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Will your Nalgene kill you?

April 16, 2008 · 4 Comments

Maybe:

OTTAWA — The Canadian government is said to be ready to declare as toxic a chemical widely used in plastics for baby bottles, beverage and food containers as well as linings in food cans.

A person with knowledge of the government’s chemical review program spoke on the condition he not be named because of a confidentiality agreement. He said the staff work to list the compound, called bisphenol-a, or B.P.A., as a toxic chemical was complete and was recently endorsed by a panel of outside scientists. …

A Nalgene brand bottle, which is made with bisphenol-a.

… B.P.A. is widely used to make polycarbonate plastics, which are rigid and transparent like glass but very unlikely to shatter. Polycarbonates have many uses that pose no risk, like the cases of some iPod models. Because animal tests have shown that even small amounts of the chemical may cause changes in the body, however, researchers have focused on food- and drink-related applications of B.P.A., like the popular Nalgene brand beverage bottles.

“If the government issues a finding of toxic, no parent in their right mind will be using products made with this chemical,” said Rick Smith, the executive director of Environmental Defence, a Canadian group that has been campaigning against B.P.A. “We will be arguing strongly for a ban on the use of this chemical in food and beverage containers.”

Dang. So maybe that’s why me and my friends are all crazy.

Here’s what some other folks are doing.

Categories: death and taxes · environment · going green

4 responses so far ↓

  • BDub // April 17, 2008 at 1:52 pm | Reply

    That explains why your outdoorsy NorthFace-bedecked friends are nuts, but what about me? By the way, this kind of thing applies to plastic coffee travel mugs and the like. Something like this was brought to my attention years ago when I worked in a coffee shop. Hot liquids leach out the chemical at a greater rate. So go ahead and pony up for the metal travel mug or enjoy your coffee properly with a sitdown and some time.

  • Gerald // April 17, 2008 at 2:42 pm | Reply

    I’m staying. I’m enjoyin’ my coffee.

  • M // April 17, 2008 at 8:14 pm | Reply

    Damn. I knew boiling my ipod case and then licking it was gonna come back to bite me on the ass. I guess the only thing to do now is try to sleep in action poses in case all the plastic chemicals in my body set in my sleep. Of course, if they go to my brain first, and turn me into some kind of evil plastic brained killing machine, I will expect my friends to do the right thing and put me down. ‘Cause I’ll be coming after them first. Gerald.

  • mishakennedy // April 17, 2008 at 11:11 pm | Reply

    Thanks for the plug…I’ve got to stop sucking on my iPod…

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