Half Century Old Brown Plastic Bottles Still OK?

[John Layton]

Just mixed up a fresh batch of TF-5 fixer...and suddenly it occurred to me that the one gallon, brown plastic fixer bottle is approximately 50 years old!

This old bottle seems to be doing just fine, as do a few other brown bottles of the same vintage...but should I be worried?

[Mark Sampson]

If they're not leaking, or filthy inside, what do you have to worry about? Fixer won't oxidize and go bad like developers do when air gets in. Don't overthink this.

[Jim C.]

Plastic can get brittle over time, they may not leak but a bump on a counter edge could start a leak from cracking.
I have ( had ) some Nalgene bottles that I tossed because they were brittle, squeezing an empty never used
bottle gave me a "crackly" feel. In the recycle bin they went...

[Gudmundur Ingolfsson]

I have four 5 liter bottles that were sold specially for photographic chemicals. I bought those in October of 1968 and still use those today. Two for developer and two for fix. They are of thick material and still very flexible and when I fill them with fresh chemicals I wash them out with very warm water. Even the caps are still air tight.

[Tin Can]

I just got a delivery of 4-1 gallon amber glass WITH CAPS

Last time, years ago I ordered they did not include caps... I finally got them to cough up

Same big vendor

Glass does seem to be sand and better than plastic

I considered them very clean, green recycled anywhere

[John Layton]

While I would ascribe to the use of brown glass bottles in principle (at least for film developers)...I've always found it difficult to source them with decent caps, finding that existing caps are lined with cheap, coated cardboard seals which come apart...at which point the exposed cheap metal caps rust.

I have, in the past, seen brown glass bottles with really great, tough (and replaceable) plastic caps lined with rugged plastic seals, and would love to find a source of these.

[Tin Can]

The caps on this bottle, which I bought, meet your and my spec

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/231388-REG/Photographers_Formulary_50_1220_Glass_Storage_Jug_Amber.html

I assume USA made

[Leszek Vogt]

When I started to deal with chemistry (photo) I went to my local pharmacy and those days they were friendly too. They kept those brown bottles till I picked them up. Wish I had those today....I'll use plastic if I have to. Good luck finding those, John.

[Bernard_L]

While I would ascribe to the use of brown glass bottles in principle (at least for film developers)...I've always found it difficult to source them with decent caps, finding that existing caps are lined with cheap, coated cardboard seals which come apart...at which point the exposed cheap metal caps rust.

I have, in the past, seen brown glass bottles with really great, tough (and replaceable) plastic caps lined with rugged plastic seals, and would love to find a source of these.
You might try to approach the chemistry department of a nearby college (or maybe senior high school?). They should have bottles like these available once the contents have been used up.
230618
Brown glass; cap with sealing plastic cone.

[John Layton]

Bernard, great suggestion! In fact, I originally encountered the bottles to which I'd referred at the Dartmouth Medical School, way back when my father was teaching there.

I can think of a couple of companies which I might approach...Mallinkrodt? Carolina Biological Supply? McKesson? Edmund Scientific? Hmmm...any others? I think there might also be some kind of "Bottles-Are-Us" type of place which might have what I'm looking for.

[Sal Santamaura]

I've purchased and continue to use these (the "unprocessed" version) in a variety of sizes:


https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/boston-round-narrow-mouth-amber-glass-bottles-closure/05719178

Their caps are teflon-lined and have never failed or given me any issues. Available from a number of lab equipment supply companies.

[Drew Wiley]

Brand new brown plastic bottles are darn near worthless, at least if they're of the typical thin re-re-recycled plastic camera store variety.

[Sal Santamaura]

Brand new brown plastic bottles are darn near worthless, at least if they're of the typical thin re-re-recycled plastic camera store variety.

If you're responding to me, Drew, note that the link was to glass, not plastic, bottles.

[Drew Wiley]

John - any decent lab supply can provide you with an actual selection of caps, all precisely matched to their own selection of bottles. I've found LSS (Lab Safety Supply) to be an excellent resource for not only glass chemical bottles, but all kinds of serious plastic ones as well in many sizes. Brown glass isn't totally impermeable. It actually hydrates over time - about 2 microns per thousand years in a hot climate, which means you should probably discard them before the next ice age arrives. The more common problem is alkaline and other crystal or grime buildup inside over time, requiring thorough cleaning off.

[Jim C.]

Berlin Packaging, brown glass bottles with phenolic cap -

https://www.berlinpackaging.com/4699b53abr-boston-round-glass-bottles-with-black-phenolic-cap-32-oz-amber-case-of-12/

Worth taking a look, found them on a show I was working on.

[John Layton]

Lots of great resources mentioned...thanks everyone!

[nolindan]

What the heck - here's another source:

https://www.uline.com/BL_2089/Amber-Boston-Round-Glass-Bottles

I don't use brown bottles, though. The chemicals do, after all, reside in a cabinet that is itself in a very dark room.

I've had good luck buying Nalgene bottles by the case from ebay. I look for sales by freight salvage firms - a dented corner of the box doesn't mean much when it comes to Nalgene.

[LabRat]

You got 'yer $$$'a worth out of the old ones, so time to let go... I don't know why folks are drawn to brown bottles??? Bottles are stored in a darkroom usually that's dark when you are not there also... Under the sink or cupboard stored??? Light is not the issue with them...

Clear or semi-clear make sense as you can easily see the amount in the bottle, is the solution discoloring or is sludge forming on the bottom??? The white poly gallon jugs are cheap and strong, and for smaller amount, the PET 500 mL/1 ltr/2 Ltr bottles soft drinks come in work very well... And free... And you are recycling, and can be recycled later...

Steve K

[Tin Can]

I use poly ARKAY 2.5 and 5 gallon floating lids AND the covers

Best thing since broken glass

They have a spigot

They do silver up

so what



really easy to pour big trays back in



no funnel needed

B&H seems out of stock

LOL

[Ironage]

I source 1 and 2 liter bottles from the local brewery down street. The come filled with a hearty libation which must be discarded in a fitting manner (most agreeably). I think they call them growlers. Lids I find from other bottles in the medicine or cleaning cabinets. The come with designer labels and little fill marks.

[Drew Wiley]

I've found all things Arkay unacceptable. Ordinary rinsed out soda jugs are way more serious plastic. After all, they're made to contain dilute carbonic acid. Throw a pulled tooth into a jug of Coca Cola and watch it slowly dissolve over the months. As far a glass bottle potential breakage, you can get the kind with clear plastic shrink coatings over them, which will at least prevent shattered glass pieces flying around all over the floor. But I'd don't do a juggler act with bottles outside the sink area anyway. New brown glass bottles are cheap enough by the case (or the clear variety), so I don't personally resort to rotting my own teeth out drinking Mountain Dew just to get a hazmat-worthy plastic bottle.

[Daniel Unkefer]

I bought gallon, half gallon, and quart brown glass bottles from Photographer's Formulary. Well packed and not too expensive either. In fact I reordered and I'm set for a good while with spares. Easy Peasy.