How Safe Is Your Water Bottle?

In 2006, a research study described something quite extraordinary. A third of male fish in English rivers were in the process of changing sex, from male to female. Such reproductive anomalies are not just limited to fish. In humans, studies show that girls are hitting puberty earlier than ever, and that male infertility is on the rise. Men now have a greater range of reproductive abnormalities, from undescended testes to mutated sperm. In one study, it was found that sperm counts have dropped by 30% in the last fifteen years. The incidence of breast cancer and testicular cancer is increasing worldwide. So what do transgendered fish, onset of early puberty, reproductive abnormalities and cancer all have in common? The answer is plastics. An alarming increase in biological abnormalities across species has been linked to synthetic molecules from plastic that resemble the female hormone estrogen.

Plastic is not the harmless compound that it once appeared to be. It does not degrade readily, and is one of the most durable pollutants on earth. Over hundreds of years, plastic disintegrates into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic which eventually enter the food chain, unchanged. In 2005, 28 million tons of plastic waste were produced in the US alone. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is an example of what happens to all our plastic cups, bottles and bags – it is a stretch of plastic waste several million square kilometers in size. It is not just the environment that suffers. Plastic releases chemicals when scratched and heated, or when it comes in contact with acidic substances. One of these chemicals is Bisphenol A (BPA), an important component of plastic water bottles, baby bottles, inner lining of food cans, microwave containers, and hundreds of common household and industrial products. The use of BPA-containing plastic in the packaging of food and beverages is alarming because there is a long list of health disorders attributed to the chemical.

BPA is a chemical compound that has a structure similar to the hormone estrogen. It sets off a chain reaction of estrogen responses in the male and female body, such as breast cell growth, regulation of the menstrual cycle, and a wide range of normal body development and functions. BPA upsets the balance of hormonal messages in the body. Hundreds of scientific studies have shown that BPA is linked to developmental and reproductive abnormalities, cancer, and even neurological disorders in animal models. In humans, the compound has been found to be linked to early onset of puberty, breast, uterine and prostate cancer, obesity and diabetes. By far the most common finding is that BPA in low doses is toxic during fetal and infant development. Pregnant women who were exposed to BPA had a higher than normal rate of birth defects and fetal and neonatal deaths.

Although BPA is only lethal at very high doses, increasing scientific evidence suggests that it can disrupt key body functions at very low doses, and builds up in our bodies over time with each exposure. Despite the multiple scientific studies that clearly link BPA to developmental and other abnormalities in animals and humans, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement on August 15, 2008 reaffirming the safety of products containing low levels of BPA. However, no mention is made of the effects of repeated exposure over many years, or of the effect of combinations of hormones and BPA.

There are billions of people around the world who drink water from plastic bottles every day. Unfortunately, bottled water is harmful to the environment, your wallet and your health. Ironically, people who buy bottled water in an effort to improve overall well-being are actually putting their health at risk. BPA and other toxic chemicals have been shown to leach out of both single-use and reusable plastic water bottles. Repeated use of plastic bottles has been shown to increase the rate of chemicals like BPA leaching out, especially bottles intended for single use.

By far, the most common types of water bottles in use today are the single use and re-usable plastic bottles such as Aquafina and Nalgene. Examining the recycling labels on the base of the bottle can help determine which bottles to avoid altogether. Bottles marked with “#1” should only be used once. Bottles marked “#7”, also called Lexan, should be avoided altogether, as they definitely release BPA into the liquid. Bottles marked “#3” can also release BPA. Types 2, 4, 5 and 6 are the safer choices. However, it is safest to avoid plastic bottles altogether.

The only water bottles that are 100% safe to use are made of glass, but since glass is breakable and rather heavy, it does not appear to be a practical alternative. Fortunately, other types of water bottles are available. One common alternative is the Sigg brand of water bottle, made from aluminum with a water-based epoxy inner liner. Although Sigg bottles are recyclable, and claim they do not contain BPA, they are made of aluminum, a toxic metal. If the bottle cracks, for example due to mishandling, the aluminum can get into the liquid. Ingestion of aluminum can lead to many serious health problems, including bone and tissue damage and neurological disorders.

Another downside to the Sigg aluminum bottle is the fact that the chemicals used in making the epoxy inner liner are not divulged by the company, but kept as a trade secret. It may be best to assume that this liner is as toxic as plastic, especially since epoxy normally contains BPA. Although Sigg has released a study saying their liner is BPA free, it is quite likely to be biased since the study was paid for by Sigg. It should also be pointed out that even though the Sigg study claims that their liner is BPA free, they didn’t test for BPA levels below 2 parts per million, thus, invalidating their results and claim that their product is BPA free. This type of deception makes consumers wary of Sigg water bottles.

