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Is Nalgene Safe?

Nalgene is a line of reusable metal and plastic containers made by Nalge Nunc International. Many worries regarding the safety of Nalgene products have arisen because some containers are made with bisphenol A.

  1. Definition

    • Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins, according to the bisphenol A website. Because polycarbonate plastics are lightweight and can withstand a lot of wear, Nalgene uses this material in some of its products, and particularly those that need to be built tough.

    Concerns

    • Some small studies have found that low doses of BPA can affect health adversely. In 2008, Health Canada and the U.S. National Toxicology Program both found reason for "some concern" regarding BPA's potential health risks, according to Nalgene's site. Particularly, the studies suggested that BA might affect neural development early in life. Those studies were based on animals, not humans.

    Testing

    • The Nalgene site points out that several agencies have studied BPA's effect on humans and come to the same conclusion: It is safe. Such agencies include the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration. Abroad, the European Commission Scientific Committee on Food, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment and Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare have all come to the same conclusion.

    Conclusion

    • According to the bisphenol A website, BPA "is one of the most extensively tested materials in use today," and "the weight of scientific evidence clearly supports the safety of BPA and provides strong reassurance that there is no basis for human health concerns from exposure to BPA."

    Alternatives

    • If you are still wary of using containers made with BPA, Nalgene is phasing out its use of BPA and replacing it with copolyester. Additionally, not all Nalgene products contain BPA. You can use the Nalgene website to find out whether a product you're considering buying has BPA and whether a non-BPA alternative is sold by Nalgene.

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