Reusable water bottles have gained popularity with the bisphenol A and phthlates that are known to leach from the clear plastic bottles used for drinking water. Resusable water bottle save the earth by reducing waste in landfills and less petroleum needed to produce reusable bottles. Certain types of plastics must be avoided when purchasing and using reusable water bottles as they are not free from contaminants.
Phthalates
Phthalates are organic chemicals that can interrupt your body's ability to make testosterone properly. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, phthalates can leached into drinking water from plastic bottles or caps made of plastic in as short of a time as ten weeks. The phthalate content of tap water is highly regulated, but the same regulation is not imposed on bottled water makers.
Bisphenol A
With exposure to hot beverages or water for cleaning, polycarbonate plastic bottles can release bisphenol A (BPA), according to Science Daily News. BPA acts like estrogen in your body and can overload your system with female hormones. Polycarbonate plastic is used to make baby bottles, reusable drinking bottles, food can linings and dental sealants. Although BPA levels are not established for human exposure, it has been classified as an endocrine disruptor that can affect reproductive organs in men and women and hinder the developing brains of infants. According to Science Daily News, BPA is released most frequently after exposing polycarbonate bottles to boiling water.
Polyvinyl Chloride
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a plastic used primarily in household plumbing. It is also used to manufacture clear plastic wrap, detergent and window cleaner bottles, shower curtains, cooking oil and peanut butter jars, according to the National Geographic’s Plastics Guide. PVC can contain lead and dioxins that lead to low birth-weight infants, learning and behavioral issues in growing children, cancer and genetic changes. In manufacturing PVC, the toxic chemical residues can filter into national grasslands. This poses a risk to your health because dairy cows that feed on natural grasslands will absorb the PVC toxins, which become part of the cows’ meat and milk for human consumption.
Plastic #7
Plastic number seven is a mixed plastic product. Number seven is used to make baby bottles, five-gallon water bottles, sport water bottles, and clear plastic sippy cups, according to the National Geographic. Health problems can arise from the resins and polycarbonates used to manufacture containers made with plastic number 7.
Styrene
Polystyrene is another common plastic which is used for making styrofoam food and drink containers. According to the National Geographic, styrene can leach from containers and act as a neurotoxin. In animal studies it posed a threat to the liver and kidneys.
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