Columnist's note: This column represents Part One in a two-part series on disposable plastic water bottles. Part One addresses personal health and the issue of chemical leaching and bacterial contamination found in plastic water bottles. Part Two, which will be published in the Feb. 25 edition of The Advocate, will explore the financial and environmental costs of using disposable plastic bottles, as well as recommendations for reusable alternatives.
Q: "Why do bubbles and fogginess appear on the inside of my plastic water bottle? Is this harmful?"– Pat L., Westminster, Md.
A: What you are seeing inside the bottle is condensation, or the formation of liquid drops of water from water vapor. Condensation is not harmful; rather, it's what you can't see that may be detrimental to your health.
"Chemical leaching," where it is presumed that temperature fluctuations can cause chemicals from the plastic to leach into the water, has been a topic of debate for years, with Bisphenol A, or BPA, a synthetic chemical linked to various health issues, being identified as the main culprit. In response, BPA-free products flooded the shelves, but a 2011 University of Texas study confirmed that hormone-disrupting chemicals leach from almost all plastics, including the BPA-free varieties. In fact, according to myplasticfreelife.com BPA-free products were sometimes found to release chemicals with more EA, or Estrogenic Activity, than products containing BPA. Ultimately, the site concluded, "We can't be sure any plastic is safe as long as we don't know what chemicals are in the plastic and as long as those chemicals have not been tested," and "only by exposing plastic products to the kinds of stressors it will be subjected to in real life can we know for sure whether it will leach EA chemicals or not."
In addition to the harmful chemicals that may have leached into your water, bacteria presents another problem. Since most water bottles are made with polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, which comes from petroleum and does not break down naturally, many people re-use plastic disposable water bottles with the intention of helping the environment. However, over time, plastic water bottles will begin to break down and corrode from everyday wear and tear, from repeated washings and reuse, and from internal temperature fluctuations, such as leaving the bottle in a hot car or putting it in the freezer. The temperature fluctuations can cause particles to break off and be ingested, and the physical breakdown of the plastic can lead to visible thinning or cracks.
According to a 2007 article in Practical Gastroenterology, "Bacteria can harbor in the cracks, posing a health risk," and "the reuse of plastic water bottles can lead to bacterial contamination unless washed regularly," which, notes huffingtonpost.com, entails washing the bottle with mild soap, rinsing it well — but not with extremely hot water — and making sure there is no physical breakdown prior to use.
A researcher at the University of Calgary noted that bacteria will thrive given the right conditions, which include moisture, nutrients from "backwash," and extended periods at room temperature. The bacteria found in the necks of bottles — the part that goes into your mouth — that were used for a week without being washed, were plentiful and of the type, including coliform, that can make you very sick, "almost like having food poisoning," said Richard Wallace, M.D., of the University of Texas Health Center.
And there is no guarantee that drinking bottled water is safer than drinking tap. In fact, according to greatist.com, the FDA only regulates bottled water sold across state lines, which accounts for only 30 to 40 percent of all sales. The rest is unregulated.
"One study found 22 percent of brands tested contained levels of chemical contaminants above state health limits," the site notes.
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