Wednesday, September 17, 2008

The downfall of plastic bottles?


Environmental groups have been advocating the evil of plastic bottles for years, mainly based on their nasty tendency to end up in landfills. Finally, a health-related reason to steer clear of plastic bottles!

A recent joint study through the University of Missouri and Environmental Health Sciences, a nonprofit organization, has found evidence that bisphenol A, BPA, is linked with an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. This chemical is a hormone disruptor and has been linked with health problems even when found in small concentrations.

I'm not going to quibble over the details of the study. I do find it interesting that not many environmental groups have picked up on this. It seems to me that a study finding toxic chemicals in plastic bottles would bolster support for environmental groups that encourage the general public to stop using plastic bottles in favour of metal ones. I must confess that I am guilty of using the plastic bottle, but after reading the study, I suspect I'll soon convert to metal.

If you're interested, the article can be found here.
[Update: I bit the bullet and bought a metal bottle. I had to let it soak in water for a while before my drinks stopped tasting like metal, but I like it so far a lot better than plastic. No plastic taste anymore!]

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