Date:    Tue, 9 Oct 2007 18:27:54 -0700
From:    Bob Sobrito <rssbob@COX.NET>
Subject: Fw: [MM] bottled water?

>> Alex and family:
>>    I am very interested in any info. on the bottled
>> water debate.  I drink only bottled water, due to
>> the bad taste of our water when the lake turns over
>> or when there has been a heavy rainfall.  Also, what
>> about our babies, and the use of their bottles and
>> all of the plastics we use daily?  Is this just
>> another "Oh, No, you'd better not.....because, it
>> might.....".  Please, keep us posted on any updates
>> to this new find.
>> K in NW Arkansas

 We have been drinking only distilled water for about 15 years.  This was on
 the advice of one of my wife's Lupis doctors.  We even cook with it.  We
buy
 it ast Costco for about $0.69 per gallon.  I bought a reverse osmossis
 system but I have yet to install it.

 "Bob Sobrito"  <rssbob@cox.net>
 La Mesa, Ca

I'm also interested in knowing more about plastic bottles and plastic in general.  I've been using reverse osmosis water for several years. Since RO water removes minerals as well as chlorine, flouride and other chemicals, I  include minerals in my daily supplements.  As for plastic baby bottles, I think they're able to leach BPA (bisphemol-A) when heated. A recent study (I don't know who conducted it) concluded that BPA was not harmful. Nevertheless, several manufacturers have begun making plastic bottles without BPA, and they've been selling briskly. My understanding is that plastic has estrogenic properties which may be compounded by heating. Glass, on the other hand, is (mostly?) inert and not likely to leach toxins. I use glass jars for most refrigerated and frozen foods so that my family has fewer exposures to plastic. Other arguments against plastic are that it is made from petroleum, contributes to global warming, and is not biodegradeable in our landfills.  About ten years ago, when I first became very sensitive to chemicals, I wasn't able to drink water from a plastic bottle. The water tasted like gasoline. I can now drink water from a plastic bottle because I've detoxified.

Cathy- I can't contribute on the issues of plastic bottles- you know more than I do on this topic.  I have read that plastic water bottles are a big problem getting bigger.  We use some of these plasstic water bottles as we pack on into my son's pack-pack each day for snack.  My point is that even though we have a whole house water system we still use water bottles.

Cathy- how can I tell what's in the plastic?  David 

David,

It's very hard to get away from plastic. It has many benefits, in spite of its reputation as a possible endocrine disrupter.  I'm not sure how to tell what kind of plastic is being used other than the hard polycarbonate in Nalgene bottles. Nalgene bottles are not recommended, by the way. I've also read that the softer plastic bottles can leach chemicals, too. Metal water bottles seem to be a good alternative  to plastic, if weight isn't a concern. Can anyone else shed light on this topic? Please feel free to comment.

Nalgene bottles also leach plastic and have know to cause breast cancer in the lab.  Why not try a ss bottle instead?  I have done alot of research on plastics.  Best to avoid as much as possible.  Store food in glass bowls and definetely never heat food in a microwave in plactic.  Hope this helps.

 DRINKING WATER FROM A PLASTIC SPORTS BOTTLE, IS IT SAFE? Lexan leaches Bisphenol-A, a chemical strongly linked to breast cancer. Our efforts to convince the company [Nalgene] to replace Lexan with a safe non-toxic alternative were not fruitful, so we moved on. We discovered another company, Klean Kanteen, which makes stainless steel water bottles.” -- Jeanne Rizzo, Executive Director, The Breast Cancer Fund We all know the importance of staying hydrated. The method of choice for most people these days is to carry around a trendy, colorful plastic sports bottle filled with water.  Lexan is a perfect choice for water and baby bottles as it's durable, doesn't hold flavors or odors nor delivers any taste from the bottle material itself to the fluids it holds. However, new research has shown that these plastic sports bottles may pose serious health hazards. The Problem: This is where the confusion begins. Many folks assume that because it doesn't impart flavor to the liquid it holds that it's safer than other types of plastic bottles. Research findings published in 2003 by the journal Current Biology, show otherwise. These findings were the result of a study by Dr. Patricia Hunt of Case Western University in Ohio that questioned the use of polycarbonate plastics such as Lexan. In 1998, Hunt discovered that plastics made from polycarbonate resin can leach bisphenol-A (BPA), a potent hormone disruptor. BPA, a chemical found in epoxy resin and polycarbonate plastics, may impair the reproductive organs and have adverse effects on tumors, breast development and prostate development by reducing sperm count.  A 2003 study conducted by the University of Missouri published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives confirmed Dr. Hunts' study conclusions. The Solution: There are two approaches to take to avoid exposure to BPA. First, if you are active and take water with you, switch to a stainless steel water bottle. But, be careful. Many products on the market are lined with an epoxy finish. This defeats the purpose. Make sure that the bottle is stainless steel both inside and out. Stainless steel water bottles are light, durable and hold both hot and cold liquids well.  The second approach is to reuse glass containers such as quart sized juice bottles. Yes, they are a bit heavier but are good solutions if you're in an office environment where mobility isn't an issue. As the chemical and food industry vehemently asserts, small amounts are harmless advises Dr. Sherry Rogers M.D.  This is true.  But they neglect to mention that since we do not totally detoxify the everyday “harmless” amounts of chemicals that we inhale and ingest, they silently stockpile in our tissues.  This is not harmless.  But studies are not routinely done on even the effects of one chemical decades later, much less the synertistic effect of multiple chemicals.One place to purchase an all stainless steel Kleen Kanteen water bottle is at www.reusablebags.com.  They offer a “sports” bottle for $13.50 (2 or more for $12.95) at this time.