Thread: Nalgenes may be dangerous?

Nalgene plastic may be harmful
http://barometer.orst.edu/vnews/disp.../40324e5d40a14

Studies show that the popular water bottle may pose serious health risks


By Brenna Doheny
The Daily Barometer

From outdoor enthusiasts, to athletes, to students at OSU, the hydration method of choice is a colorful Nalgene water bottle.

While these durable, lightweight and undeniably trendy bottles seem like the perfect choice for the health-conscious consumer, scientific evidence indicates that the very plastic which makes the bottles so ideal may pose serious health hazards.

The durability and beauty of the Nalgene bottle comes from the material it is made of, Lexan polycarbonate resin. This plastic polymer was developed by General Electric Plastics in 1953, when, according to GE's Web site, (www.gelexan.com) Dr. Daniel W. Fox was developing a polymer for wire insulation material.

Fox accidentally created a polymer that was unbreakable when it hardened in a beaker, and patented this revolutionary material. Lexan has been used over the years in a vast array of products, including space helmet visors, bulletproof windows, compact discs and DVDs, mobile phones, computers, baby bottles and, of course, water bottles.

The Lexan bottles are marketed by a division of the Nalgene company known as Nalgene Outdoor Products. Nalgene was founded in 1949, and the company soon cornered the market on plastic laboratory equipment. The outdoor products division was created in the 1970's after the underground use of Nalgene products by outdoor enthusiasts was made public.

Lexan was an ideal material for the water bottles both for its durability and because the material neither holds odors or flavors nor imparts any taste to fluids stored in it.

Nalgene has marketed its original gray Lexan water bottles for many years, but sales increased dramatically in 2002 when a color assortment made possible by GE's VISUALfx Lexan finishes was launched.

The April 2003 volume of "Current Biology" published a study that cast suspicion on all polycarbonate plastics, including Lexan.

The principle author, Dr. Patricia Hunt of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, has spent many years researching developmental abnormalities leading to miscarriage and birth defects in mice.

In 1998, her lab documented a sudden, inexplicable increase in a defect known as aneuploidy, which is an abnormal loss or gain of chromosomes. In humans, aneuploidy usually leads to miscarriage, or to disorders like Down Syndrome, which occurs when an embryo ends up with three copies of chromosome 21, instead of the normal two copies.

In Hunt's lab, the spontaneous increase in mouse aneuploidy was eventually traced to a lab worker using a harsh detergent to clean the polycarbonate mice cages and water bottles.

The detergent caused the plastic to leach one of its constituent chemicals, bisphenol A (BPA), which has been shown in other studies to mimic the female hormone estrogen. The researchers duplicated the detergent accident, with the same end results.

They then conducted another experiment in which female mice were given a daily dose of pure BPA, again with the same end result, and they concluded that low doses of BPA had significant effects.

The polycarbonate industry has criticized the Hunt study, saying that data from experiments on mice may not be transferable to humans. The industry has also conducted its own studies with rats, modeled on the Hunt study, which did not find the same results.

In a November/December 2003 article for Sierra Magazine, Hunt countered that the industry studies did not look at the effects of BPA on eggs and embryos.

"The [plastics] industry says this is just rodent studies," she said, "but we know that the human egg is more fragile than the mouse egg. If we wait for really hard evidence in humans, it will be too late."

A University of Missouri study in the July 2003 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives further confirmed the Hunt study's conclusions.

In addition to determining that used, or discolored, polycarbonate plastics leach high amounts of BPA at room temperature, this study found that detectable levels of BPA leach from brand-new polycarbonate plastics at room temperature.

In other studies, BPA has been implicated in more than just chromosomal disorders, and it is just one of many chemicals known to be environmental endocrine disruptors -- synthetic chemicals that interfere with hormonal messages that are central to important body processes like growth and development.

According to the Web site for the 1996 book "Our Stolen Future," which introduced the field of endocrine disruption to the public, BPA at levels "far beneath the levels currently deemed safe by regulatory authorities" has been shown to have adverse effects on prostate development and tumors, breast tissue development, and sperm count.

