good clarity when properly molded. While it is acceptable for very thick water pipes, there are some drawbacks to making bottles from this material. It is very HEAT SENSITIVE, and requires caution when stored empty. It will distort and can develop an unpleasant odor unless the cap is left off or very loose. While the bottle may be refreshened with BAKING SODA, once misshapen it can never be reformed. You can identify this bottle by the #3 in its recycling triangle.

3. POLYETHYLENE is commonly used in making the very popular one gallon MILK JUG bottles. When in its HIGH DENSITY form, it is very inexpensive, and while it is not nearly as strong as other plastics, in the one gallon size it is cheap enough to be disposable after a few uses. Care should be used when storing this bottle empty, too, because like POLYVINYLCHLORIDE, it is heat sensitive, and subject to damage. This plastic is very recyclable, identified by the #2 triangle.

4. K-RESIN is one of the latest developments in food grade plastics. It is less expensive than Polycarbonate, and exhibits more durability than Polyvinylchloride, but still has some undesirable characteristics. It has some "off-gassing", like PVC, but stands up better in use, and will not turn brittle like PVC. It is acceptable as a low cost alternative to Polycarbonate, with only a few drawbacks, and is identified by the #6 in the triangle.