Many people drink bottled water. It’s convenient when you’re out in hot weather and it is also convenient when you’re on the go. It’s easy to get and more convenient to take with you. You won’t have to carry around a cup and put it under the tap every-time you need water, you just open the bottle of water you have in your purse or car. Bottled water is always there when you need it but did your know that it can be dangerous for your health?
Most bottled water is just filtered water, it still has the same impurities that regular tap water has. Plastic water bottles leach chemicals into the water especially when the bottle has been warmed. Just sitting in the car on a hot day can warm your water bottle. Taking a drink from your water bottle and then putting the water bottle away for later causes bacteria to grow in your water. The amount of bacteria that grows on your water bottle can reach dangerous levels.
The plastic that holds your water have been found to contain chemicals such as phthalates and bisphenol A. These toxins can disrupt the endocrine system, messing up your hormone balance. This can lead to weight gain and fatigue which defeats the purpose of working out and playing. This is very bad for people who think that they are doing a good thing for their body’s by drinking bottled water.
Here is a guide of the different types of plastics used.
-#1 PET or PETE, Polyethylene Terephthalate, is the most commonly used. It is marked for one time use only. Using it more than once increases the danger of leaching chemicals into your water.
-#2 HDPE 2, High density Polyethylene, is the most common type of plastic that is used for gallon jugs such as gallons of milk and juice.
-#5 PP5, Polypropylene, is a plastic that is easily molded and it is not linked to leaching.
-#3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC),It has endocrine disruptor’s and probable human carcinogens.
-#6 polystyrene, PS,can leach styrene into your water or food. This is one of the most widely used plastics.
-#7 Polycarbonate, contains Bisphenol A which is a hormone disruptor. It is commonly used in baby bottles and sports drinks.
If you look on the bottom of a water bottle or other type of plastic it should have a number indicating what type of plastic it is. Types 1 PETE, 2 HDPE, 5 PP5 are the safer ones to use. Plastics that are labeled as 3, 6, or 7 are the more toxic ones and these should be avoid as much as possible.
If you drink from water bottles and generally reuse them you should try avoiding reusing them. Most plastic water bottles are not recommended for reuse. Reusing a water bottle can cause leaching. It also can be a bacteria breeding ground if not washed thoroughly. When a water bottle is heated it cause the leaching of the chemicals into your water bottle.
When you buy bottled water you should check the date on the bottle of when it was made and the expiration date as well. The older the water the more of a possibility that it has been exposed to warm weather and leaching may have occurred.
Weather you choose to drink bottled water or not it is important to know the dangers. Drinking tap water can save you money simply because most bottles of water come in a 20 ounce bottle and it cost you a dollar. One gallon of tap water generally costs around five cents. Bottle water also can be polluting. Many people do not recycle and the plastic bottles are in the land fills, floating in rivers and oceans and laying in the street. So next time you reach for a bottle of water remember the risks and please recycle your used plastic bottle.
Source:http://www.nrdc.org/health/bpa.pdf
