On aluminum bottles

On aluminum bottles

04 Apr 2007

Got questions about the environment? Ask Umbra.

Umbra,

Are aluminum bottles safer than Nalgene bottles? I'm looking at getting Sigg bottles for my self, wife, and son. Vendor agnostic, are the materials used by aluminum-only vendors safer than those that incorporate Lexan?

Chris Webber
Seattle, Wash.

Dearest Chris,

I swear, I pick questions and only then do I notice that yet again I have chosen one from Seattle. It is not a conspiracy. I just wanted a question to go with our recent perusal of safety in baby bottles. Here we have the adult bottles. We are avoiding clear bottles made from polycarbonate because they may leach bisphenol A into our fragile human bodies. Today we are talking about number seven in the recycling triangle. Seven indicates "other" plastics, often polycarbonate. (I should note that Nalgene makes bottles from other, less-yucky types of plastic.)

Lid pro quo.

Photo: iStockphoto

If you dozed off during Monday's baby-bottle discussion, or if by chance you weren't reading my column three years ago, there's still time to click over and catch up. We'll wait.

OK, now that you're up on the science: bisphenol A is one of the chemicals whose monomers are key to the plastic polymers in polycarbonate (you may know it as 4,4'-dimethylmethylenediphenol). It may be a hormone disruptor that probably will eventually leak out of well-loved polycarbonate bottles. I am hedging because it's science. Multiple studies about BPA and the human body's hormones indicate that we should be concerned, the Food and Drug Administration and the American Chemistry Council feel confident that we should not. Apparently it's not only polycarbonate bottles that leach BPA, but also the lining of metal food cans, according to a study by the Environmental Working Group. Sigh. So, there's your potential problem with aluminum water bottles -- the lining inside. Do visit the Environmental Working Group for much more information about the issue.

The only thing we know for sure about your particular polycarbonate bottle is that you are going to chuck it into the recycling bin and find a new water-carrying device. Leading us back to your question: Sigg is an aluminum-bottle manufacturer with excellent publicity. They make a variety of water bottles, including for kids, and have recently changed the lining of their aluminum drinking bottles in response to BPA concerns. I found a non-agnostic Sigg vendor offering quite a bit of information about issues with reusable drinking bottles and documents in support of Sigg's water-based non-leaching linings. Another potential material for your family's portable drinking vessels is food-grade stainless steel, and the same vendor will show you a range of the stainless-steel bottles on the market, aesthetically and functionally. You don't have to shop there -- I'm vendor agnostic. Thank you for teaching me a new phrase.

Ask Umbra continues below

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Are metals safer for your health than polycarbonate? It looks that way right now, but it also could be the known evil versus the unknown evil. We just don't know what else will be uncovered in the future, and I'm not going to pretend that we do.

Although this question is about the health component of environmental concerns, I must yet again point out that ecologically, virgin aluminum is terrible. So if you are going to buy aluminum (or stainless steel for that matter), don't lose it, and recycle it when you are done. And drive less.

Note-to-selfly,
Umbra

Yours is to wonder why, hers is to answer (or try). Please send Umbra any nagging question pertaining to the environment -- but first check out her FAQs!

The claims made in this column may not reflect the views of this magazine. Neither the magazine nor the author guarantees that any advice contained in this column is wise or safe. Please use this column at your own risk.

Umbra Fisk is Grist Research Associate II, Hardcover and Periodicals Unit, floors 2B-4B.

Comments: (7 comments)

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You forgot something...

Good sleuthing, Umbra, but there's a glaring omission from this post and the one on sippy cups: GLASS!

People could just use glass containers that they've bought drinks in that have the screw-on cap. I don't know how harmful the cap is, but the glass obviously doesn't leach.

I've used Fuze and Bionaturae bottles for my water, before my roommates accidentally recycled them.

Give glass a try and that way you're not only NOT getting bisphenol-A, but you're also doing one of the 3 Rs: reusing!

by radrerun at 11:33 AM on 04 Apr 2007

Prevalent Perplexing Plastics

I'm generally happy to see any clarification within this whole category of myths we live by. After today's article, though, I was less sure of some things I've learned in the not-so-distant past.

First, I was thrown by the parenthetical, "I should note that Nalgene makes bottles from other, less-yucky types of plastic." I, and I'm sure many other daily Grist readers, read this to mean that ubiquitous brightly colored bottles aren't bisphenol-A leaching afterall. Only when I followed the link did it appear that they are. I have an ancient #2 Nalgene bottle, but haven't seen one like it in a store for years.

2nd, "The only thing we know for sure about your particular polycarbonate bottle is that you are going to chuck it into the recycling bin and find a new water-carrying device." This confuses me since as far as I know polycarbonate plastic isn't generally recycled--or more precisely, "downcycled," as nicely clarified in the Nalgene-related link.

In that column, "Nalgene Therapy" 1/10/05, you noted, "I wouldn't seek out #1 for those plastic-necessitating moments -- #2, #4, and #5 are better." I'm not clear on why this is so. The little "recycling" symbol is deceptive since it classifies type and not recyclability. Many products with a #2, for example yogurt containers, aren't "recyclable" like their milk bottle cousins because hardening agents and/or dyes have been added.

So, here's the question for you, coming from someone who no longer feels so secure in his knowledge of recycling (beyond that it comes in third, after reduce and reuse): What actually becomes of the millions of tons of #s 1, 2, 4, and 5 we dutifully chuck into "recycle" bins everyday?

by bryano at 2:11 PM on 04 Apr 2007

Glass Bottles

I give Glass another Thumbs up.
That's what I use.

But what I think is even more pressing than containers (Cause glass bottles are easy to come by) is the matter of Filters for water.

Do they make ones that aren't platic?

by TheSSG at 6:54 PM on 04 Apr 2007

Aluminum or plastic?

The reason aluminum cans are lined is because the water used in processing usually is fluoridated and will leach aluminum from the can and form aluminum-fluoride complexes. The EPA nominated Aluminum-fluoride to be studied for neurotoxicity and other effects, and in the references for the nomination it was noted about the leaching and forming complexes.
I use glass as much as possible and enamel or steel is good, but as far as filters go, they will not remove fluorides, only reverse osmosis will and is expensive. I buy Zephyrhills Spring Water that is high in calcium and magnesium that will, in high levels form insoluble complexes with the fluorides. Calcium gluconate is the antidote for fluoride poisoning.

by Anita Knight at 9:26 PM on 04 Apr 2007

Filters and questions...

Holy crap, good point TheSSG. I was actually thinking of buying a new showerhead when I find a new place to live that both adds air to the water (uses less water) as well as filters. I guess that's something to think about since when was the last time anyone saw any filters for drinking water or shower water that utilizes anything but plastic?

Yikes. I'm gonna Goodsearch and check that out.

If I find anything or not, I'll post again.

Kim

by radrerun at 11:33 AM on 05 Apr 2007

Haven't found anything...

...in regards to non-plastic water filters.

by radrerun at 1:49 PM on 06 Apr 2007

non plastic water filters

found 2

http://www.watersavers.com/docs/waterfilter_ep_filtercool ...

http://www.watersavers.com/docs/waterfilter_ep_filter_cer ...

bring your own bags!

by BPAfree at 2:27 PM on 19 Apr 2007
[ Parent ]

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