Canadian retail chain pulls plastic water bottles

References for you science types:

Current Biology 13: 546-553 [CWRU study]
Environmental Health Perspectives 110:A703-707 [U. of Missouri study]
Human Reproduction 17:2839-41

As to PETE, material from which most plastic beverage bottles are made, they seem safe if washed in automatic dishwashers, exposed to sunlight, or exposed to freezing temps. See, for example: http://www.cancer.ca/ccs/internet/st...gId-en,00.html


A special meeting was called by the G to assess BPA risk in August of this year. "CERHR selected this chemical for evaluation
because of (1) high production volume, (2) widespread human exposure,
(3) evidence of reproductive toxicity in laboratory animal studies, and
(4) public concern."

The rsult was disagreement: http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20070929/bob9.asp
 
Thomas Linton said:
References for you science types:

Current Biology 13: 546-553 [CWRU study]
Environmental Health Perspectives 110:A703-707 [U. of Missouri study]
Human Reproduction 17:2839-41

As to PETE, material from which most plastic beverage bottles are made, they seem safe if washed in automatic dishwashers, exposed to sunlight, or exposed to freezing temps. See, for example: http://www.cancer.ca/ccs/internet/st...gId-en,00.html


A special meeting was called by the G to assess BPA risk in August of this year. "CERHR selected this chemical for evaluation
because of (1) high production volume, (2) widespread human exposure,
(3) evidence of reproductive toxicity in laboratory animal studies, and
(4) public concern."

The rsult was disagreement: http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20070929/bob9.asp
Click to expand...

Thanks for the citations Thomas. I'll try to look through the reproductive biology one tomorrow. Getting late in the night for me and I only went through the Science article. Didn't mean to make any presumptions about your ahem future fertility....Okay - I'm post-reproductive and when I get a soft-ball sized testicle - maybe I'll blame it on mom.

You might recall in 'The Graduate', Dustin Hoffman's uncle telling him at his grad party - Plastics my man - the future is Plastics!!!!

It does seem to be mainly an issue of in-utero exposure though. Looking forward to some of the other readings.

In the mean time, I'll keep a look out for increasing prevalence of chunky blondes :D
 
Thanks for the intelligent conversation on this issue. It's too easy these days to be swayed by "public opinion" presented by the completely "non-biased opinions" of the media and special interest groups.

I find the attention to this issue very interesting. We all know that cigarettes cause cancer and low birth weights, yet they are still sold freely. Only difference is that they are taxed.

It's just so difficult to truly understand the risks. As some have stated, "why accept the risk", but I would challenge that attitude by asking about common daily activities we all participate in....such as driving. Is the cummulative risk actually increased by exposure to tiny amounts of leachate?

D
 
It seems rational to weigh risk vs. benefit or risk vs. burden to avoid the risk -- as best one can. Benefits can be practical or otherwise (like enjoyment).

Living where there is no public transportation, I see benefit in driving that I cannot practically get in any other way. Aware of the slaughter on the highways, I buy a highly safety-rated vehicle and choose to drive. I back into parking places whenever I can. I avoid rush hour whenever I can. If I am being tail-gated, I try too pull over and let the #@&^%$ pass. ("Keep tailgating. I'm reloading.") I am a heavy duty defensive driver. On balance, it would be a considerable burden to give up driving and the benefits outweigh the risks. I think.

What is the irreplaceable benefit of Lexan? Perhaps there is such a benefit in its use in canned goods. But as a water bottle? What is the burden of giving up Lexan water bottles? Seem trivial.

Putting it another way, what is the burden of following the advice Nalgene itself is publishing by hand-washing Lexan bottles? Less than trivial?
 
Funnily enough, I discovered last night while Xmas shopping that my favourite camping chain has just started stocking stainless steel bottles. And they're the same price as the Nalgenes!

The only bummer is they're made in China...

I guess I'll have to 'go China' on this one. It just doesn't make economic sense for me to order SS bottles from the USA.

And the Klean Kanteen ones, at least, are Chinese-made as well.

Mark
 
Buffalohump said:
Funnily enough, I discovered last night while Xmas shopping that my favourite camping chain has just started stocking stainless steel bottles. And they're the same price as the Nalgenes!

