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Is it true that refilling and reusing some types of
plastic bottles can cause health problems?
Most types of plastic bottles are safe to reuse at
least a few times if properly washed with hot soapy water — but
recent revelations about chemicals in Lexan (plastic No. 7) bottles are
enough to scare even the most committed environmentalists from reusing them
(or buying them in the first place). Studies have indicated that food and
drinks stored in such containers — including those ubiquitous clear
Nalgene water bottles hanging from just about every hiker’s backpack
— can contain trace amount of bisphenol A, a synthetic chemical that
interferes with the body’s natural hormonal messaging system. The same studies found that repeated reuse of such
bottles — which get dinged up through normal wear and tear and while
being washed — increases the chance that chemicals will leak out of
the tiny cracks and crevices that develop over time. According to the
Environment California Research & Policy Center, which reviewed 130
studies on the topic, BPA has been linked to breast and uterine cancer, an
increased risk of miscarriage, and decreased testosterone levels. BPA can
also wreak havoc on children’s developing systems. (Parents beware:
Most baby bottles and sippy cups are made with plastics containing BPA.)
Most experts agree that the amount of BPA that could leach into food and
drinks through normal handling is probably very small, but there are
concerns about the cumulative effect of small doses. Health advocates also recommend not reusing bottles
made from plastic No. 1 (polyethylene terephthalate, also known as PET or
PETE), including most disposable water, soda, and juice bottles. According
to The Green Guide, such bottles may be safe for one-time use, but reuse should be
avoided because studies indicate they may leach DEHP — another
probable human carcinogen — when they are in less-than-perfect
condition. The good news is that such bottles are easy to recycle; just
about every municipal recycling system will take them back. But using them
is nonetheless far from environmentally responsible: The nonprofit Berkeley
Ecology Center found that the manufacture of plastic No. 1 uses large
amounts of energy and resources and generates toxic emissions and
pollutants that contribute to global warming — and even though PET
bottles can be recycled, millions find their way into landfills every day
in the U.S. alone. Another bad choice for water bottles, reusable or
otherwise, is plastic No. 3 (polyvinyl chloride/PVC), which can leach
hormone-disrupting chemicals into the liquids they are storing and will
release synthetic carcinogens into the environment when incinerated.
Plastic No. 6 (polystyrene), has been shown to leach styrene, a probable
human carcinogen, into food and drinks as well.
Safer choices include bottles crafted from safer HDPE
(plastic No. 2), low-density polyethylene (LDPE, a.k.a. plastic No. 4) or
polypropylene (plastic No. 5). Consumers may have a hard time finding water
bottles made out of No. 4 or No. 5, however. Aluminum bottles, such as
those made by SIGG and sold in many natural food and product markets, and
stainless-steel water bottles are also safe choices and can be reused
repeatedly and eventually recycled.
For more information: The Green Guide,
www.thegreenguide.com; Environment California,
www.environmentcalifornia.org/reports/environmental-health/environmental-health-reports/toxic-baby-bottles;
SIGG, www.mysigg.com.
Send questions to Earth Talk, care of E/The Environmental Magazine,
P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881 or e-mail earthtalk@emagazine.com.
This article appears in Nov 15-21, 2007.
