Whether in your own garden, on a meadow or at public barbecue areas in the forest: you don't want to be left high and dry at a picnic or with a sizzling barbecue. It is only natural to reach for a thirst quencher - but be careful if the bottle is made of glass.

Don't underestimate the risk of breakage

Glass bottles break easily, especially when things get hot. Shards and splinters, which pose a potential risk of injury, are often found in playgrounds and barbecue areas. Experts therefore advise careful handling, such as Kathrin Klein from the Schönbuch forest district near Stuttgart, which is part of the Baden-Württemberg state forest. "It's best to store glass bottles somewhere or securely place them on the ground. If a bottle does break, the broken glass should be completely collected," recommends the forester. In addition, she advises "before using the playground equipment in residential areas, check the area briefly for sharp objects, especially the fall protection, and don't necessarily walk barefoot."

Consider wildlife protection and the risk of forest fires

Not only humans and accompanying dogs can get cut by broken glass, natural forest dwellers are equally at risk. Kathrin Klein: "Of course, wild animals can also injure themselves on the shards, especially if the glass shards have the smell of something edible on them.

In hot summers, glass bottles and shards pose another danger: forest fires. To avoid possible ignition sources due to the burning glass effect, for example, the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Interior in 2023 urged walkers and hikers to take and dispose of "small arsonists" like bottles or glass shards from the forest.[1] Fortunately, there has been no forest fire caused by a glass shard in her forest district, forester Klein emphasizes: "But it is conceivable and cannot be ruled out with certainty in the future."

Use drinks in plastic as a stable alternative 

PET plastic bottles are not only lightweight, but also extremely robust and do not break. Their use therefore eliminates the risk of injury - which is particularly important when children or pets are nearby. Forester Klein also confirms this: "There is certainly no risk of injury from shatterproof plastic bottles."

Attentive behavior includes not leaving any garbage behind or disposing of it properly. The barbecue areas and playgrounds are visited twice a week during the summer months. Then the full garbage cans are emptied, and "wild garbage" is collected, says Kathrin Klein. The playground equipment and fall protection are also checked for sharp objects, such as broken glass. "If shards are discovered, they will of course be collected," assures the forester. In total, around 30 tons of waste are disposed of in the state forest around Stuttgart every year. Nevertheless, a personal sense of responsibility is important. And plastic waste in particular can be easily recycled. Kathrin Klein: "That's why we appeal to people to simply dispose of plastic bottles and packaging waste at home. It's also good for the forest." And for those who would like to enjoy their family BBQ there carefree.

[1] https://im.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/service/presse-und-oeffentlichkeitsarbeit/pressemitteilung/pid/erhoehte-waldbrandgefahr

Image Source: ALPLA

Image Caption: Danger to humans, animals, and the environment: shards of broken glass bottles can seriously injure feet and paws and cause forest fires in hot summers due to the burning glass effect.