Sunday, September 6, 2009

Water bottles and BPA


I spent the day at the beach today and our family took our ice chest out there so that we could have snacks and drinks on such a hot day. As I was filling up our water bottles, I started thinking about the whole issue regarding BPA (Bisphenol A) again. You see, I have some water bottles that I've had for many years. Naturally, they are made up of Type 7 plastic (the "catch all") and hence, they contain BPA.

Plastic types 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 do not contain BPA. Many of the newer water bottles are not made of Type 7 plastic (although if you buy a generic water bottle made in China, then it's probably still Type 7). You'll even see new water bottles advertised as "BPA free." What I often wonder is, "OK, so let's say it's free of BPA. How do we know that it simply doesn't contain a different chemical that may also be toxic (or potentially more toxic) to the human body?"

The FDA is currently exploring the public health implications associated with BPA exposure. I doubt we'll hear anything conclusive anytime soon. Perhaps someday in the future, we'll realize that all types of plastic were hazardous to our health. Perhaps we'll go back to traditional glass and metal containers.

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