[Histonet] exploding Nalgene bottles?

[daniel blackburn]

We have always stored fixed specimens of various sizes in plastic Nalgene bottles, because they are so resistant to chemicals.  However, we're recently realized that the bottles grow very brittle with age, and can "explode" into numbers shards when squeezed slightly.  I think it is a result of age, not the stored fluids, since even bottles with 70% ethanol are brittle.  Have others experienced this?  Is it a common, well-known problem?

thanks, 

D Blackburn, Trinity College (Hartford CT)