BPA From Plastic Water Bottles (and baby bottles!) May Be Hazardous to Your Health

You know that drinking water is healthy, and that drinking bottled water is an easy way to stay hydrated on the go. But what you may not know is that chemicals from plastic bottles may be leeching into your water, and could cause such major health problems as cancers and early-onset puberty.

Environmentalists and the very health conscious have long argued that plastic bottles, or at least the cheap plastic kind, are bad for the environment because of the waste they produce and the resources they require. And increasingly, many have voiced concerns about ingesting chemicals that seep into food and beverages, prompting the popularity of reusable containers like Nalgene bottles and Kleen Kanteens.

Of particular concern is how these chemicals, specifically BPA, can affect children and infants. Says a recent ABC News article:

There’s a possibility that the chemical found in plastic water bottles, baby bottles and the lining of many food, drink and baby formula cans could be linked to health problems, including prostate cancer, breast cancer and early-onset puberty, according to a chemical evaluation released Monday night by the Department of Health and Human Services’ National Toxicology Program.

…The draft brief found some worry that exposure to the chemical bisphenol A, known as BPA, could have neural and behavioral effects on fetuses, infants and children at existing exposure levels.

“The possibility that bisphenol A may alter human development cannot be dismissed,” the evaluation noted.

Indeed, the study failed to put to rest long-standing worries about whether the widely used chemical is safe, and ensures that scrutiny of the Food and Drug Administration’s decision to approve BPA will continue. While some have argued the chemical is associated with health risks, the FDA and industry experts have stood by their controversial conclusion that the chemical is not harmful.

The chemical helps make plastic tough and shatter-resistant; the plastic is used in food and drink containers, bike helmets, dental sealants and more.

At the American Chemistry Council, Steve Hentges, executive director of the polycarbonate/BPA global group, said today that there’s still no evidence of serious health risks or need to remove BPA from the market. This evaluation echoes many of the already published findings about BPA, Hentges said.

You can get more details by reading the full article.

How do these findings make you feel about the water you drink and the products you and your kids ingest? Does this make you want to change anything, or do you think this is just an overreaction? Your opinion counts. Spout off in the comments.

Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King

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