Safe Plastic for Drinking Water

[rbrown]

I was wondering if anyone had done any research on which plastics, if any, are indeed safe for use as a water bottle? I find so much conflicting information that's it's hard to make heads or tails.

I have found Lexan polycarbonate as both a "safe" plastic (in fact, that's what our healthfood store sells) and as one that leaches bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical that mimics the hormone estrogen. Of course I find this out just after I bought a nice big Lexan water bottle. Supposedly safe plastics are polypropylene, designated "#5 PP," high-density polyethylene, designated "#2 HDPE" and low-density polyethylene designated "#4 LDPE," none of which are known to leach harmful substances. Of course, you all probably know that single-use water bottles (the type bottled water is sold in) made from polyethylene terephthalate, "#1 PET" or "PETE" are considered unsafe for repeated use, as they may leach a suspected carcinogenic substance known as DEHA.

Anyway, I thought I'd share what I found out about Lexan since many people may use this, thinking it is safe and ask if anyone has any good answers to this (other than glass).

[Connie Brown]

Thank you Robert.

Do you know about insulated stainless steel, like those travel coffee things?

also, does anyone make a glass one? it is sounding good. I guess I could just re-use something like a New York Selzer bottle.

[rbrown]

Connie, I wonder if the stainless steel ones have an inner coating and, if so, what it's made of. Plus, I'm looking for something large enough to last me all day at work since I would fill it with purified water at home. Is the New York Selzer bottle made of safe plastic? I would think it would be the "unsafe" single-use type.

The search for the perfect water bottle continues. :wink:

[Vbrown]

Is there any evidence of any harm coming from plastics? I mean beyond conjecture.

Some plastics lend themselves to re-use as they have very small "pores" that could harbor bacteria if not washed properly. But beyond that....I'd love to see a true study on the topic.

Anyone got something with some weight?

Vince

[dave_rusin]

For what it's worth...

I work for a consulting engineering company and when we are designing piping systems for pure water distribution for laboratory R&D or manufacturing processes the piping material is either polypropylene or polyvinylidene flouride (PVDF).

Whether or not re-usable water bottles made of these materials are available in the marketplace, I cannot say...

[slowdiver]

Do the Nalgene bottles fall into this category?

[Jay76]

I use a glass mineral water bottle. I drink the mineral water, but keep the glass bottle and fill it up. I take 2 of them to work.

[Vbrown]

Nalgene is lexan, a polycarbonate. Just keep it clean.

[yogi43]

The Lexan polycarbonate resin used to make Nalgene bottles and water bottles sold at health food stores with the recycle code "#7 PC" leach bisphenol A (BPA) a estrogen mimicer, into the water after exposure to sunlight and more importantly after contact with detergents. I switched to
bottles that have recycle code "#2 HDPE" on them.

The Nalgene Outdoor Products web site now features a response to concerns about BPA leaching, stating with confidence that their product is safe. Scientists studying endocrine disruption, however, suggest limiting potential exposure to BPA as much as possible. In a January 2004 presentation in Oregon, Our Stolen Future co-author Dr. John P. Meyers addressed the issue. "I personally recommend avoiding polycarbonate plastics - don't let them come into contact with your food or water," Meyers said. "I think the science is strong enough to justify precautionary measures today."

Meyers added that despite industry assurances about the supposed safety of polycarbonate, baby bottles made from the material have "quietly disappeared from the market." Many studies have shown that the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals are most devastating during early development, so babies are highly at risk.

Polycarbonate plastics are still used in a variety of products, including plastic resins lining some food storage cans, dental sealants, and the Nalgene Lexan bottles, and can be identified by the symbol "#7 PC" on their recycling logos. Normal wear-and-tear and cleaning of polycarbonate plastic bottles in a dishwasher, Hunt says, can cause BPA to leach out of the plastic, and the amount of leaching increases as the plastic ages and is degraded by use.

According to Sierra magazine, plastics that are safer to use for storing food and beverages include polypropylene, designated "#5 PP," high-density polyethylene, designated "#2 HDPE" and low-density polyethylene designated "#4 LDPE," none of which are so far known to leach harmful substances. Single-use water bottles (the type bottled water is sold in) made from polyethylene terephthalate, "#1 PET" or "PETE" are not recommended for repeat use, as a study found they may leach a suspected carcinogenic substance known as DEHA.

[yogi43]

The Lexan polycarbonate resin used to make Nalgene bottles and water bottles sold at health food stores with the recycle code "#7 PC" leach bisphenol A (BPA) a estrogen mimicer, into the water after exposure to sunlight and more importantly after contact with detergents. I switched to
bottles that have recycle code "#2 HDPE" on them.

The Nalgene Outdoor Products web site now features a response to concerns about BPA leaching, stating with confidence that their product is safe. Scientists studying endocrine disruption, however, suggest limiting potential exposure to BPA as much as possible. In a January 2004 presentation in Oregon, Our Stolen Future co-author Dr. John P. Meyers addressed the issue. "I personally recommend avoiding polycarbonate plastics - don't let them come into contact with your food or water," Meyers said. "I think the science is strong enough to justify precautionary measures today."

Meyers added that despite industry assurances about the supposed safety of polycarbonate, baby bottles made from the material have "quietly disappeared from the market." Many studies have shown that the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals are most devastating during early development, so babies are highly at risk.

Polycarbonate plastics are still used in a variety of products, including plastic resins lining some food storage cans, dental sealants, and the Nalgene Lexan bottles, and can be identified by the symbol "#7 PC" on their recycling logos. Normal wear-and-tear and cleaning of polycarbonate plastic bottles in a dishwasher, Hunt says, can cause BPA to leach out of the plastic, and the amount of leaching increases as the plastic ages and is degraded by use.

According to Sierra magazine, plastics that are safer to use for storing food and beverages include polypropylene, designated "#5 PP," high-density polyethylene, designated "#2 HDPE" and low-density polyethylene designated "#4 LDPE," none of which are so far known to leach harmful substances. Single-use water bottles (the type bottled water is sold in) made from polyethylene terephthalate, "#1 PET" or "PETE" are not recommended for repeat use, as a study found they may leach a suspected carcinogenic substance known as DEHA.