Half Century Old Brown Plastic Bottles Still OK?

[Sal Santamaura]

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

https://www.fishersci.com/shop/produ...osure/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/4699...er-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-...-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.