My husband and I each lugged our trusty Nalgene bottles around with us constantly for almost a decade before I read an article like this one last year and ordered us stainless steel bottles - and then I was diagnosed with very low thyroid, an endocrine disorder. Coincidence? I'll never be able to prove a thing.

I read somewhere that actually liquid baby formula was worse than powdered formula because it absorbs even more of the plastic lining from cans.

Angela, good memory! That finding is actually from a report that EWG released in December. You can read more about it here.

This is all so scary. As I look around EVERYTHING that my 7 month old plays with & puts in his mouth is made of plastic. That's what they sell in the baby isle. I breastfeed but the AAP suggests putting baby to down to sleep with a pacifier to reduce SIDS. What suggestions are there for playthings, teethers, etc. Help!

Doesn't Kleen Kanteen have a plastic liner that emits chemicals into the liquid?

Who can confirm whether Tupperware (Rock & Serve specificallY) contains BPA? The last report I've found is 7 years old. Help!

The one thing that's missing from all reports about reusable plastic bottles is how and where can we properly recycle/dispose of them? They're unlike "regular" plastics and from what I understand, cannot be recycled the same way.

Any words of wisdom are appreciated!

Kleen Kanteen also makes baby bottle/sippy cups. Those of you with young children may want to get them. I got some at Valhalla Pure Outfitters in Victoria, BC. You can order them from them on the web as well at www.VPO.ca they seem to have the best price.

Does this study on chemicals in plastic also apply to plastic tupperware? How can we find out

Does anyone know if Sigg aluminum bottles are lined with BPA? I'd hate to find out that they are, since I switched to them after learning Nalgene bottles are no longer safe to use.

Along with baby bottles, sippy cups are made with same plastics. We just threw out all plasticcups and got a kid Sigg Bottle and a new Foogo by Thermos kid bottle. They both still have a tiny bit of plastic on the both peices, but at least the liquid isn't just "sitting" surrounded by the plastic. I actually found the Foogo at Babies R Us, which was surprising...

I railed against the use of Nalgene in my book Achieving Victory Over a Toxic World and warned people that this chemical can lead to endocrine disruption and obesity. Thank you EWG for continuing to bring this issue to the attention of people worldwide.

I also read that canned veggies are also lined with BPA and I haven't heard anyone saying these should be changed although I'd like to start that going!

I'm still conflicted about the dangers of low-level BPA. I read a study done by the European Union food safety agency that claims the levels of BPA we get from food and other products is safe. This is from Europe! I'd like to know how the EWG responds. The European study's results and more information: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press_room/press_release/pr_bpa.html

To Bob,
I also use Sigg bottles so I was curious. I went to their official site and they say the inside is coated with stove enamel.
There is a cool slideshow showing how the bottles are made.
http://www.sigg.ch/

Bob, Christine and Nick-- Kleen Kanteen bottles are NOT lined, so there's no risk of BPA leaching. Sigg has said that tests show that the lining in their bottles does not leach BPA. The fact that they're looking for it means they probably use it, so that's really a judgment call.

Linda, Debra, Nav -- Good questions! I don't know the answers off the top of my head. I'll see what I can find, though, and it the meantime maybe other readers will chime in.

heather,
regarding the AAP, pacifiers and sids. There are plenty of other 'preventative' measures for reducing sids besides giving them a pacifier, namely "mattress wrapping" and having baby sleep in your bedroom the first 6 months. And even the AAP says not to force it if they don't want one. Also the list of "those most at risk" does not include babies who don't use a pacifier.

I called Muir Glen about their canned tomatoes and yes they are lined with BPA, how does this fit with a certified organic product. WHAT canned foods can we buy that are not lined?

Thanks EWG, you rock. LL

That's why we use BPA-free plastic containers at Sauces 'n Love. www.saucesnlove.com
They allow you to have the convenience of plastic with no threat to your health - and even better - we're thinking beyond the ingredients with fun reuseable ideas - like water bottles! Look for them at Whole Foods in the fridge! Buon appetito!

