Water bottles are used by millions of people every day around the world. The liquids placed in these water bottles are consistently being ingested on a massive scale. This means that if there are any loose particles inside the water bottle, they will be ingested along with the liquid inside.
Extensive studies have shown that many of these particles can be very harmful. One of these is called BPA, which most of us have heard about but don’t know much about. Let’s take a look at what BPA is and which water bottles are BPA free for your safety.
What is BPA?
BPA, or Bisphenol A, is a chemical that is commonly found in consumer goods. It is a solid, colorless material that is hard to dissolve in water but very soluble in liquid organic solvents. BPA has been used widely for commercial purposes for over 60 years and is used to make epoxy resins and plastics.
BPA plastic is used to make sports equipment, DVDs, CDs, water bottles, and more. BPA epoxy is used to line beverage and food cans. In 2011, around 10 billion pounds of BPA was made for plastic manufacturing. This makes it one of the highest produced chemicals in the world.
BPA is potentially very harmful, and because this chemical is so widely used, there are many severe concerns surrounding its use. To help you gain more understanding about this chemical and how it can affect your water bottle, we have looked at factors that will help you determine which water bottles are BPA free.
Health Benefits of Water Bottles Without BPA
More and more research is showing links between BPA and some major health issues, such as reduced fertility, birth defects, diabetes, and a higher risk of cancer. These concerns have even led to certain US states, such as California, placing a ban on BPA, adding it to their toxic chemicals list.
Despite the gathered evident the FDA refuses to acknowledge how dangerous BPA can be. BPA-free cans and water bottles eliminate these concerns by removing the chemical from their production.
Aren’t BPA-Free Water Bottles More Costly?
Nowadays, BPA-free water bottles cost the same as bottles with BPA. As more research was conducted over the last decade and evidence found about the dangers of BPA, more companies removed BPA from their products. When larger water bottle companies, such as Nalgene, began recalling bottles containing BPA and stopped using it in future products, other companies followed suit. This has kept BPA-free bottle prices competitive.
How to Tell Whether Bottles Contain BPA
Unfortunately there is no definitive way to tell unless you test it. But there are a few things you can look at that indicate the presence of BPA. Start by looking at the arrows with numbers that are normally stamped into plastic bottle products. The letters “PC” (polycarbonate) or the number 7 often indicates that a product contains BPA. While this is not true of all products with these symbols, most products made with polycarbonate contain BPA.
Where You Can Buy BPA-Free Bottles
BPA-free water bottles are available in most stores that sell BPA-containing bottles. While not as widely available as those that contain BPA, you should not have any trouble finding them as most companies now produce BPA-free bottles.
Typically, your best option is to purchase a stainless steel bottle without a lining as these are 100% BPA-free. These water bottles will normally insulate your beverage and do not degrade the quality of their contents no matter how often you use it.
What Other Products Contain BPA?
Other products that often contain BPA include electronic devices, baby bottles, contact lenses, food cans, DVDs, and CDs. While the electronic items are not a direct concern, you need to be aware of them, especially if you have small children and babies that put these items in their mouths.
Should You Be Concerned About Products Containing BPA?
This answer depends on how much you believe the health concerns. If you side with experts that believe BPA is a concern, here are some tips of how to reduce exposure:
- Use glass or polypropylene (labeled 5) baby bottles
- Reduce your use of canned foods or purchase those that use BPA-free lining
- Purchase milk and juice in cardboard cartons
- Buy vegetables and fruits in glass jars (or bottle your own)
- Avoid wines that have epoxy resin as this contains up to 6 times as much BPA as cans
FINAL VERDICT
Studies have shown that the health issues and concerns of BPA are real. Thankfully, water bottles without BPA are easily accessible and can have a big impact on your and your family’s health.