Nalgene Water Bottles
When children play outside, usually the first necessity considered to bring along is a water bottle. With all of the talk about polycarbonate and other different types of plastics it leaves many parents wondering whether their child’s water bottle is safe.
Our three kids each have a Nalgene water bottle made of polycarbonate, which has a key element of a chemical called bisphenol-A (BPA). It is said that BPA mimics the femal hormone estrogen and has been shown to cause defective cell division during development. Nalgene presents a wealth of information including the results of several studies done on this subject on their site. It’s really worth checking out if you have any questions.
Nalgene and many other manufacturers have decided to discontinue their polycarbonate bottles. At first I thought it was because they believed them to be harmful. But as I read into it further they are simply doing it because consumer demand is weakening for that product.
Nalgene says they have reviewed the studies and tests done by several agencies, administrations and councils and they claim to have proven BPA to be safe. These studies can be found on the site I linked to above as well. To keep in step with what consumers are seeking Nalgene has decided to transition from polycarbonate to Eastman Tritan™ copolyester, a BPA free alternative.
Overall the studies say that the amount of BPA leaching into the liquid inside a polycarbonate bottle is so minimal that there is no risk involved. As a parent it’s comforting to hear that statement ”no risk involved”, but the idea of even a minimal amount going into your child’s body is somewhat unsettling.
So it seems our choices when coming to polycarbonate water bottles are either over cautious parent or trusting consumer. Which one are you?
Find BPA-Free Water Bottles at REI
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Filed under Biking, Education, Equipment, Hiking |3 Responses to “Nalgene Water Bottles”
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I tend to be more of a trusting consumer, because I just don’t have time to sweat about every little study and report and finding that comes out.
That said, a re-usable water bottle is the way to go. It’s nice that you’re not filling up landfills with “disposable” water bottles, and it’s great to save money–but I think the best part is that you are modeling “preparation” to your children when you let them fill up their own bottle with water . . . you don’t stop and pick up water bottles last minute, and they don’t just go to the fridge or pantry and snag something pre-packaged. They can actually help to get ready and be responsible enough to fill, carry, drink, and re-fill their own water. Much better than the drink-and-chuck mindset that a lot of kids grow up with.
I remember reading about the effects of possible BPA leeching as long as 18 months ago, I watched as Mec.ca stopped carrying bottles containing BPA, and when the anti-BPA fever hit it’s pitch I decided I had heard enough and ditched all of my Nalgene-style bottles. Now my wife and I are using SIGG bottles, which I kinda like, but I miss the wide mouth opening. (Stuffing ice cubes one at a time through the narrow opening is tedious business).
I had another reason for getting rid of my Nalgene bottles, too. After years of use, they were starting to stink. No matter how many times I washed them in hot soapy water, or ran them through the dishwasher, they just stunk and had a funny taste. Part of it may be that I stored them in the same cabinet as my spices, so they all had a slight odor of curry powder, but I think they just get funky after awhile.
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