Banned plastic drinking bottles
Recently there are some issues on the plastic bottles. A very famous brand called Nalgene in the USA, their bottles has been called off the shelf in some big supermarkets in USA. Nalgene is also going to stop making these bottles in these material.
Soon you will see Nalgene bottles going for big discounts.
See this: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/bpa-in-water.php
The problem here is the plastic they use to make the bottles: Polycarbonate.
There is a type of chemical in this plastic call bisphenol A (or BPA) (tay, you may know this as our rubber's plasticizer). This chemical is found to leech out from the bottle and go into the water it contains. This is a fact, nobody is arguing about it.
The argument is if this chemical is harmful to humans. Nalgene still thinks that it is ok to use. FDA still approves this. Check wikipedia on bisphenol A, be informed.
But Canadian government is calling this dangerous. See this: http://www.treehugger.com/fil es/2008/04/canada-calls-bisphenol-a-dangerous.php
It is known that BPA can cause harm to humans...they just cannot agree on how much is safe. Some say ok, some say not. To be safe, I suggest not to use them at all.
If you have plastic bottles at home, look under them for a logo that look like this:
The number tells you what type of plastic it is (useful for recycling purposes).
Those mineral water bottles are #1, use 1 time only, and don't reuse them. If it is a #2 HDPE (high density polyethylene), or a #4 LDPE (low density polyethylene), or a #5 PP (polypropylene), your bottle is fine.
#3, 6, 7 is not ok as them have BPA. Better throw them away.
Polycarbonate comes under #7 (#7 means others). Be careful to check your bottles...especially your baby bottles....as you may steam them (high heat cause more BPA to come out and BPA affect the very young more)
Note that it is not just nalgene, many plastic bottles are also made in the same material.
My personal opinion:
Better be safe than sorry. If possible, use glass or ceramic. If not Stainless steel (watch out for inner coatings). Make your own choice, I only give some information.
Soon you will see Nalgene bottles going for big discounts.
See this: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/bpa-in-water.php
The problem here is the plastic they use to make the bottles: Polycarbonate.
There is a type of chemical in this plastic call bisphenol A (or BPA) (tay, you may know this as our rubber's plasticizer). This chemical is found to leech out from the bottle and go into the water it contains. This is a fact, nobody is arguing about it.
The argument is if this chemical is harmful to humans. Nalgene still thinks that it is ok to use. FDA still approves this. Check wikipedia on bisphenol A, be informed.
But Canadian government is calling this dangerous. See this: http://www.treehugger.com/fil es/2008/04/canada-calls-bisphenol-a-dangerous.php
It is known that BPA can cause harm to humans...they just cannot agree on how much is safe. Some say ok, some say not. To be safe, I suggest not to use them at all.
If you have plastic bottles at home, look under them for a logo that look like this:
The number tells you what type of plastic it is (useful for recycling purposes).
Those mineral water bottles are #1, use 1 time only, and don't reuse them. If it is a #2 HDPE (high density polyethylene), or a #4 LDPE (low density polyethylene), or a #5 PP (polypropylene), your bottle is fine.
#3, 6, 7 is not ok as them have BPA. Better throw them away.
Polycarbonate comes under #7 (#7 means others). Be careful to check your bottles...especially your baby bottles....as you may steam them (high heat cause more BPA to come out and BPA affect the very young more)
Note that it is not just nalgene, many plastic bottles are also made in the same material.
My personal opinion:
Better be safe than sorry. If possible, use glass or ceramic. If not Stainless steel (watch out for inner coatings). Make your own choice, I only give some information.
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