A 2002 study even linked low levels of BPA to the creation and enlargement of fat cells in the body, suggesting that exposure to BPA may be a cause of obesity.

The Nalgene Outdoor Products web site now features a response to concerns about BPA leaching, stating with confidence that their product is safe. "Polycarbonate like that used in Nalgene bottles has been studied, tested and safely used for more than 40 years in products for human consumption," the site states.

Scientists studying endocrine disruption, however, suggest limiting potential exposure to BPA as much as possible. In a presentation last month in Eugene sponsored by the Oregon Environmental Council, "Our Stolen Future" co-author Dr. John P. Meyers addressed the issue.

"I personally recommend avoiding polycarbonate plastics -- don't let them come into contact with your food or water," Meyers said. "I think the science is strong enough to justify precautionary measures today."

He added that despite industry assurances to the safety of polycarbonate, baby bottles made from the material have "quietly disappeared from the market."

Many studies have shown that the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals are most devastating during early development, so babies are highly at risk.

Polycarbonate plastics are still used in a variety of products, including plastic resins lining some food storage cans, dental sealants, and the Nalgene Lexan bottles.

Polycarbonate products can be identified by the symbol "#7 PC" on their recycling logos.

According to the Sierra Magazine article, plastics that are safer to use for storing food and beverages include polypropylene, designated "#5 PP," high-density polyethylene, designated "#2 HDPE" and low-density polyethylene designated "#4 LDPE," none of which are known to leach harmful substances.

Nalgene makes a HDPE bottle identical in size and shape to the more popular Lexan model.

Single-use water bottles (the type bottled water is sold in) made from polyethylene terephthalate, "#1 PET" or "PETE" are not recommended for repeat use, as a study found they may leach a carcinogenic substance known as DEHA.

The Sierra Magazine article suggests other hydration options, including using only very mild detergents and warm water to wash polycarbonate bottles, and discarding them as soon as they show signs of discoloring; or avoiding plastics altogether in favor of glass or lightweight stainless steel containers.

For more information, visit www.ourstolenfuture.org and the Nalgene Outdoor Products and www.nalgene-outdoor.com.

Brenna Doheny is a staff writer for The Daily Barometer. She can be reached at dohenyb@onid.orst.edu.

I'm screwed.

Holy shit... i'm doomed.

No down syndrome for me!

Nalgene free since '93

I think half of this town is doomed.

Originally posted by Cornholio
Nalgene plastic may be harmful

The detergent caused the plastic to leach one of its constituent chemicals, bisphenol A (BPA), which has been shown in other studies to mimic the female hormone estrogen. The researchers duplicated the detergent accident, with the same end results.

This was reported several years ago, prompting one researcher to question whether or not it (the presence of synthetic estrogen-like compounds in water/food supplies) was the cause for the increase in the number of reported cases of precocious puberty.

Only Nalgene bottle I have is the crankcase breather bottle on my monster Cummins diesel

Originally posted by Big E
Only Nalgene bottle I have is the crankcase breather bottle on my monster Cummins diesel

strong...to quite strong

I guess it's back to the old duct-taped gatorade bottle... That i'll drink with my third arm.

Damn! I just took about 3 pulls off my Nalgene while reading that article!

Originally posted by Cornholio
According to the Sierra Magazine article, plastics that are safer to use for storing food and beverages include polypropylene, designated "#5 PP," high-density polyethylene, designated "#2 HDPE" and low-density polyethylene designated "#4 LDPE," none of which are known to leach harmful substances.

Nalgene makes a HDPE bottle identical in size and shape to the more popular Lexan model.

It seems like the focus of this is on cell development and embryos. How does that affect an adult? Will it forever affect the development of embryos once introduced into a body(a la mercury) or just a short time after?

Time to switch over to buying the HDPE version? If only it came in colors.

NALGENE responds to Sierra Magazine

To our customers,

Recently, statements have surfaced indicating that bottles made of polycarbonate may be at the root of certain health related issues.

