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.

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.

References

• What is BPA?
• How to Tell if Your Plastic Bottle is Safe
• BPA Update

Resources

• IceBox Water Availability
• A Hard Plastic is Raising Hard Questions