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Which Reusable Water Bottles Are the Safest?
2008-09-10 13:33:38
User Rating:
 
Now that we've become aware of how terrible our obsession with bottled water is for the environment, reusable water bottles have become all the rage. But which reusable water bottles are the safest? Below is our recommended list of reusable bottles followed by the most recent information available on the safety of plastics.
Recommended Reusable Bottles Kleen Kanteen stainless steel water bottle Sigg resin coated aluminum sport bottle Camelback BPA-free Water Bottle> Nalgene Tritan Wide Mouth BPA-free> Polar Insulated Water Bottle> Safer Plastics #2HDPE, #4LDPE and #5PP These three types of plastic are the healthiest. They transmit no known chemicals into your food and they're generally recyclable; #2 is very commonly accepted by municipal recycling programs, but you may have a more difficult time finding someone to recycle your #4 and #5 containers. #1 PET #1 bottles and containers are fine for single use and are widely accepted by municipal recyclers. You won't find many reusable containers made from #1, but they do exist. It's also best to avoid reusing #1 plastic bottles; water and soda bottles in particular are hard to clean, and because plastic is porous, these bottles absorb flavors and bacteria that you can't get rid of. PLA PLA (polylactide) plastics are made from renewable resources such as corn, potatoes and sugar cane and anything else with a high starch content. The starch is converted into polylactide acid (PLA). Although you can't recycle these plant-based plastics, you can compost them in a municipal composter or in your backyard compost heap. Most decompose in about twelve days unlike conventional plastic, which can take up to 100 years. Plastics to Avoid #3 PVC #3 polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is often used frequently in cling wraps for meat. However, PVC contains softeners called phthalates that interfere with hormonal development, and its manufacture and incineration release dioxin, a potent carcinogen and hormone disruptor. Vinyl chloride, the primary building block of PVC, is a known human carcinogen that also poses a threat to workers during manufacture. #6 PS Extruded polystyrene (#6 PS; commonly known as Styrofoam) is used in take-out containers and cups, and non-extruded PS is used in clear disposable takeout containers, disposable plastic cutlery and cups. Both forms of PS can leach styrene into food; styrene is considered a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. It may also disrupt hormones or affect reproduction. #7 PC #7 Polycarbonate (PC) is found in baby bottles, 5-gallon water bottles, water-cooler bottles and the epoxy linings of tin food cans. PC is composed of a hormone-disrupting chemical called bisphenol A, which has been linked to a wide variety of problems such as cancer and obesity. Link to National Geographic's Green Guide for more information
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