This concern stems from a 1998 study conducted by Dr. Patricia Hunt of Case Western Reserve University, which reported the effects on chromosome numbers in mouse oocytes (eggs) from exposure to bisphenol-A (BPA), a building block of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics. Dr. Hunt has asserted that the plastics industry is critical of her study because it was conducted with rodents, not humans. However, we feel that the more important issue is that Dr. Hunt's findings are limited to cellular effects seen in individual mouse eggs and that she has reported no effects from BPA exposure in terms of fertility rates, growth and development, or health of the organism as a whole. In fact, earlier studies specifically directed to analysis of the effects of BPA on reproductive health or developmental effects at levels later reported in the Hunt study found no connection between BPA exposure and reproductive or developmental problems in the organism. These studies include one by Research Triangle Institute that examined three generations of rodents exposed to BPA and another study by the Japanese National Institute of Health Sciences that monitored two generations.

Polycarbonate like that used in Nalgene bottles has been studied, tested and safely used for more than 40 years in products for human consumption. In fact, use of polycarbonate is approved as safe for products that come in contact with food, including baby bottles, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Union Scientific Committee on Food, the Japanese Ministry for Health, Labor and Welfare, and other international regulatory agencies.

Government agencies worldwide have spent over four decades researching the effects of bisphenol A and have found that BPA in plastic does not pose a risk to consumers or to the environment.

Unfortunately, many of the stories regarding the Hunt study contain speculation on health effects that reach far beyond the actual findings of the study. Contrary to what has been reported about the results of the Hunt Study, the weight of scientific evidence shows there is no basis for health concerns from exposure to low levels of BPA.

Based on the overwhelming amount of data and research that has been conducted on this matter, Nalgene is confident in offering the most versatile, reusable, environmentally friendly bottle available. NALGENE bottles are not only taste free and safe, but also virtually indestructible - qualities that combine to make Nalgene the most popular bottle available in the outdoor marketplace.

If you'd like to learn more about the latest research available on this matter we invite you to visit the following web sites.
http://www.plasticsinfo.org/food/hunt_study.html
http://www.plasticsinfo.org/babybottles/index.html
http://www.bisphenol-a.org/whatsNew/...Relevance.html
http://www.epa.gov/endocrine/pubs.html

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please call our Technical Support Group at 1-800-625-4327.

Sincerely,
The NALGENE and TFO Teams

From the .pdf response to BPA on nalgene's site:

Sierra magazine story causes stir over Lexan safety

Posted: 11/12/2003

How safe is Lexan? It was an article titled, "Hazards of Hydration – Choose your plastic water bottles carefully" in the November/December 2003 issue of Sierra magazine that started the emails and calls to SNEWS central. That article also caused folks at Nalgene and GSI to begin scrambling to formulate an appropriate response.

The flashpoint for this sudden concern surrounding the safety of drinking water out of bottles made of Lexan is a published report in the April 2003 issue of Current Biology by Dr. Patricia Hunt, a geneticist at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. As a result of a worker accidentally washing polycarbonate mouse cages with a very harsh detergent, chromosomal abnormalities that were normally found in only 1 percent to 2 percent of mouse eggs prior to the washing spiked to 40 percent. The cause was Bisphenol-A (BPA) which is a known endocrine disruptor that mimics the hormone estrogen. The BPA leached from the polycarbonate. For humans not living in mouse cages, food-grade polycarbonate is what those clear and sometimes now colorful water bottles are made of that are widely sold these days not just at outdoor shops, but also at health clubs and at chic coffee houses.

Sierra magazine used the article (on pages 16 and 18) to then make the leap, led by several experts including Hunt, that Lexan bottlesmight not be safe for human use. Hunt even stated that washing polycarbonate water bottles in a dishwasher could cause the chemical to leach. Hunt is also quoted as saying that "the amount of leaching increases as the plastic ages and is degraded by use." Also cited, in the same paragraph, is a study published in the July issue of Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) that the Sierra magazine article alleged confirmed the finding. In taking our own look at the study, we found it does no such thing; what is does confirm is only that BPA leached into water from polycarbonate mouse cages, just as Hunt’s study found.