One last fact that should be considered in the use of aluminum for water bottles is their possible negative impact on the environment. This is because the production of aluminum requires extensive energy, much more than various other materials used for water bottles.

So what material then is the safest and least harmful to the environment? Stainless steel! Stainless steel water bottles, such as Klean Kanteen, are much more likely to be a better alternative to plastic, glass or aluminum bottles. Stainless steel bottles are 100% recyclable, durable, do not alter the taste of ones contents and almost as lightweight as plastic. More importantly, stainless steel water bottles are also free from chemicals like BPA, and are safe to use with hot liquids.

Until further tests can be carried out to determine which, if any, plastic bottles can be used without long term risks, it is better to be cautious, and utilize stainless steel water bottles in order to avoid exposure to BPA or other chemicals that may pose a risk to one’s health.

References

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Howdeshell KL, Hotchkiss AK, Thayer KA, Vandenbergh JG and vom Saal FS (1999) Environmental toxins: Exposure to bisphenol A advances puberty. Nature 401, 763-764.

Hunt P (2003) Bisphenol A Exposure Causes Meiotic Aneuploidy in the Female Mouse. Current Biology 14: 546-553.

Schonfelder G (2002) Parent Bisphenol A Accumulation in human maternal fetal placental unit. Environmental Health Perspectives110(11).

vom Saal F and Hughes C (2005) An Extensive New Literature Concerning Low-Dose Effects of Bisphenol A Shows the Need for a New Risk Assessment. Environmental Health Perspectives 113(8).

Walsh B. (2008) The Truth About Plastic. Time. 172(3):55.

Sakaue M, Ohsako S, Ishimura R, Kurosawa S, Kurohmaru M, Hayashi Y, Aoki Y, Yonemoto J and Tohyama C (2001) Bisphenol-A Affects Spermatogenesis in the Adult Rat Even at a Low Dose. Journal of Occupational Health 43:185 -190.

Sigg USA. (2007) Bisphenol-A Leaching from Water Bottles.http://www.mysigg.com/images/assets/alliancetechbpareportjun82007.pdf

Rajapakse N, Ong D and Kortenkamp A (2001) Defining the Impact of Weakly Estrogenic Chemicals on the Action of Steroidal Estrogens. Toxicological Sciences 60: 296-304.

Wetherill YB, Akingbemi BT, Kanno J, McLachlan JA, Nadal A, Sonnenscheing C, Watson CS, Zoeller RT, Belcher SM (2007) In vitro molecular mechanisms of bisphenol A action. Reproductive Toxicology 24(2):178-198.

Are SIGG Water Bottles Safe?

There is much debate on the internet about the safety of SIGG water bottles. Much of the debate arises from the fact that there has been little to no research on their safety compared to stainless steel and plastic water bottles. In this article I will go over the limited information available (and why it is limited) and ultimately try to answer the question: are SIGG water bottles safe?

What we know for sure about SIGG water bottles is that the exterior is made of aluminum while the interior is lined with a “water based epoxy resin.” The liner is added to prevent the aluminum from leaching into the contents of one’s water bottle since consuming aluminum has been proven to cause such health problems as Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig’s disease.

This liner is what makes it very difficult to answer the question, are SIGG water bottles safe? due to many unknowns about the liner. According to SIGG’s website “the ingredients (like the formula for Coca-Cola) remain secret and unavailable to 3rd parties so as to ensure SIGG retains its competitive advantage. The key of course is that the SIGG liner is FDA approved and independently tested to be taste and scent inert – and resistant to any leaching (0.0%) so 100% safe.” There are three problems with these statements: 1) the last time I checked, the ingredients for Coca-Cola are right on the can; 2) the FDA has approved many plastic and canned food products that contain Bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical which simulates estrogen and in animal studies has been shown to cause a wide range of health problems; and 3) the 0.0% leaching they are referring to is from an “independent” study in which SIGG paid Alliance Technology LLC, a for profit company, to conduct.

In this study, the testers used an LOQ (limit of quantization) of 2 PPB (parts per billion) which basically means that they didn’t attempt to detect BPA below this level. In the scientific world, the LOQ can be considered zero. This allowed SIGG to legally (or should I say, deceptively) claim that their bottles leach no BPA.

