Nalgene Phases Out Plastic Bottles
Posted on Monday, April 21st, 2008
Once the essential accessory for any college coed or high school student, the ever popular hard-plastic Nalgene bottles are going the way of the dinosaur. Nalgene announced this morning that they will begin to phase out plastic bottles over the next few months due to consumer demand and substitute them with bisphenol A-free alternatives. MSNBC
Last summer, ABC news reported on the possible health risks associated with plastic bottles.
Following soon after, in December of 2007, Canada’s largest specialty outdoor retailer, Mountain Equipment Co-op pulled Nalgenes off shelves due to growing concern over the safety of the bottles and the potential health risks associated with Bisphenol A, a chemical found in the hard-plastic bottles. Read Full Report from Canada’s Globe and Mail News.
And earlier this week, Health Canada officially labeled plastics made with the chemical Bisphenol A “dangerous”, a first step toward regulatory limitations on exposure to the chemical and possibly a ban in the future. The article in Canada’s Globe and Mail News, stated that, “Small amounts of BPA can leach from food and beverage containers during use, such as when they are heated, exposed to harsh dishwashing chemicals, or contain acidic substances.” Independent studies have linked Bisphenol A exposure to hormone imbalances, including breast and prostate cancer, early puberty and changes in brain structure, particularly for exposures during key points of fetal or early neonatal development.
According to Nalgene’s General Manager, Steve Silverman, “By eliminating containers containing BPA from our consumer product mix, our customers can have confidence that their needs are being met.”