Could someone recommend the types of plastic water bottles that can be used by school-going children that is safe to use? eg Rubbermaid Chuggables?

I have trying to search for safe-plastic bottles for my kids and am very surprised that most use #7 (the most harmful of the lot) for children's bottles. Seems like our choices are really very limited.

Thank you.

I'm curious about Brita pitchers at room temperature. At least on the surface, their carafes seem similar to Nalgene polycarbonate bottles.

To Heather,
don't get sucked in to the AAP jargon. we're raising our kids via a natural, attachment-parenting style and both our babies slept in bed with us till they were a year old. SIDS is nonexistant in cultures where the 'family bed' concept is practiced. there's a lot of research around this. get rid of the pacifier! babies don't really need them anyway.

I just looked at the numbers again. At the high end, using the boiling-water experiment, the BPA release rate was 32 *nanograms* per hour, which is equal to .032 *micrograms* per hour, or .000032 *milligrams* per hour. The European Union study established a tolerable daily intake of .05 milligrams (or 50,000 nanograms) of BPA per kilogram of human body weight.

If I'm reading the numbers correctly, the extreme high-end numbers from the boiling-water experiment don't even come close to the tolerable level from the European study. Is that correct? I'm just hoping someone at EWG can confirm what I think I'm reading out of the data. Thanks!

What do you know about Britta water pitchers and filters? Where are they made and is it a safe BPA and toxin-free plastic? Thank you!

Does anyone at Enviroblog read the questions raised and address them on this form? I see a lot of unanswered questions.

Twila- I'm working with our research team to get the answers to these questions (which I mention earlier in the thread). I'll update you all as soon as I have more info!

I work at an outdoor gear store in Vancouver, and we recently pulled all polycarbonate plastics off the shelf and replaced them with stainless steel water bottles. Every time we put them up, they go out of stock within a couple of days. Seeing that much cash-flow for just some WATER BOTTLES makes me absolutely SICK. I would much rater drink out of plastic than I would stainless steel, or Siggs. It may not contain bisphenol-A, but I don't trust food-grade stainless steel, or the mysterious lining in Aluminum Sigg water bottles that is "food compatible"... obviously tyflon lining on pots are not safe, nor are the 70 variants of brominated flame retardants. WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE, GUYS? Sometimes I feel like research is just a tool to keep us buying.

It is difficult to tell when one is over-reactive; was the 'damaging' study sponsored by steel / aluminum industry? I would say that until we have incontrovertable proof of their danger, I'll keep using the plastics.

I am using HDPE reusable water bottles made my gatorade for several years. Should I be concerned. I tried to look up the contents of the plastics and how they are made, but just get lead in different directions. I was diagnosis over a year ago with hypothyroidism.

Danielle, as far as we know you're in the clear -- HDPE is considered safe.

You should really be more specific than "metal water bottle." I assume you mean stainless steel, because several metals are toxic, i.e. lead. "stainless steel" is metal, but metal is not stainless steel. Take a logic class or something.

I use a "night guard" to avoid grinding and clenching my teeth which has been leading me in the direction of serious bone loss and gum recession. Does anyone know if this plastic appliance has BPA in it? My dentist said that because of the way the appliance is manufactured, none of the plastic ingredients are bioavailable to the human body.

Does anyone have information on the plastic in Camelback hydration systems?

Thank you Jonovitch for looking more closely at the numbers. With 32 nanograms per hour (for boiling water), that hot tea wouldn't be boiling at the end of the hour, so to be conservative, let's assume a full 32 nanograms for the first hour and half of that until the tea is consumed. If the tea is consumed at 24 hours, 400 nanograms of BPA would be present - almost a half microgram. If this information is to be trusted, we have nothing to worry about. Other factors, however need to be considered: If it is mostly children, their body weight is considerably less in comparison to their intake of BPA (looking at the EU study makes this very clear!), there are other forms of ingestion including sucking on toys that should be factored in. It's notable that even children who only breastfeed get measurable amounts of BPA. This is, of course, coming from the BPA in their mother's milk. If that milk is contaminated, that to me is enough reason to want to be more cautious than the EU study might suggest. I look forward to seeing more research.

