What Are the Dangers of Water Bottled in Plastic Containers?

Bottled water has caused controversy on many fronts. Whether it's the wastefulness of the bottles themselves, the health benefits of bottled water as opposed to tap water or the safety of the plastic bottles, it seems that a new issue is constantly arising regarding bottled water. Both rumors and facts have been unearthed about bottled water; fortunately, those dangers that are based in fact can be prevented by proper use.

Exposure to Heat

• The plastic used to bottle water typically contains bisphenol A, known as BPA. Studies have linked BPA with hormone interference, obesity, neurological disorders in children and several types of cancer. While this substance is not known to leach into water under normal conditions, despite rumors, research at the University of Cincinnati found a substantial correlation between exposure to very high temperatures and the rate of BPA release. For your safety, don't leave your water bottle in the car where the sun's heat can cause this reaction.

Refrigerate After Opening

• Water bottles should be treated as any other opened food products for optimum safety: refrigerate after opening. Exposure to even room temperature for an extended period can make an open water bottle a breeding ground for bacteria. Any saliva present after the first use may be cause for bacterial growth, and once bacteria is present in any drinking container -- not just water bottles -- it can thrive. Consuming water in this way can ultimately be disease-causing behavior.

Reuse with Improper Cleaning

• It has been the subject of much debate and many rumors, but plastic water bottles -- even those labeled for one-time use -- can be reasonably reused with proper cleaning between each use. Hot, soapy water should be used and the container should be dried thoroughly; a baby bottle scrubber may be of assistance. Dishwashers will degrade the plastic. Failure to properly clean and dry these bottles will invite bacterial growth in any water or other beverage they contain in the future.

Rumors

• Several emails have been circulated claiming that plastic water bottles contain potential carcinogens in the form of DEHA. The American Cancer Society confirms that DEHA is not inherent in plastic water bottles. Furthermore, regarding DEHA, the Environmental Protection Agency and the International Agency for Research on Cancer vouch for DEHA having no known carcinogenic properties. Some rumors have also spread regarding a supposed toxicity of bottled water when frozen. This claim is also false. Rolf Halden, assistant professor at the Center for Water and Health at Johns Hopkins University, points out that "freezing actually works against the release of chemicals."