The only bummer is they're made in China...

I guess I'll have to 'go China' on this one. It just doesn't make economic sense for me to order SS bottles from the USA.

And the Klean Kanteen ones, at least, are Chinese-made as well.

Mark
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Especially since the Guyots are also made in China.

Doc
 
Yeah? May as well go local then....

The prices here are actually very good, considering they are double walled stainless.

Damn, that's a first! :D
 
I don't suppose there is any way to know what alloys of metal are used in the Chinese water bottles, is there? I think that might concern me more than the lexan scare.

Codger
 
Buffalohump said:
Yeah? May as well go local then....

The prices here are actually very good, considering they are double walled stainless.

Damn, that's a first! :D
Click to expand...

The Guyot bottles I am talking about are not double walled. Double walled, IMHO, would not allow the bottle to be used for boiling water if that's a concern for you.

Codger, that's something I would like to know too.

Doc
 
Hmmmm..... I dunno, you got me!

I'll look into it, see if there's some sort of standard when it comes to Stainless Steels.

This company has pretty high standards, generally speaking. I buy most of my clothing from them.

I've braced them on the Chinese issue, particularly regarding textiles, which has lead to a lot of job losses here, but its a lost cause. They claim our local manufacturers don't have the equipment or the skills to compete with their Chinese counterparts, when it comes to sewing complicated clothing like cargo shorts.

Sounds like a load of bullcrap don't it? My guess is its just way cheaper to get it done in China.
 
Well, nah... I just want one to drink out of. But you could use it for hot liquids too, if you wanted. They have two kinds. One is a flask, basically, and the other is like an upmarket sports bottle. That's the one I was scoping./

Steel seems to be cropping up in a lot of places actually. A lot of appliances like kettles and toasters have gone steel here.

I think that's mostly a status thing though... although a stainless kettle seems like a good idea.

DOC-CANADA said:
The Guyot bottles I am talking about are not double walled. Double walled, IMHO, would not allow the bottle to be used for boiling water if that's a concern for you.

Codger, that's something I would like to know too.

Doc
Click to expand...
 
Whoa! How are these chemicals released? Usually heat, I use bottled water, refill the bottles from a filter machine. Even these have a life. So after a few uses they become flower pots. If they remain in the car where things get very hot here I toss them.

Use aluminium/copper/steel....., wow you get poisoning! Basically everything releases something nasty under different circumstances. Aluminium hates wine or acidic fluids, plastic heat, (and Silicone certain women). So unless you hollow out of your neighour for a waterskin there are toxins. Your body has mechanisms to fight/clean them.
 
Good question about the Chinese SS. We bought a dog dish of "stainless steel" made in China and the darned thing rusted bady. Not enough Cr. probly'. I'd try it out good right away (while I still could find the receipt for a return).
 
Thomas Linton said:
Good question about the Chinese SS. We bought a dog dish of "stainless steel" made in China and the darned thing rusted bady. Not enough Cr. probly'. I'd try it out good right away (while I still could find the receipt for a return).
Click to expand...

k estela reported that he used it for a whole weekend for boiling water, etc. and he said it worked just fine. Perhaps he can jump in here.

Doc
 
kgd said:
Yeah - BP has a relatively low water solubility so heating the water would help. Actually heated soapy water would help even more followed by some good rinses.
Click to expand...

Soap is our friend!
 
Stainless steels [and others too] have become a bit nebulous ! Food stainless was originally 304 and similar [also called 18-8, 18-10 ] .But then they have played with the standard alloys of the 200 series but now some weird 200 series alloys have been coming out of China and India !! In addition the corrosion resistance of stainless steel is due in great part to the oxide layer on the surface. There should be a "passivation" treatment to increase this oxide layer.I have no idea how often that's done.
 
Alrighty then. Let's step up a dollar or two. Titanium use in outdoor campware has grown by leaps and bounds in the past couple of years. Anyone know if there are health issues with Titanium other than the thinning of one's wallet? Is it alloyed with depleted uranium? Coated with cyanide? :eek:

Codger

WE ALL GONNA DIE!!!
 
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