John and Jonovitch- Thanks for your comments. What John said is very much akin to the response that I got from our research team. They also asked me to point out that it's dangerous to look at the EU as the Holy Grail of toxics standards. For example, some EU countries have actually sued the EU over their decisions around certain toxic flame retardants.

Barbara- I don't know what kind of plastic night-gaurds are made of, so I don't know if they increase your exposure to BPA. In the long-term, and from a public health perspective, nothing that goes in your mouth should be made with chemicals that haven't been thoroughly tested for safety.

In the short-term, though, and on a personal level, if your night-guard will prevent against serious bone loss and gum recession, you should absolutely keep using it.

"Get it straight"- Hah. Yep, better watch out for all those lead water-bottles floating around.

In all seriousness, though, the line you reference links to a post where we describe in detail what we mean by metal water bottles.

Thanks for the comparison about canned goods!

Two things to add:
A) For myself, I prefer glass. Coming from 25 years of bioenergetic-monitoring disciplines, I concur absolutely with Margaret's objections above about aluminum, possible coatings, and also "stainless" steel. I experience that it
--puts out more nickel (into my water or food), and
--resonates->amplifies more electrosmog (from people's microwave phones<-->celltowers, WiFi, utility "smart meters,"and all the rest) into my water (even more than food) than I find biocompatible.

B) If you're going to advise people to use powdered formula (for babies who aren't breastfed), please remind people of the warnings not to use fluoridated water for it.

The best water bottles I have found is from an empty snapple! You might have to be more careful carrying glass. But I would rather worry about breaking something than worry about what is being put into my body. Over the years I've also found rubber 'grippers' made for the plastic water bottles that also fit the Snapple bottle. I've dropped mine several times and have yet to break one in a public place! (The one that broke was in the kitchen sink)

I have polycystic ovarian syndrome, and was very interested in the Japanese studies which found that "women with polycystic ovarian syndrome had higher serum levels of BPA relative to women with normal ovarian function, and that there were positive correlations between BPA concentrations and androgen levels (Takeuchi et al. 2006)." I always try to drink from glass now whenever possible and I avoid canned foods. I would like to be tested for BPA and wonder how I can cleanse it from my body. I have been trying to have a baby for 12 years now, and am hoping with treatment and cleansing that someday it will be possible. Can my doctor test for BPA or does anyone know of a lab that does? Thank you EWG for all the great information.

H Dawn- This is something you should talk to your doctor about, but for now you're doing what you can by avoiding canned food and polycarbonate drinking containers.

Jennifer,
Where do you buy the rubber "grippers" that fit the Snapple bottles? I am VERY interested in that idea.

Should we avoid any plastic, or just the clear plastic? My kids use plastic sippy cups, but they are opaque.

And I'd like to know about the safety of plastic food storage containers, too.

Linda,
to answer your question -- Tupperware has confirmed specifically that the Rock N Serve line DOES contain BPA. I still use mine to store / freeze -- just not to re-heat.
I haven't confirmed which other microwave products contain BPA - but until Tupperware releases a list of which products are made with which type of plastic, I think it's safe to assume that any of the clear (translucent) microwave items (those that LOOK like Lexan) probably do contain BPA.

Patricia Owen,
I too was curious about how safe Brita Pitchers were and found this website on the subject:

www.thegreenguide.com/doc/ask/brita

Hope that helps!

I saw on CamelBak's website that they have released a BPA-free water bottle. (now why aren't they all BPA-free??)
www.camelbak.com

I recently bought a food dehydrator which is made from polycarbonate (the shell; the shelves are a different material). The food isn't in contact with the polycarbonate, but is surrounded by it with low heat temperatures. What's the risk of the food absorbing BPA while in the dehydrator? The operating temperature is typically between 95 - 105 degrees F.

