An ingredient in many hard plastic bottles manufactured since the 1960s is the chemical bisphenol A, also known as BPA. BPA may be present in items such as baby bottles and reusable water bottles. A 2008 study raised concerns about the safety of BPA, leading the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, to recommend reducing your exposure to BPA. You may be able to tell which plastic bottles may contain BPA and avoid them.
Damaged Bottles
You should discard any plastic bottles that contain scratches or chips or heat damage such as melting. Damaged bottles are more likely to release BPA into the contents of the bottle. Bacteria can also grow in small scratches, cracks or chips in hard plastic, so even BPA-free damaged bottles can be dangerous. You can avoid heat damage to plastic bottles by never microwaving them or pouring boiling or extremely hot water into them. Scratches and chipping may be unavoidable, but you can lessen the risk by gently cleaning plastic bottles with non-abrasive cleaners and sponges.
Recycle Codes 3 and 7
Most plastic bottles manufactured since 1988 feature a recycling symbol made up of three arrows forming a triangle. This symbol is commonly located on the bottom of the bottle. In the center of this triangle is a number ranging from one to seven--the Society of the Plastic Industries, Inc, or SPI, resin identification code. Also known as the recycle code, this number designates the type of plastic that comprises the bottle.
A recycle code of "3" means that the bottle is made from vinyl. Recycle code "7" denotes bottles that do not fall into any of the other categories in the SPI identification code. Bottles marked with a "7" may contain a single type of plastic or multiple types of plastic along with other materials.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, also known as the HHS, warns that bottles marked with recycle codes "3" and "7" may contain BPA. Not all bottles with these two codes actually contain BPA; however, you should treat all bottles labeled with a "3" or "7" as though they do. You may discard bottles labeled with a "3" or "7" to be completely safe or follow the aforementioned procedures to avoid damaging the bottles and increasing the risk of BPA exposure.
Unmarked Bottles
Any plastic bottles that do not contain an SPI identification code may predate the coding system and could therefore be over 20 years old. Since there is no way for you to tell whether an unmarked bottle contains BPA, err on the side of caution by treating unmarked bottles as though they do contain BPA. Because of the possible age of unmarked bottles, they are very likely to contain some damage even if none is visible. Therefore, your safest course of action for unmarked plastic bottles is to discard them.
References
- United States Food and Drug Administration: Update on Bisphenol A for Use in Food Contact Applications--January 2010
- United States Environmental Protection Agency: Plastics
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources: Plastics Recycling
- United States Department of Health and Human Services: Bisphenol A (BPA) Information for Parents
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