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Health Hazards of Dasani Plastic Water Bottles

Bottled water may be the go-to solution for dehydration for some people, but think twice about dishing out money for this beverage considering the components that may be in the plastic. There are questions about the environmental and personal safety of all plastic water bottles, but Dasani has had issues particular to its brand.

  1. Bromate

    • Although that bottle of water may state it contains some form of "natural spring water," in 2004 Coca Cola admitted to adding poor quality calcium to its Dasani water brand. Coca-Cola withdrew Dasani in Britain in 2004 after finding samples contained high levels of Bromate--a chemical which with long-term exposure, can cause an increased cancer risk.

    PET Plastics

    • Coca Cola's PlantBottle debuted in 2009 for Dasani-brand water in the United States and in Denmark. This recyclable but non-biodegradable bottle, as it is advertised, contains roughly 30 percent plant content in the form of sugar cane and molasses that are used to make compound needed to create PET (polyethylene terephthalate) resin. But, according to a report done by Discovery.com in April 2009, scientists in Germany have found that PET plastics may have chemicals that interfere with estrogen and other reproductive hormones.

    Bacteria

    • According to an article for the Seattle Times dated July 12, 2008, PET plastic bottles not only are capable of leaching chemicals, but the single-use containers may harbor bacteria because of their narrow necks, which make them hard clean. Bacteria collects in cracks and crevices that develop over time as the bottle is being reused.

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