Plastic water bottles for kids

I read an article saying that some of the plastic water bottles contain bisphenol A and are not safe. They mentioned that Nalgene is pulling their plastic water bottles from the market over the next few months. Does anyone have a link to a list of all the bottles that are potentially unsafe?
Thanks

[JoyRenee]

You know I don't have a link list but if you go to your local health food store, you can find these awesome water bottles and sippy cups that are safe. They may be more expensive. You'll know a plastic is unsafe if it has a 5 or 7 on the bottom in the triangle. If there is no triangle and number, assume that it is unsafe. Most soft, colored plastics are safe. It's the hard, clear plastics that are unsafe.

[JoyRenee]

I buy these from Walmart:

http://thesoftlanding.wordpress.com/2008/01/09/which-nuby-bottles-and-sippy-cups-are-really-bpa-free/

They are the Nuby sippy cups! Very inexpensive!!!

[JoyRenee]

It’s still safe to say that avoiding #7 (along with #3 and #6) plastics is a good rule of thumb since we don’t always know what materials are in #7 plastics. But if you have a product you use frequently and want to check it out, call the company and ask.


I also found this quote on a website. So I take back what I said about #5 plastics (AKA polypropylene) which is considered (AT THIS POINT) to be safe. So avoid #3, #6, and #7 plastics.

[jdesouza]

Thanks a lot for your help.  It does get confusing and keeps on changing.
Maybe I should just buy an aluminum one :)

[chickymama]

Wow, I never heard anything about that! Looks like Nuby is a good brand to stick with.

[ea_poe]

Hi,

Yeah, just found a really good write-up on this. #7 is by far the worst. The issue is something called BPA which is in the plastic. Sounds like baby bottles are the biggest issue and they are starting to roll out BPA free bottles and liners (too late for my kids unfortunately). Also, looks like a heating any of the plastics, like in a dishwasher, etc. more than a few times is a risk.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/20080428_Plastic_peril_.html

poe

[browneyedmama]

ahhhhhhh.... i just realized that my 2 favorite bottles have 7's on the bottom!!  to the garbage they go!

[Trialanderror]

Jdsouza, to switch to aluminum bottles is just the trend, like those Suisse SIGG bottles. Go for it... Then again, aluminum being suspected to cause Alzheimer, not sure if we`d hear another story in a few years....
I don`t trust soft plastic because softeners in plastic tend to evaporate. I couldn`t avoid plastic entirely when my son was an infant and toddler but I made sure to never use plastic containers in the microwave. His babysitter did - and it is amazing how porous and speckled those containers get after a few months of microwaving - makes you wonder where the missing plastic went.... into the food I guess.

[AndiJ78]

I would also be concerned with aluminum. What has the verdict been on the drop-in variety? I would go for those if I bottle fed.

What a scary, scary climate for parents. Sometimes I think we have too much information. This of course coming from the nerd who researches everything!

[swampcritter]

Swampy is going to comment on the state of the science on this issue. Swampy will mention at the outset that this is a hot research topic, and there are many good arguments to be made.

The chemical in question is BPA, a chemical that is used in the manufacture of hard plastics. This chemical can leach out and contaminate the contents of the container. The amount of contamination depends on the temperature of the contents, so a baby bottle with heated contents will be more contaminated than cold water.

According to the CDC, 93% of all Americans have detectable levels of BPA in their urine. BPA is excreted shortly after being consumed, so this shows a widespread, continuous exposure.

According to the EFSA recommendations, BPA intake should be safe at 0.05 mg / kg body weight. A study from the Netherlands testing polycarbonate baby bottles concludes that the contamination of water heated to boiling is from 1.4 to 35 mg / kg, and that the contamination does not go down with repeated use.

Studies on pregnant animals show that a high level of BPA exposure has health effects. The CDC's fact sheet says "hormone like effects on the developing reproductive system and neurobehavioral changes in the offspring."

The FDA conducted their own studies, using the same standards that would have been applied to a new product. Their tests concluded that a person who used canned formula, where BPA leaches in from the can liner, and a polycarbonate baby bottle, results in an intake that is under 7 micrograms per day, which, according to them, should be a safe level of exposure.

To reiterate:

1. BPA is found in can liners, in dental work, and in polycarbonate plastics.
2. BPA is alleged to affect the developing fetus.
3. The low dose long term exposure of humans to BPA is not known.

[AndiJ78]

Just wait until they flare back up the PBDE storm again.

[ChitChatNine]

I was wondering on the aluminum?  If aluminum in deoderant is/was? a concern why wouldn't it be a concern for liquids for a baby to drink from?   My youngest is well beyond baby, so it's been awhile but I like to keep up on this type of information.

My oldest is anaphylactic to latex (RAST blood test + with reactions) for the past 7 yrs (she is now 17).  One cannot help but wonder whether "back then" exposure to latex in teh bottle nipples as well as her pacifier (given from birth back then in the hospital was latex vs. silcone) contributed to her life-threatening allergy today.  We'll never know, but it keeps me abreast of trends with the baby products today.

So any info on how aluminum is ok I am interested to learn about.

C~