Just when you thought you could get away with fooling people into thinking you’re buying expensive water bottles every day, news breaks that reusing plastic water bottles may not be the most sanitary option.

Plastic water bottles have BPA, Bisphenol A, an industrial chemical that has been used to make plastics, they can affect ovulation, and increase our risk of hormonally-driven problems, endometriosis, and breast cancer.

Bacteria and fungi are known for growing in damp places, such as water bottles, especially since they continuously have contact with your hands and mouth; which are places with high levels of bacteria. Scientists at Harvard School of Dental Medicine have discovered more than 615 different types of bacteria that can live in the mouth, tongue, and throat making it the dirtiest place in the human body. If you’ve ever noticed little cracks on water bottles those are the areas where this bacteria tends to grow.

It’s ok to reuse your plastic Fiji water bottle one or two times, but don’t reuse it for longer; you could be harming your system in the long run. Buying a new water bottle or getting a reusable one, like the ones that were given to us by Swell, are your best and safest bet.