Many Nalgene waterbottles and other hardplastic sport water bottles are made of polycarbonate (#7 on the bottom) , which may leach Bisphenol A, an estrogen-like chemical. Canada is considering a ban of products containing Bisphenol A (BPA) and a new American study links it to breast cancer and early puberty, and is particularly concerned about the effect on babies. Others have raised concerns about the effect of feminizing hormones on men, such as breast enlargement or dropping semen counts. At the same time, sport water bottles are ubiquitous and we don't want people going back to buying bottled water. What should you do? Time to nix the Nalgene? We looked at our past posts and the latest reports, and suggest the following.
7 Ways to beat BPA, in order of Importance:
1. Ditch the clear plastic baby bottles, right now. All the research that says there are problems point at the effect of the estrogen-like BPA on children as being the most significant.
2. Tin cans are often lined in plastic BPA and sit around a long time; get rid of older tin cans, particularly if they contain tomatoes and other acidic fruits.
3. Don't use your poly-carbonate bottle for hot drinks.
4. Poly-carbonate bottles get crazed and cracked as they get older; that increases surface area. Get rid of old ones.
5. Replace your Poly-carbonate bottle with a Sigg, Kleen Kanteen, or the new BPA free Camelbak, particularly if pregnant or pre-pubescent.
6. Replace jugs where water sits around a long time, like Brita knockoffs. (Brita says they are BPA free)
7. Stop using jugged water cooler water, get a filter and cooler that uses city water. It is a big jug so there probably isn't much of a problem, but why are you drinking bottled water anyway?
Don't worry about poly-carbonates in non-food related products like CDs and DVDs. but keep them out of babies' mouths.
The Bisphenol A Controversy
This list is based on a bit of consultation with our resident chemist, but the issue is controversial. The plastics industry says there is no problem, as does the maker of Nalgene water bottles.
Energy and Commerce Chair John Dingell says “There are serious health concerns about whether Bisphenol A is safe, not only for adults, but for children and infants," and is concerned that the Food and Drug Administration's policies on BPA are "entirely dependent on two studies' that are both funded by a subsidiary of the American Chemistry Council, which represents plastic resins manufacturers."
According to Chemistry World, The FDA maintains that there is no reason to ban orrestrict the use of BPA in food or drink containers because human exposure levels to the chemical from these sources is too low to have any adverse effects.
See also: BPA Danger may be greater from Tin Cans than Water Bottles
More in TreeHugger:
Polycarbonate Water bottles
Canada Calls Bisphenol A "Dangerous"
Time to Pack In the Polycarbonates
Bottled Water - Lifting the Lid :
MEC Nixes Nalgenes
Health effects:
Hot Water + Polycarbonate Bottles = More Gender-Benders
Gender Bender Chemicals Also Make You Fat
Alternatives:
A Safer Sippy for Your Little Green Angels
Stefani Water Purifiers: an Alternative to Plastic
Don't Buy A Nalgene Water Bottle Until You Read This : TreeHugger
In recent years, studies have suggested that polycarbonate plastics such as the ones Nalgene used may leach endocrine disruptors. Nalgene denies that the quantity leached from their products posed a significant threat to health. Among the secreted chemicals, Bisphenol A (BPA) is an area of concern as it binds to estrogen receptors, thus altering gene expression. Other research has found that fixatives in polycarbonateplastics can cause chromosomal error in cell division called aneuploidy. Nalgene claims these chemicals are only potentially released from Nalgene products when used at temperatures outside of the designed range.
In November 2007, Mountain Equipment Co-op removed all hard, clear polycarbonate plastic water bottles (including Nalgene-branded product) from their shelves and no longer offers these items for sale. In December 2007, Lululemon made a similar move. In May 2008, REI removed Nalgene-branded polycarbonate water bottles and replaced them with BP-A free Nalgene bottles.
On April 18, 2008, Health Canada announced that Bisphenol A is "'toxic' to human health".
Canada is the first nation to make this designation.
On the same date Nalgene announced it would phase out production of its Outdoor line of polycarbonate containers containing the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA).
Nalgene’s current product mix, includes the recently launched Everyday line and the original polycarbonate bottles made from materials that do not contain BPA.
At my son's graduation, there was an older woman ... not dressed in black or linen white ... In fact, she was wearing pink with a pink hat and bright pink lipstick ... and I thought, that's the kind of woman I want to be when I am that age. People stopped to speak to her as she moved through the crowd, but no more or no less than the rest of us. She had a presence that was, for lack of a better way to say it, unusual.
I stood up and pretended to take a picture of everyone at the other end of the table, but I had the zoom pointed at her. She seemed to see me taking the picture and turned to face me while she continued to talk to the gentleman next to her.
I didn't think much about it until yesterday when I was transferring pictures to a disc to have them developed ... I smiled again ... I haven't seen anyone wear their hair curly and swept to the side like that since Elly Mae Clampett ...
Wait a minute! No way! Could that have been Elly Mae?
I googled Elly Mae Clampett (Donna Douglas) and one of the first pictures to come up was this one:
Now, you tell me ... Same hair, same lipstick, same shirt (pink must be her favorite color) ...
Did Elly Mae Clampett attend the same graduation that we did?
I called Joey into the room ... He agreed. Same woman. I called my son and said, "Some people have presidents attend their graduations, but you might have had Elly Mae Clampett, and she is way better than any president! Joey and I laughed at the coincidence ... me being close enough to take the picture, but not recognizing her until two weeks later ...
Still, it was a pretty cool coincidence, don't you think so?
