A couple of weeks ago, I was searching for scientific evidence of toxins leaching from the common plastic water bottle. I had trouble finding anything conclusive. Now it seems that I was simply looking too soon.
Researchers at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt are the first to find consistent contamination of bottled water with a hormonally active substance leaching from PET.
It’s not a big study and I expect that it will be countered with research funded by the plastics industry. Their research will use different methodology and the results will be interpreted differently.
My main reasons for not buying bottled water are related to the impact of the bottles on the environment rather than on the water inside them. I would drink water from a plastic water bottle if that was all that was available to me and I was thirsty.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:27 am
hey martin love the blog and I love your myth buster weekend. Good luck with the plastic free life – I am sure you will do good xx pam
May 1st, 2009 at 3:29 am
A couple of things. I commend you for acknowledging the impact plastic has on the environment. I agree with you, most of the studies done that support plastic seem to be “tainted” with plastic money, similarily like many of the studies on tobacco. The plastic companies stand to lose alot of money. Anyway, I do not think anyone would fault you for drinking out of plastic if you had nothing else, but there are many simple alternatives. I suggest that you try glass. If you want to check out a great resuable glass water bottle go to http://livinglavidaverde.net/store.aspx . It is a classic design with an elegant etch. Any questions, email me.
May 3rd, 2009 at 7:57 am
Thanks for your comment, Ryan. You have a really gorgeous product for people to use in place of disposable plastic water bottles. I am planning to create a ’roundup’ page for water container options soon and I will include yours.