Dangers of Plastic Water Bottles

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Dangers of Plastic Water Bottles

You're on the run and need something cool to drink, so you grab a bottle of water. It's refreshing--and healthy--right? According to some, you might be damaging your body.

  1. Is Plastic Toxic?

    • Bisphenol-a (BPA) is used in many plastic bottles, and studies show trace amounts of BPA leaches into the water contained inside.

    What's the Evidence?

    • In animal studies, BPA might be connected to certain types of cancers and poor brain development in children. Puberty also appeared sooner and weight gain ensued.

    Naysayers

    • There are no human BPA studies, and many scientists, including those from The National Institutes of Health, believe past BPA studies are flawed.

    Is it BPA-Free?

    • Hard plastics almost always contain BPA, and any plastic marked with a No. 3 or No. 6 recycling symbol contains the chemical. Bottles marked with a No. 7 might contain BPA. (No. 7 is a "catch all" that includes products mixing non-BPA plastics together.) In addition, canned water (and foods) usually has a BPA liner.

    Alternatives to Bottled Water

    • Aluminum bottles are a good choice, although unless marked otherwise, their plastic spouts might contain BPA. Drinks in boxes such as IceBox water are also BPA-free and created with easy-to-recycle materials.

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  • Photo Credit SXC.hu

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