BPA-Free Bottles May Not Be Toxin Free Like You’d Think

March 17, 2014|Food & Beverage, Toxin-Free Living|Caroline Sarda4

While researching bisphenol-A aka BPA because I wanted to add BPA-Free water bottles to my store, I found an article from Dr. Mercola about BPS. BPS? All I could think about was WTF, not another chemical to worry about!?  When is this slew of chemicals that affect our health going to stop being manufactured and stay out of our products, foods, homes…?

BPA is a chemical found in plastics and canned goods that can leach into food and beverages. It is a hormone-disrupter which was identified as an estrogen-mimick as far back as the 1930s – nothing new here! It has been linked to 40 potential adverse health concerns.¹ BPA is unhealthy for everyone but is particularly dangerous during pregnancy, infancy, and childhood.

Since the dangers of BPA have become widely known and accepted, “many manufacturers have simply switched to using a different—but equally toxic and perhaps even more toxic—chemical called bisphenol-S (BPS)” says Dr. Mercola. Really?!!!!

Your Bottle May be BPA-Free but What About Other Bisphenols?

While BPA-Free plastic bottles are now be becoming widespread, it appears that manufacturers may be just swapping one known chemical for another. Bisphenol-S (BPS) is now showing up in human urine concentrations at levels similar to those of BPA. So, what about this new chemical BPS?

While you may now know about BPS, It Doesn’t Make it Less Toxic

So, while a label may read that it’s BPA-Free, it doesn’t mean that it’s BPS-Free. It appears that BPS is less biodegradable than BPA meaning “…1) once it is absorbed into the human body, it may accumulate there for longer periods of time…and. 2) it is more likely to persist in the environment…”²

But wait, there’s more! BPA and BPS are not the only chemicals to worry about in your plastic bottles.

What Other Chemicals are Lurking in Your BPA-Free Plastic Bottles?

Just when you thought getting a BPA-Free bottle was a healthy alternative, we learn that “95 percent of all plastic products tested positive for estrogenic activity, meaning they can still disrupt your hormones even if they carry a BPA-free label. Even more disconcerting is the finding that BPA-free plastics in some cases leached more BPA than the non-BPA free plastics. “³

While manufacturers may be removing or reducing the % of BPA in their products, they are using other bisophenols likes bisphenol A, AB, & AF, bisphenol B & BP, bisphenol-C, bisphenol-E, bisphenol-F, bisphenol-G, bisphenol-M, bisphenol-S, bisphenol P and PH, bisphenol-TMC, and even bisphenol-Z.

How to Avoid BPA/BPS, Bisphenol Altogether

Avoid canned goods, swap plastic food containers for glass, and choose food and beverages in glass containers over plastic ones. A great option is the personal glass bottle by New Wave Enviro. Or, if you’re like my hubby Patrick who wants a practical and light bottle for the gym, opt for a plastic bottle like the 2.2 L BPA-Free and BPS-Free bottle from New Wave Enviro.

What about the New Wave Enviro BPA-Free Bottles?

New Wave Enviro bottles are free of BPA/BPS and any other bisphenol derivative and are made of the safest plastic option on the market. The plastic resin they use was tested for the CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Information Act). The FDA tested and approved the plastic resin in which the 2.2 L bottle is made of.

While it’s so hard to live a toxin-free live, it is so important to know what to make informed decisions that will help you not just survive, but thrive!

 

Sources

1 http://www.greenmedinfo.com/toxic-ingredient/bisphenol

2 http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/consumer-alert-bpa-free-goods-still-contain-toxic-bisphenol?page=2

3 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/06/20/bpa-free-plastic-still-toxic.aspx#_edn3