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Safest Bottled Water

Have you heard water in plastic bottles is unsafe? A long list of health problems is often mentioned, from cancer to early onset puberty. Are the rumors true? Here's what you need to know.

  1. What's the Problem?

    • Bisphenol-a (BPA) is used in many plastic bottles, and studies show trace amounts of BPA leaches into the water in them.

    Is it Toxic?

    • In animal studies, BPA may be connected to certain types of cancers and poor brain development in children. In some animal studies, puberty also appeared sooner and weight gain ensued

    Or not?

    • There are no human BPA studies, and many scientists (including those from The National Institutes of Health) believe past BPA studies were flawed.

    What Bottled Water is BPA Free?

    • Hard plastics almost always contain BPA, and any plastic marked with a #3 or 6 recycling symbol contains the chemical. Bottles marked with a #7 may or may not contain BPA. (#7 is a "catch all" that includes products mixing non-BPA plastics together.) In addition, canned water (and foods) almost always have a BPA liner. Therefore, look for a container with a different recycling number.

    Boxed Water

    • Drinks in boxes (like IceBox water) are also BPA free and better for the environment.

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