Posted: 4/14/2008 2:26:42 PM EDT
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My wife said she saw on the news that containers made of plastic with 3,6,& 7 recycle symbol should not be used and thrown away. Anybody know about this? That Nalgene website sale may not have been such a good deal.... 
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www.nalgene-outdoor.com/technical/bpaInfo.html www.nalgene-outdoor.com/technical/FDAstatement.html 
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News? Is her source reliable? I was told by another pharmacist several months ago that the nalgene bottle I was drinking from would leach dioxin and bisphenols and other chemicals into the water. I had never heard of such reports, so I did some extensive research only to find some poor studies reporting extremely low levels of some chemicals (not dioxins) in water from polycarbonate bottles. Much of what I found was on environmental 'scare' websites that I doubt the credibilty or repeatability of. The news media gets more wrong than right when they report on medical research and drug trials IMHO...
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It's fine. There is much material going both ways on this and is nothing new really. The only *potential* issues are if you are using polycarbonate bottles and certain bleaches such as sodium hypochlorite, esp among pregnant women. Sodium hypochlorite *may* catalyze the release of bisphenol-A which in large amounts *may* cause breast cancer in the fetus later on. This does not concern polypropylene bottles or any other bottles as far as I know with any degree of certainty. It would *only* concern polycarbonate bottles and *only* when certain bleaches are used in the bottles. IIRC polycarbonate would have the recycle code "7" or "other" on the bottom. For the most part, I think it's a bunch of crap but the above is the best of my knowledge on the subject. HTH, J |
| I saw something on the news a few months ago about this and they only made it out like it was a problem if you put very hot water in them and that is when the leaching occured. It also was only a problem in some of their bottles I don't remember if they were the flexible ones or the rigid that had this problem but since I don't use them for boiling liquids I was not to concerened. I don't remember the news channel but it had to be CBS, NBC ABC or regular fox as I only have an antenna and don't get anything else. Hope this helps but, sorry I can not be more of a help. |
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Nalgene must be getting at least somewhat uptight about this, because they're trotting out some new products that aren't made out of polycarbonate: www.nalgenechoice.com/index.html |
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In large enough doses, EVERYTHING is toxic/deadly, even water. Plus you can always come up with some kind of scenario where it will be deadly. However, the ridiculous lengths to which some of these groups go to prove something is dangerous is very telling. A group called CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) has come out against just about every type of food there is, and when you see them you understand why. They look like cadavers. I guess they figure that since they can't (or shouldn't) enjoy those foods, nobody else should either. I suspect this group is just like them. I guess they just want their 15 minutes of fame. (Again) |
After a lifetime of using aluminum cookware, I guess I should worry about the infrequent times I use polycarb. A Garden of Eden this Earth hasn't been for long long time. Coming from the 60s when my car use to be covered in coal dust and the rivers alive with raw sewage, I have learned that one must gage the risk of things against other things. I'm pretty certain I get more danger from driving my car everyday than a Nalgene bottle that has no after taste. Tj |
bisphenol is the culprit, as you may have heard, it's also used part of the lining in metal food cans, and can be found in dental sealants. As of today, many CAN stores are pulling all these bottles of the shelf, and I noticed at EMS, they have big displays of SIGG metal bottles. This is just all FYI. |
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Recent News Article More Detailed Article To my way of thinking, why risk it when there are other food plastics that don't use bpA? We've also switched to old fashioned glass bottles for my infant daughter. To my way of thinking the $1 or so extra per bottle it cost us to switch from plastic to glass is inconsequential compared to any possible threat to our baby. |
I would not trust MSN. |
It's a "feel good" thing IMO. There isn't any real problem, only a perceived one. Nalge is still in the business of selling bottles, if it makes customers "feel" better about their stuff, then they'll do it. 'Course the reality is if a consumer doesn't feel safe with the polycarb bottles, perhaps they should simply consider not buying them How many products are out here that have "potential links" to health risks? Vague terminology like simply keeps the media going, a scare tactic used by them for their own self preservation in such instances. Something along the lines of "this stuff would kill you instantly if it wasn't for us looking out for you"...ick Better get rid of your Rubbermaid tupperware and polycarb drinking glasses and...oh well JMO. |
| I personally still have all mine and am probably going to still use them. I posted the link to nalgene because it seems like the company is doing some damage control in response to the studies, but seeing as they are just initial findings and not long term studies I am awaiting more concrete information. I see more companies putting out stainless steel bottles but I think they are personally a poor replacement for the poly nalgene bottles as they aren't nearly as durable nor are they cheap. Any more info would be appreciated though. |
The threat from broken glass is substantially greater than the threat from chemicals from the plastic. More risk from what's in the bottle than the bottle itself either way. Oh yeah and I need to comment on the irony from the OP:
Good job MSM. |
I disagree. I can tell at a glance if a glass bottle is broken. Neither you nor I can say the same for leeching chemicals. |
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And down the road in few years all the "safe" plastic's will be re-tested and found out to toxic for whatever reason........... Also have you noticed that the #2 HDPE, which is supposedly "safe" is the one that make water taste like actual plastic the most!!! So it's safe? but I can actually TASTE plastic and I know I'm ingesting it.....what's that doing? ...somehow that doesn't wash with me. In any event until I see soemthing really scary about PC/lexan.......I'm avoiding the "SAFE" # 2 HDPE like the plague. Bottom line....do what you're comfortable with! RG |