plastic container on concrete-- is this true?

ClareBroommaker's picture

Recently I heard or read that one should not store water in plastic containers on concrete floors-- that the concrete would leach something which would weaken and eventually break down the plastic. Intuitively, that kind of makes sense. If true, could you explain the chemical process? Or at least give me a hint about it.

If the concrete floors of my basement were made when the house was built, then the concrete is 110 years old. Do you think they might be stable by now, unlikely to degrade plastic?

Sweet Tatorman's picture

I can think of at least 6 different plastics that I have seen used as containers for water and each have different physical and chemical properties. That said, I don't think the claimed problem is very creditable.

ClareBroommaker's picture

No, sorry, I can't even remember if I heard it spoken (nor by whom), or if it was something I read (where, do not recall). So I have no info.

Right now I have a lot of glass wine bottles holding water. I put water in them as they might as well store something until I have some thing fermented to put in them. My husband was grumping about having to move some of them that are on the floor. Since we do need water storage, I thought I'd switch to some larger plastic containers, but then remembered this thing about concrete + plastic.