| Looking for drinking water containers? A drinking | | | | The chemical composition of glass is different. Plastics |
| water container might seem like a simple thing, with | | | | break down over time, particularly with repeated |
| little cause for concern or caution. It might seem like | | | | washings. Glass will pretty much last forever. |
| just a matter of "taste". But, there are some facts | | | | You can actually "see" this happening as you reuse |
| that you should know. | | | | plastic drinking water containers. The outer surface |
| I'm going to assume that you have a good home | | | | becomes less smooth. The same thing is going on |
| purification system that removes contaminants such | | | | inside the bottle. |
| as lead, chlorine, THMs, VOCs, cysts, herbicides, | | | | The heat from the dishwasher and caustic dish |
| pesticides, medications and other traces that are | | | | washing detergents cause further breakdown of the |
| unsafe and unhealthy for consumption. So, you have | | | | polymers, so if you typically use a drinking water |
| the purest water that there is. | | | | container for a long period of time, there will be |
| You even have a shower head filter, because you | | | | some chemicals absorption any time your purified |
| know that chemical contaminants can be absorbed | | | | water is put into the drinking water container. |
| through the skin. But, when you go to buy drinking | | | | Now, you are probably wondering what BPA is and |
| water containers, you might just be looking for a nice | | | | why you should be worried about it. |
| color, something that matches your jogging outfit. | | | | As far back as the 1930s when they first began the |
| You should be more concerned about what materials | | | | mass production of polymers, BPA was suspected of |
| are used to make your new drinking water container. | | | | being hazardous to humans. Scientific studies were |
| For many reasons, glass is the best material for | | | | conducted over a period of ten years beginning in |
| drinking water containers. But, in some cases, like for | | | | 1997. |
| hiking or jogging, it is just more practical to have | | | | Researchers learned that, in the body, BPA acts like |
| plastic or polycarbonate. Drop a glass drinking water | | | | the hormone estrogen and disrupts the function and |
| container down a mountainside and not only will you | | | | production of the body's own hormones. The |
| have no fresh water, but you'll end up polluting the | | | | compound also disrupts the function of the endocrine |
| hillside with shattered glass. | | | | system, including the thyroid and other glands. It also |
| So, when you are shopping for unbreakable drinking | | | | causes changes in breast and prostate tissue that |
| water containers, be sure to look for a label that | | | | predispose the cells to cancer. |
| says "BPA-Free." | | | | Manufacturers have found acceptable safer |
| As a liquid sits in a drinking water container, | | | | replacements for BPA and some of them are using |
| compounds used to make that container seep into | | | | them, as a health precaution. So, when you are |
| the liquid. That's why there is a different "taste" to | | | | shopping for drinking water containers, the best |
| waters stored in plastic. If it's flavored, then you may | | | | choices are glass, but when an unbreakable choice is |
| not recognize the taste, but the compounds are in | | | | needed, look for BPA-free. |
| there, just the same. | | | | |