View Full Version : Plastics - which are safest for H20?
Bootstrap
12-07-2007, 16:42
I've been reading that some plastics can leak chemicals into water, but I know little about these things.
How much of a difference is there between Nalgene lexan bottles, white Nalgene polyethylene bottles, Platypus plastic laminate, and plain old Gatorade or pop bottles in terms of stuff leaking into the water? Any knowledgable chemists out there? Where do you look for reliable info on such questions?
Jonathan
Frolicking Dinosaurs
12-07-2007, 17:08
According to what I've read, the safest are the clouded plastics (like tupperware and older baby bottles were made from) and the opaque plastics (like what yogurt and cottage cheese come in). Edited to add - containers made of Polypropylene
I found this page for you :)
Adapted from Green Remodeling, by David Johnston and Kim Master (New Society Publishers, 2004).
The news about plastics has been pretty alarming lately, causing some of us to go dashing for the water bottles to see what kind of plastic they are--and find out if we’ve been unwittingly poisoning our children and ourselves with chemicals leaching into the water from them.
SIMPLE SOLUTION: If you’ve been concerned, here is a handy chart that identifies the good, bad, and ok plastics and where they are found. Find out here:
1 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) Used to make soft drink, water, sports drink, ketchup, and salad dressing bottles, and peanut butter, pickle, jelly and jam jars. GOOD: Not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones.
2 High density polyethylene (HDPE) Milk, water, and juice bottles, yogurt and margarine tubs, cereal box liners, and grocery, trash, and retail bags. GOOD: Not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones.
3 Polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC) Most cling-wrapped meats, cheeses, and other foods sold in delicatessens and groceries are wrapped in PVC. BAD: To soften into its flexible form, manufacturers add “plasticizers” during production. Traces of these chemicals can leach out of PVC when in contact with foods. According to the National Institutes of Health, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), commonly found in PVC, is a suspected human carcinogen.
4 Low density polyethylene (LDPE) Some bread and frozen food bags and squeezable bottles. OK: Not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones, but not as widely recycled as #1 or #2.
5 Polypropylene (PP) Some ketchup bottles and yogurt and margarine tubs. OK: Hazardous during production, but not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones. Not as widely recycled as #1 and #2.
6 Polystyrene (PS) Foam insulation and also for hard applications (e.g. cups, some toys) BAD: Benzene (material used in production) is a known human carcinogen. Butadiene and styrene (the basic building block of the plastic) are suspected carcinogens. Energy intensive and poor recycling.
7 Other (usually polycarbonate) Baby bottles, microwave ovenware, eating utensils, plastic coating for metal cans BAD: Made with biphenyl-A, a chemical invented in the 1930s in search for synthetic estrogens. A hormone disruptor. Simulates the action of estrogen when tested in human breast cancer studies. Can leach into food as product ages.
The above info can be found here. (http://www.care2.com/greenliving/which-plastics-are-safe.html)
Interesting that this topic came up today as did this article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071207.wcoop07/EmailBNStory/National/home
simple me, i started to copy out the "good" list and noticed that to be good plastic you just need to have a "PE" in the name somewhere... i think i can remember that!
Dances with Mice
12-07-2007, 19:32
simple me, i started to copy out the "good" list and noticed that to be good plastic you just need to have a "PE" in the name somewhere... i think i can remember that!Polypropylene is as harmless as polyethylene. The quote from the website just gives it an "OK" because .... going from memory here ... it is hazardous during production.
Very true. The production facilities tend to blow up on a regular basis. My high school lost all the windows facing towards a Phillips Petroleum facility once. It's an energy release thing but not a health hazard unless you happen to be in the blast zone. If you don't hang around polypropylene production reactors much you don't have to worry.
simple me, i started to copy out the "good" list and noticed that to be good plastic you just need to have a "PE" in the name somewhere... i think i can remember that!That is an excellent way to remember it. Thanks.
1. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)
2. High density polyethylene (HDPE)
4. Low density polyethylene (LDPE)
5. but also Polypropylene (PP)
Also remember 1245 I suppose. Just remember that 3 is bad (PVC).
In winter I think it is good to include a metal canteen, that can be reheated. Also a wineskin that can be worn under sweater, but I wonder what sort of plastic might be in those. I know the originals were gourds and goat guts. Wonder what sort of studies were done on those. :)
just read in the ny times that a canadian REI is pulling Nalgenes off their shelves
just read in the ny times that a canadian REI is pulling Nalgenes off their shelves
See my post #4 above.
No more Nalgene's? What a pity....
As always...some of these studies are not proven.
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/petbottles.asp
http://www.jhsph.edu/PublicHealthNews/articles/Halden_dioxins.html
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cookplastic.asp
http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/99/Microwave-Safe-Containers
and:
http://www.plasticsmythbuster.org/rumors.asp
Here is one more:
http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/technical/bpaInfo.html