Your pretty blue Nalgene bottle is toxic. Sorry. Europe and Japan banned the sale of Nalgene bottles (and other products made of the same plastic) last year. Canada did so recently. The U.S. is looking into the matter.
Today the Nalgene company announced that they will stop making the polycarbonate plastic (aka "Lexan") bottles that made them the industry standard and a household word. We buy more Nalgenes than any other country in the world, and we're slow to catch on to things that are bad for us. Nalgene could have survived without Europe and Japan, but without the U.S.? The U.S. catching on must have been the last straw.
What's so bad about Nalgene bottles? They're better for the world than disposable bottles, right? Maybe they're easier on landfills, but they are poisoning your body. The plastic contains bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that has correlatively linked to behavior and neurological problems in babies, and cancer, diabetes, obesity, hyperactivity, miscarriages, and other reproductive problems in animals. The studies found that even low levels of exposure to bisphenol A can lead to serious health problems.
The worst part of this is that the most popular brand of baby bottle over the last few years, Avent, is made of the same plastic, which means all those neurologically damaged kids who've been raised on Avent bottles will be reaching elementary school at about the same time I get my teaching license. Nice.
The chemicals industry insists the chemical is safe when used in these plastics, but knowing what it can do, why take a chance? I mean, unless you get a thrill out of doing something that is illegal in the European Union and Japan. That is pretty cool, I must admit. And I do like bad girls...
Speaking of girls, BPA is an endocrine disrupter that mimics estrogen. In addition to the reproductive problem, this could be a serious problem for people who have estrogen receptive breast cancer in their family history. This kind of cancer is basically fed by estrogen. Some of the chemicals that mimic estrogen may have the same effect. This hasn't been indisputably proven, but ladies, why take a chance? And gentlemen, why risk growing breasts?
There are several alternatives to polycarbonate plastic. There are stainless steel bottles or those old fashioned leather flasks. Very Lewis and Clark. They should be all the rage by next year. My partner bought me an aluminum water bottle by Sigg (an exceedingly cute one) for Valentine's Day, because she loves me and wants to keep me alive. Aluminum has been linked to early onset Alzheimer's, but what are you gonna do? Everything is out to get us.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24200402/
This is plastic problem isn't limited to those popular plastic bottles. The same toxic chemicals are used in many plastics we use to store leftover foods in. As our food chills in the fridge or reheats in the microwave, these nasty chemicals are leeching into our food. Beware! Use glass containers to store your food in. Your body will thank you!
Also, I'm not sure about the Japan having banned nalgene bottles... if the did, it's certainly not a regulated rule. I live in Japan and we can buy those things at any sports supply store.
That's what the news is reporting here. Have they reformulated their plastic maybe? But you're probably right. It's probably not very enforced.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
that is an exceedingly cute water bottle. Your partner must love you a whole lot. ;)
It was a sad day when I lost my almost brand new Nalgene - the white one with a blue lid. I had bought it because I lost my other one, which was being used because my original ones were still at my mother's house (or... somewhere...). Needless to say, I have a pretty consistent track record with water bottles. Water bottles and sunglasses. Anyway, I lost it while riding on the back of a snowmachine (snow mobile) on the way home one evening. I looked everywhere, sort of, half heartedly, but still with a very sad face. I knew I'd probably never find it. Maybe when the snow melts it will show up on the beach. Anyway, my friend told me that it was probably good news that I had lost it, and that was the first I'd ever heard of the BPA problem. Fortunately I was in Anchorage not too long after that. I bought a Camelbak water bottle (at my favorite store REI - allow me to be their walking commercial) that assures me it is BPA free. It's even written right on the bottle. I hope I don't lose this one!! (It's kind of poor design, though... nothing connects the lid to the bottle like it did on the Nalgene, so I had to create my own duct tape plus braided yarn connector, but it works.)
http://www.rei.com/product/763656?vcat=REI_SEARCH
Check out my cool water bottle. :)
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/kariskoett
"All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else."
-Buddha
The softer plastic Nalgenes do NOT contain BPA...the white ones with blue lids! So if you find your bottle, you will still have one that is compatible with all those cool components!
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
melt snow melt!! I hope I find it this spring!!!!
Thanks for the fyi. :)
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/kariskoett
"All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else."
-Buddha
Yeah this was a John Hopkins study if my memory serves me. Shit scares the crap out of me. Do you know how many people recreate with those water bottles? I just think back to the day when each YMCA soccer compadre of mine had their own cute little red Nalgene.
Every organism's heartbeat holds a universe of beauty at http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/green-underbelly