Stay off the Bottle

Using plastic bottles is not only bad for the environment, but bad for your health

Before you assume the bottled water you’re grabbing comes from the Alps pictured on the label, you might want to consider whether plain old Minnesota tap water is better for the environment.

According to an article by public health expert Catherine Zandonella in The Green Guide, most water bottles are made from polycarbonate (PC) plastic. Plastic allows the chemicals initially part of the production process to migrate into the substances within, like water.

The chemical in the production of PC plastics is Bisphenol-A (BPA). It’s a “building block” in the creation of PC plastic, and according to the World Health Organization, an “unclassifiable carcinogen.” It has been shown in animal lab testing to mimic, interfere or block hormonal response in mice.

PC plastics and canned food linings cause exposure to BPA. It migrates from the plastic into the water or food and eventually into your body, which accumulates with constant consumption.

The Food and Drug Administration regulates BPA and says the average person would need to ingest 500 pounds of canned food and bottled water everyday for an entire lifetime to exceed the recommended intake.

To cut down on waste and avoid plastic perils, purchase a renewable drink container. Some Nalgene water bottles are made of polyethylene, which doesn’t migrate chemicals; both Sigg and Klean Kanteen’s metal water bottles are affordable, lightweight and tasteless.

Kaitlin Fleming