This liner, which was the focus of the study, at one time was described as a “water based epoxy resin” by SIGG. Those words have now been removed from their website, but it continues to be displayed on product web sites such as Amazon.com. According to Wikipedia “most common epoxy resins are produced from a reaction between epichlorohydrin and bisphenol-A.” Another interesting fact is that BPA epoxy resins were co-invented by Dr. Pierre Castan of Switzerland, the same country in which SIGG bottles are manufactured. Dr. Castan’s work was then licensed by Ciba, Ltd. of Switzerland which is now one of the three major epoxy resin producers in the world.

In summary, we have learned: 1) the liner is made of a “water based epoxy resin”; 2) most epoxy resins contain BPA; 3) BPA epoxy resins were co-invented by a Swiss scientist; 4) one of the three largest manufacturers of epoxy resins is a Swiss company; 5) SIGG bottles are manufactured in Switzerland; 6) SIGG paid a for-profit lab to do an “independent” study where not all levels of BPA were tested; 7) SIGG has deceptively used this study to claim their bottles do not leach any BPA; and lastly 8) at one time they described the liner as a “water based epoxy resin” on their website, but it has since been removed. At this point you may still be asking yourself, are SIGG water bottles safe? The reality is that there isn’t enough information to say for sure. Until SIGG releases more information, you are going to have to use your best judgment to decide if you want to believe what SIGG is marketing and take the risk of your water bottle leaching a dangerous chemical such as BPA. In my opinion, I would rather go with a stainless steel water bottle, such as Klean Kanteen, which has been proven to be safe and doesn’t leach any chemicals.

Guyot Designs Stainless Steel Water Bottles

Guyot Designs (GD) are great for those who want a heavy duty stainless steel water bottle. They come in 4 designs and 3 sizes: 24oz, 32oz and 38oz. They have many cool accessories like the Splashguard to prevent spilling and the Gription to grasp your water bottle more easily. GDs are designed to work with most water filters. Their bottles are very high quality and durable, but as a result heavy and bulky. They have a very wide mouth (2”) which makes it easy to insert ice cubes and clean, but also easy to spill. They won’t fit a bike water bottle cage or car cup holder. All models are sold for $19.

thinksport Stainless Steel Water Bottles

thinksport are great for those who enjoy hot or cold beverages. They only come in 2 sizes: 350ml (12oz) and 750ml (25oz). Their bottles are double walled for insulation which prevents sweating and keeps beverages hot or cold for hours. They have a nice hourglass design. thinksport come with an internal screen to prevent blockage from ice cubes and tea leaves. thinksport have a wide mouth which makes it easy to put in ice cubes and clean while the top has drinking spout to prevent spilling. They are heavier than most stainless steel water bottles because they are double walled. The 750ml won’t fit in most cup holders and bike water bottle cages because it is bulky. The 350ml costs $18 and the 750ml costs $22.

thinksport Stainless Steel Water Bottles

thinksport are great for those who enjoy hot or cold beverages. They only come in 2 sizes: 350ml (12oz) and 750ml (25oz). Their bottles are double walled for insulation which prevents sweating and keeps beverages hot or cold for hours. They have a nice hourglass design. thinksport come with an internal screen to prevent blockage from ice cubes and tea leaves. thinksport have a wide mouth which makes it easy to put in ice cubes and clean while the top has drinking spout to prevent spilling. They are heavier than most stainless steel water bottles because they are double walled. The 750ml won’t fit in most cup holders and bike water bottle cages because it is bulky. The 350ml costs $18 and the 750ml costs $22.

Bilt Stainless Steel Water Bottles

Bilt are great for those that want color and style for an affordable price. They come in seven colors: blue, yellow, light green, dark green, purple, pink and black, as well as six designs. Their bottles come in 3 sizes: 16oz, 26oz and 29oz. They have a plastic mouthpiece for those who don’t like putting their mouth on metal. Bilt stainless steel water bottles are designed to fit most water filters. They have a wide mouth (1.8”) for adding ice cubes and cleaning which also makes it easier to spill. All bottles have a high quality plastic loop top. They range from $12-$15 the stainless steel finish and $15-$18 for color and style.

Earthlust Stainless Steel Water Bottles

Earthlust stainless steel water bottles are great for those that like to stand out with a stylish water bottle. Their bottles come in 3 sizes: 13oz, 20oz and 1-liter (33.8oz) and come in many unique designs (some of which are limited edition). The 13oz and 20oz will fit in a bike water bottle cage and car cup holder while the 1-liter will not. As a bonus, 1% of your purchase goes to 1% For the Planet. They come with a plastic loop top with a carabiner, but offer an optional sports top which can be purchased separately. Earthlust bottles have a narrow opening (1.25”) which makes it very difficult to insert ice cubes and clean, but much harder to spill. Their bottles are extremely light, but less durable than most stainless steel water bottles. They range from $15-$20.