The fact is neither Hunt’s study (click here to read ) nor the EHP published study tested or evaluated food-grade Lexan a slightly different form of the polycarbonate. In other words, according to Jim Burkhart, science editor at Environmental Perspectives: "You cannot generalize results of one study across all types of plastics."

Robert Hess, communications director for GE Plastics added that, "There are many, many grades and many manufacturers of polycarbonate. Grades are developed specific to applications, including FDA approved grades such as those used in personal water bottles."

When asked by SNEWS, Dr. Hunt agreed that you cannotreach aconclusion regarding the safety of Lexan bottles, like those Nalgene manufactures, based on the test results from her study. However, she also asserts that she firmly believes that what her study does indicate is a need for much more testing and evaluation.

"I think that what really needs to happen nowis for tests to be conducted on polycarbonate sport bottles to determine how much BPA can be detected in water when the bottles are new and then how much the BPA levels change through extended use and by subjecting the bottles to harsh cleaning conditions," says Dr. Hunt.

SNEWS checked with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and while FDA reports said the agency is evaluating BPA risks in the food and medical areas, no conclusions have been reached and aren’t expected for some time since it too believes more research is needed.

The one published paper that appears to carry the most weight is one from the Scientific Committee on Food from the Health and Consumer Protection Directorate of the European Commission (we know, quite a mouthful). In the paper titled, "Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on Bisphenol A," published May 3, 2002, the following paragraph sums up the current position that there is no known risk.

"BPA is widely used as a monomer for polycarbonate plastics. Polycarbonates are used to make baby feeding bottles, water bottles, jugs, beakers and microwave ovenware. Many migration studies have been conducted worldwide. There is no significant effect from repeated-use, abrasion, heating, or chemical sterilisation of these plastic articles. The general findings are that migration is low or not detectable, typically in the range <10 to 20 ?g/kg for water, fruit juices and infant formulae. In tests using simulants, the migration of BPA can be higher than into foodstuffs. In a European-wide survey, migration from bottles into food simulants was not detectable at <3 ?g/kg. Applying aggressive extraction conditions using 95% ethanol with shaking at 60C for 24 hours, the migration was generally not detectable (<10 ?g/kg) and only a few of the 163 bottles tested released BPA at over 20 ?g/kg; the highest release was 110 ?g/kg. However these extraction conditions are considered unrepresentative of actual use, since no migration was detected when simulants representative of the normal bottle contents (water or 3% acetic acid) were used. Taking a more realistic worst-case migration level of 10 ?g/kg and the highest ratio of food intake to body weight for infants (a 4.5 kg infant consuming 0.7 litre of formula each day), an intake of 1.6 ?g/kg bw/day can be estimated. A number of studies on polycarbonate tableware and food storage containers have shown some migration up to 5 ?g/kg into food simulants, but no detectable migration into actual foods or beverages."

"?g" is a scientific term that means a mass of one microgram that’s really really small.

The European Commission is widely considered to be very conservative and more restrictive than most when it comes to concerns about health and safety, so its findings are often cited as reliable and often considered a gold standard.

Nalge Nunc International, makers of Nalgene water bottles, issued the following in a statement released Nov. 11, "many of the stories regarding the Hunt study contain speculation on health effects that reach far beyond the actual findings of the study. Contrary to what has been reported about the results of the Hunt Study, the weight of scientific evidence shows there is no basis for health concerns from exposure to low levels of BPA."

SNEWS contacted Joan Hamilton, editor-in-chief of Sierra magazine, who told us that the magazine stands by its story and has seen no scientific data yet that would make the editors believe the story needs updating or correcting.