First -- Amanda, bless you for facilitating answers to all these great questions!

I have a few different issues, so I'm going to use more than one comment, to avoid confusion. I hope people are still reading and finding answers for us!

When I first read of these issues with plastics a few months ago, we purged our home of old sippys, plastic plates, bowls and cups, storage containers, and the like. We purchased a few glass storage containers and replaced a #5 pitcher we used to make sweet tea. There were a few things I couldn't bare to part with, like my Tupperware hamburger patty press and the corresponding freezer containers. Are these okay? Like others, I found it Very hard to get info on Tupperware, and disposed of a lot of it.

Also, I was distressed to find my faithful Starbucks cup was made out of #7 plastic. It was also holding moisture in between the linings, which made it aesthetically unappealing. They accepted the return based only on the moisture issue. I bought an aluminum cup to replace it, checked it over good, and was happy with my new purchase until the first time I used it. I flipped up the cover to take a drink, and while the lid is made from #5, the sip cover is #7!!! WHAA! How do we get away from all this?!

On glass vs. plastics. A good friend works for Ball Corp. and we debated the use of glass and plastic a few weeks ago. While glass is safer for food consumption, the costs to produce a vastly larger than plastic. I don't care so much about the $ amount, but worry about the amount of energy used to produce one glass container vs. 100's of plastics. I'm not sure of the # specifics. I used to blame this on Momnesia, but now believe that all the exposure to BPAs and the like have more to do with it. Could these two issues also be addressed (energy consumption for production and mental affects)? I've suffered from severe depression and anxiety for several years now, and I can't remember something 5 minutes out. My mind used to be sharp. I hardly studied for tests during my many college years, but can't hold an intelligent conversation to save my life, now.

Hi Michelle,

Thanks for your great questions! I just posted a piece today that answers some of your concerns, specifically those about tupperware. Check it out here: Your BPA Questions Answered

I checked out Camel Bak's BPA-free bottles. They are made with a plastic called Tritan. It's a copolyester (whatever that means). How does the consumer know that this replacement for polycarbonate won't have health issues of its own shortly down the road? Also, I spoke to a representative from that company. He told me that the studies that say BPA cause health concerns did not simulate the way we use these bottles. He claims that mice were injected with BPA and that studies were never done where the BPA went through a digestive system. So we really don't know if that consumption would cause these health issues.

Amanda-I clicked on your link to Michelle called "Your BPA Questions Answered", but couldn't access it. Please advise me as to how I can read your information. And 2 more questions-How long has BPA been used in cans and bottles? And how long does it take for the BPA residues to leave your body once you stop using these containers? Thanks for the updates.

Just wondering - I drink a lot of seltzer water which are always in plastic bottles. Even brita filtered water is contained in a plastic receptacle. Do those have BPA as well?

For people who need to buy water, what kind of plastic bottles are best? I was buying water in large 5 gallon size containers (blue plastic)that are often used in water coolers. Are they made from polycarbonate? And what about translucent soft plastic 1 gallon bottles for buying water. The same kind of soft plastic 1 gallon container is used for milk. Are they safe? What kind of containers should people look for when buying water (or milk)? What is safe to buy?

This may come as off topic - but I thought people here may be wondering about BRITA water filtration jugs.

Brita pitchers do not contain BPA - but their plastic filter cartridges are NOT RECYCLABLE, filling up our landfills and polluting our planet.

The Brita Company in Europe has created a take-back recycling program for their filters. But the Brita Company in North America is owned by Clorox, and they do not have such a program.

Please sign our petition at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/recycle-used-brita-water-filter-cartridges.html to urge Clorox to take responsibility for its plastic waste as is already being done in Europe.

For more info, please visit our site at http://www.takebackthefilter.org

Spread the word!