More concern over bisphenol A

Using polycarbonate plastic bottles for heated liquids causes a frightening increase in the amount of bisphenol A (BPA) leaching into drinks, according to a new research study. Pouring boiling water into a Nalgene bottle increased BPA migration rates by up to 55-fold compared with room-temperature water in experiments conducted by a U.S. university. The finding suggests that parents sterilizing polycarbonate baby bottles by heating them in water or the microwave may be inadvertently increasing their children’s exposure to the chemical.

Bisphenol A is widely used in hard plastic containers, including reusable water bottles, baby bottles, food-can linings and water pipes. The chemical is being reviewed by the federal government because of health concerns that it could be linked to increasing rates of prostate cancer, earlier onset of puberty in girls and declining sperm counts.

Researchers tested new and old bottles and scratched bottles whose plastic had turned opaque, and found that the age of a container didn’t influence how much BPA it leached in an hour, but adding hot water to it did.

Concern over the dangers of BPA forced Mountain Equipment Co-op and Lululemon stores to pull polycarbonate water bottles from their shelves in stores across Canada in December and January. An initial report is expected in May.

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