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Plastic Bottles & Health Issues for Children

Children use plastic bottles to drink milk, water and juice on a daily basis. They are convenient ways to keep children from spilling their drinks because the bottles are equipped with caps. Although they are convenient, parents and teachers must be aware of the potential dangers of using, and reusing, plastic bottles. With proper cleanliness and knowledgeable buying decisions, you can protect children from the potential dangers.

  1. Bacterial Contamination

    • Plastic bottles are commonly used to distribute water and orange juice to children. Parents and teachers often instruct children to reuse these bottles to reduce the amount of discarded plastic and to help with environmental preservation. When doing so, children should be informed about the potential to expose themselves to bacterial contamination if they do not handle reused plastic bottles properly. Various bacteria, including fecal matter, collect on these bottles as children handle and drink from them throughout the day. Children do not always properly wash either the bottle or their hands. Besides instructing children about the importance of washing their hands and their bottles, parents should clean the reusable bottles after each use. And they should recycle disposable plastic bottles after one day.

    Possible Bisphenol-A Chemical Contamination

    • Even if children properly wash their hands and the bottles, they still risk exposure to toxic chemicals. Bisphenol-A, or BPA, has been found in trace amount in plastic bottles. The chemical has been found mostly in bottles made of polycarbonate plastic and in bottles labeled "Plastic #7." Trace amounts in one's body has not been shown to pose significant health risks. However, prolonged exposure could have various and dangerous health effects. According to SNV Plastics, BPA has been linked to breast and uterus cancer and increased risk of miscarriages. It has also been linked to brain damage and and Down Syndrome in children.

    Plastic Bottle Sources

    • Children come into contact with plastic bottles from a variety of sources that parents and teachers should be aware of. These bottles are often made up of polycarbonate plastic. Children get these bottles from their parents, school, local stores and from other children. Young children drink out of plastic baby bottles that contain BPA. Parents may be giving their babies these bottles without knowledge of the risk. For example, when bottles with BPA are heated, the chemical leaches into baby milk and food. Plastic bottles are not the only threat, however. BPA has been found in food containers, water storage bottles and the linings of aluminum cans.

    Potential Solutions

    • Parents should ensure that their children wash their hands regularly to avoid bacterial contamination. Additionally, they should avoid purchasing products that contain BPA or that contain the label "Plastic #7." Major retail chains in the United States have ceased selling bottles and cups made from polycarbonate plastic. As a matter of public policy, many state governments have considered legislation to ban or phase out BPA altogether. Additionally, the U.S. Congress has held oversight investigations on the use of BPA in products on infants, children and adults.

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