The Advantages of BPA-Free Bottles

What Is BPA?

• If you have ever purchased a BPA-free bottle for your children or yourself, you may have wondered what the brightly colored label actually means. "BPA" stands for bisphenol A, a chemical that manufacturers use to produce polycarbonate plastics. Because of its durability, BPA is a common material found in the food production process, coating the inside of your favorite cans of soup and lining the inside of your reusable water bottles. With the health community buzzing about the dangers of BPA, some manufacturers are now steering clear of polycarbonates, opting instead for stainless steel or glass.

Chemical Leaching

• By switching to BPA-free bottles, you are limiting your exposure to a suspected toxin. The FDA explains that exposure to BPA occurs when small amounts of the chemical leach into the liquids stored in the bottles. Animal testing shows that repeated exposure to BPA may result in serious illness, including cardiovascular conditions, diabetes and disorders of the reproductive system. Just how BPA affects humans is still under investigation, but until the evidence is conclusive, BPA-free is probably the way to go.

Baby Bottles

• Because of the polycarbonate coating, liquid baby formula sold in cans often contains traces of BPA. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, switching to powdered formula may minimize your baby̵7;s exposure to the chemical. Opting for BPA-free baby bottles and sippy cups may also be advantageous. If you have not yet made the move to BPA-free, make every effort to throw away any baby bottles that contain scratches, which can increase the leaching of BPA, just to be on the safe side. As of January 2009, the major U.S. baby bottle manufacturers have stopped using BPA in their bottles.

The Environmental Factor

• If you are like many people, you have a bottle of water with you everywhere you go. Disposable plastic water bottles contain BPA, and if you reuse them instead of throwing them away, the leaching increases with each use. If you do throw them away after the last sip, you are adding to the collection of over 1 billion plastic water bottles that end up in landfills on a yearly basis, according to Ithaca College. BPA-free sports bottles are leach-free, and because they are refillable, you can save money and help the environment all at the same time.