OT: Water bottles are dangerous?

[surfmonkey]

Are they really? Or is this a ploy by the bottled water/plastic industry? I'm not too worried about bacteria, but chemicals leaking into my water has me a little concerned since I do re-use my water bottles. Excerpted from a 1/26/03 Canadian Press news service article by Jen Horsey: REUSE OF WATER BOTTLES MAY POSE HEALTH RISK While people may think they're doing a good deed for the environment when they reuse water bottles for anything from orange juice in a bagged lunch to a week's worth of water refills from the office water cooler, researchers say they could be risking their health. Dangerous bacteria and potentially toxic plastic compounds have been found in the types of water bottles typically reused in classrooms and workplaces. A study of water bottles at a Calgary elementary school found bacteria in kids' bottles that would prompt health officials to issue boil-water advisories, had the samples come from a tap. Researchers discovered bacterial contamination in about a third of the samples collected from kids' water bottles at the school. Some samples even showed evidence of fecal coliforms. "If a town water supply had fecal coliforms in it, it would have to be shut down," said Cathy Ryan, the University of Calgary professor who authored the study. The bacteria likely came from the kids' hands and mouths over time as they repeatedly used the same bottles without washing them or allowing them to dry, Ryan said. While researchers in her study collected samples from only 76 bottles at one elementary school, which has not been identified, Ryan said the results would likely be the same anywhere else. When the study results were published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health in the fall, the local school board advised parents to make sure kids' bottles were taken home and washed properly and frequently. However, a study conducted in the United States suggests the kind of thorough washing that could kill bacteria might make the bottles unsafe in another way. Frequent washing might accelerate the break-down of the plastic, potentially causing chemicals to leach into the water, the study found. Preliminary research conducted by a graduate student at the University of Idaho found that with repeated use, toxic chemical compounds can migrate out of the bottles into the liquid inside. Although plastics experts contend the bottles are safe, the study ultimately concluded little is known about what happens when the bottles are used over and over again. "The fact is, a lot of these compounds have not really been studied in terms of their human health effects," said Margrit von Braun, a University of Idaho professor. Single-use soft-drink and water bottles are commonly made of a plastic called polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which, while considered safe for its intended use, was found to break down over time. "The longer you used it, the more stuff ended up in the water," said von Braun. One of the toxins that frequently appeared in water samples from the reused bottles was DEHA, a carcinogen regulated in drinking water because it has been found to cause weight loss, liver problems, or possible reproductive difficulties. It is also suspected that DEHA can cause cancer in humans. Von Braun said she was surprised to discover how widespread the reuse was - and how long some people would hold on to a single bottle. "A lot of people use them for weeks, and sometimes months, literally until it's leaking," said von Braun. The Canadian Bottled Water Association advises against reusing the containers altogether. It says the containers are made for single use and should be recycled afterward, not reused. People would be unable to properly sterilize the bottles at home, and the industry doesn't evaluate the safety of the bottles for multiple uses, said Elizabeth Griswold, executive director of the Canadian Bottled Water Association. Reuse of the plastic bottles "is not something we recommend," said Griswold.

[Duhduh]

Damned if you do...Damned if you dont!

[fantasticsound]

Wonderful! So I've been slowly killing myself through recycling and drinking water! Just wonderful... :rolleyes: And I thought I was being intelligent! Guess I'll have to go back to giant thermal mugs. Doh! :mad:

[Rick K.]

Surfmonkey, Alot of what you stated is true. However, washing our own reused water bottles isn't a problem and is suggested. Don't worry much about breaking down the plastic. You'll throw it away long before you break it down. Rick

[loudist]

Go buy a bottle made from polycarbonate, it is reusable and no leaching. Hand wash with warm water a mild soap.

[Gus Lozada]

Water bottles are extremely dangerous, most of all if they are filled and thrown to the stage and hit you straight in the face... it hurts SO bad...

[Charlie-brm]

A big portion of today's litter is these damn water bottles. People are drinking them for their "health" and then toss them. How many does the average bottle addict go through in a week?Gee, I wonder why the environment is fucked up. Drink tap water; what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

[fantasticsound]