SNEWS View: Clearly this is a controversial issue with numerous scientific studies and data from both sides of the spectrum each supporting ardent beliefs of safety or risk. Knowing that, and with all due respect to Joan Hamilton, we would expect MUCH better reporting from a magazine of Sierra’s reputation. Only two scientists are quoted, one with a known anti-plastics bias and the other one citing a study that dealt only with animal cages and water bottles, not food-grade polycarbonate. Didn’t Sierra think to look at other studies to present more balanced findings? Trying to make the leap to correlate test results found with plastics used in animal cages and animal water bottles to those used for foodgrade packaging is scientifically invalid, according to the scientists with whom we spoke.As Dr. Hunt toldus, it is notappropriate toreach a conclusion about sport bottle safety based on her study. It didn’t take SNEWS much time at all to uncover numerous international papers all dealing with food-grade plastics testing. The fact is, the studies that have specifically tested food-grade plastics, including polycarbonate (Lexan), in Europe, Japan, and the United States, have been unable to establish any evidence of sufficient risks to human health including carcinogenic, prenatal, or reproductive systems to warrant any kind of warning. In paging through all the reams of paper (thank goodness SNEWS staffers have degrees in biology and kinesiology, and can read this stuff) there is one underlying message throughout: More study is needed to determine if even the POTENTIAL of risk to the human reproductive system exists. So far what we do know is that high heat and detergents with high alkalinity (conditions you would find in a dishwasher for example) as well as cleaning with bleach can accelerate the deterioration of polycarbonate. And since GSI has, in order to address a spider cracking issue in wine and other plastic glasses, been advising consumers to hand wash and use mild detergent only, SNEWS would still feel it prudent to begin advising consumers to do the same for all polycarbonate bottles and food containers – hand wash, mild detergent. If for no other reason than to extend the life of what thus far has proven to be a fantastic, taste-free, durable product. As a final aside, help your customers to understand too that plastic is not forever. It does break down and does need to be replaced over time. If Lexan bottles start to appear cloudy, or if spider cracking starts to appear in Lexan containers, it’s time to toss them into the recycling bin and buy new ones.

Single-use water bottles (the type bottled water is sold in) made from polyethylene terephthalate, "#1 PET" or "PETE" are not recommended for repeat use, as a study found they may leach a carcinogenic substance known as DEHA.

+

Originally posted by Knockneed Man
I guess it's back to the old duct-taped gatorade bottle... That i'll drink with my third arm.

=

Still Screwed

ummmm aren't most plastics polocarbonates (or whatever lexan is) aren't most of our foods wrapped in plastic? Just wondering



on a sidenote I probably won't live to repourduce andyway (damn natural selection)

Nalgene was founded in 1949, and the company soon cornered the market on plastic laboratory equipment. The outdoor products division was created in the 1970's after the underground use of Nalgene products by outdoor enthusiasts was made public.

You would think there'd be plenty of anecdotal evidence from the last 30 years to support this "threat." Since there's none, my Nalgene Bottle and I will remain as close as lovers... and I'll only use normal dish soap to clean it... as always. DUH!!!

I just skimmed the article but it's enough for me to give up Lexan for fear of giving birth to deformed mice with Down's Syndrome.

People laugh because they don't think it will happen to them...

Originally posted by phUnk


People laugh because they don't think it will happen to them...

Clearly they've never seen a deformed mouse with Down's Syndrome.

http://www.mediastudies.pomona.edu/p...ing/pbrain.gif

Originally posted by phUnk
I just skimmed the article but it's enough for me to give up Lexan for fear of giving birth to deformed mice with Down's Syndrome.

People laugh because they don't think it will happen to them...

Quit screwing Minnie and you won't have to worry about it.

Junk Science scaremongering at it's best.

Key phrase - "Dr. Hunt agreed that you cannot reach a conclusion regarding the safety of Lexan bottles, like those Nalgene manufactures, based on the test results from her study. However, she also asserts that she firmly believes that what her study does indicate is a need for much more testing and evaluation. "

Gotta get that continued funding for "more testing and evaluation".

Originally posted by phUnk
I just skimmed the article but it's enough for me to give up Lexan for fear of giving birth to deformed mice with Down's Syndrome.

Cute, but surely you've heard of the canary in the coal mine?

Originally posted by Viva
Cute, but surely you've heard of the canary in the coal mine?

I don\\\'t get it.

good thing I just got a camel bak

but my hot pink water bottle is so cute! how else can i be like everyone else at school?

I was wondering why i had become obese and started to look like corkey from "life goes on".

Time to call my attorney and sue Nalgene.