There has been an ongoing discussion concerning the safety of plastic bottles that contain water and even ones that are used to feed babies. The issue is with the toxic chemical, Bisphenol A (BPA). This chemical prevents plastic bottles from breaking so that they stay sturdy. However, a study by the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine showed that BPA breaks down at a rate 55 times faster when filled with boiling water as opposed to room temperature water. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not expressed concern in the past, the National Toxicology Program has expressed some concern with regard to children and babies.

BPA can be released if your plastic bottle becomes heated in some way. For example, if you leave your water in the car and it’s exposed to the sun, the temperature in the car can rise very quickly and increase the water’s temperature as well. It can also be released if the bottle is washed and scrubbed repeatedly in a dishwasher or sink.

The toxic chemical is known to disrupt the hormones in animals and affect the hormone system. Newborn babies are potentially more at risk for experiencing issues from BPA since their bodies are in the process of development. Reproductive problems and cancer in adults has been noted as possible long-term effects from BPA.

Until more research is done on the effects of BPA, avoid these types of plastics for now. An alternative is Ecogen, which is available at Big Green Smile. This plastic is less toxic than the BPA-containing plastics, and it is also biodegradable and produced from renewable resources. There are a variety of containers available for your home as well as other eco-friendly products.

With regard to plastic bottles, start drinking tap water so you can reduce your need for plastic water bottles all together. If you have a newborn, try to breast feed them as much as you can or use Wee-Go’s glass baby bottles so you don’t have to resort to the toxic bottles. For now, it’s uncertain as to what level BPA becomes unsafe, but it’s better to avoid it than to take the risk.