[quote]Originally posted by Charlie-brm: [b]A big portion of today's litter is these damn water bottles. People are drinking them for their "health" and then toss them. How many does the average bottle addict go through in a week?Gee, I wonder why the environment is fucked up. Drink tap water; what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.[/b][/quote]I don't buy your Nietsche conclusion... tap water in some area tastes absolutely disgusting. In my area, they just sent us our annual water quality report. (Required by law) Although everything in our water is well within legal tolerance, I know it's hardly surprising that people drink bottled water so much. Our water softener was out of action for a month. I could smell the chlorine every time I turned on the outside water service. (Plenty of ventilation, face 3 ft. away.) It was disgusting, and that's good compared to really problem water supplies. The answer isn't, "Drink tap water." It's, "Drink filtered tap water." Filters for single sinks cost less than $40, and provide clean water on demand. Small or whole house filtration is more expensive, but worth every penny. In addition to making your tap water taste good, your clothes will be cleaner using less detergent (Great for the environment), you're BODY will be cleaner, using less shampoo and soap, when washing or showering. Some tap water has so much sediment, etc. in it, it clogs your pores. "Clean" water can help reduce or eliminate acne. (Sounds like a commercial, but believe me, the difference can be profound.) I'll never go back to straight tap water. I only buy bottled water in bulk, for convenience. We keep a case in our trunk for travel, visits to the zoo (and other attractions where refreshment costs are outrageous), etc. You'd freak out in the Middle East, right now. When I was there, they'd drop pallets of bottled water cases for the troops to grab bottles from, in various spots around each base. Had it not been for those "oasis'", I'd have suffered heatstroke for certain, [i]in March[/i]. :)

[Lee Flier]

I agree with charlie-brn. Best bet is to get yourself a heavy duty bottle or thermal mug that you get used to using and everybody knows is yours. I have one that's insulated, which is better anyhow cuz it keeps the water cold longer. I just refill the bottle from the tap, which has a filter. Saves a lot of money and a lot of plastic, and yes it's better for your health so long as you filter out the chlorine - disposable plastic bottles DO leach chemicals, you can taste it even. Also, very few sources of bottled water have actually been shown to be "healthier" or "purer" than what you can get from the tap, by the time it's shipped to the bottling plant, treated, bottled, etc. The bottled water industry is a major ripoff.

[ITGITC]

[quote]Originally posted by Gus Lozada: [b]Water bottles are extremely dangerous, most of all if they are filled and thrown to the stage and hit you straight in the face... it hurts SO bad...[/b][/quote]----------------- Is that why you wear those sunglasses, Gus?

[Abnorm]

I just drink tap water, and I'm doing fine after 50 years. Wait a minute. I feel a lump in my throat. It feels like a tumor. I ... :freak:

[Raymar]

Hmmmm, plastic or lead, flouride, and industrial toxins? I'll say this, I just sampled a Sparklets bottle and I was amazed at the variety of sounds it can produce!

[fantasticsound]

[quote]Originally posted by Abnorm: [b]I just drink tap water, and I'm doing fine after 50 years.[/b][/quote]Dude!!! Your handle is Abnorm!!! That's the wrong kind of poster boy for tap water! ;)

[G. Ratte]

[quote] One of the toxins that frequently appeared in water samples from the reused bottles was DEHA, a carcinogen regulated in drinking water because it has been found to cause weight loss, liver problems, or possible reproductive difficulties. [/quote]I've read some other articles about this recently... the "reproductive difficulties" part is spooky. That's when you get the fish and frogs with extra genitals and stuff. One guy was speculating it's making males turn gay and girls develop faster than they used to (which is definitely happening), as this stuff is estrogenic.

[Charlie-brm]

Don't worry, I have the undersink carbon filter cartridge system. It gets rid of the thing I find most annoying, algae or chlorine odors, depending on which one is winning at the time. It doesn't have much to do with health however. After studying microbiology for four years I have come to an understanding with the little buggers. And if I need a refresher course there is my friend and former classmate who has been in the industry since 1977. I found it amusing when our small town mayor declared the town water just fine. Later I found out he has expensive UV filtration for his entire home. I picture him with an escape pod hidden in the garage too.

[phaeton]

[b] Water bottles are extremely dangerous, most of all if they are filled and thrown to the stage and hit you straight in the face... it hurts SO bad...[/b] Yes! way to bring it on-topic, gus! But the truth is, everything's dangerous, it gives you cancer, or it can catch on fire. FWIW i just threw away all my pans because of several reports i read suggesting Alzheimer's Disease and cooking in Alyewmineeum.

[Dylan]

Whatever. I'm not going to stop using old gatorade bottles for my water anytime soon. I use a little bit of bleach to clean my plastic wares every once in a while and it seems to do the trick. I use a brita for all of my drinking water, but the tap water here is fine on it's own. There's always somebody telling you shouldn't eat/drink this and that. I remember growing up and being told that nuts and eggs are bad for you. Now they are a recommended part of a healthy diet.

[G. Ratte]

[quote] FWIW i just threw away all my pans because of several reports i read suggesting Alzheimer's Disease and cooking in Alyewmineeum [/quote]Nah, your cooking stuff was fine. There are different kinds of aluminum, and the kind that is linked to the weird protein deposits in your brain with Alzheimer's are a different kind. That's the kind in water, oops.

[phaeton]

[b] Nah, your cooking stuff was fine. There are different kinds of aluminum, and the kind that is linked to the weird protein deposits in your brain with Alzheimer's are a different kind. That's the kind in water, oops. [/b] Hrmm.... now, what was i going to say?