We think we are doing well. We drink 2 litres of water per day and try to get as much of it into our kids as possible. Unfortunately according to a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health (1) the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) has been found in the urine of subjects that drank cold water from plastic bottles. The levels are much higher when the bottles  have been heated in the microwave -as in baby bottles- or from sitting in the car or put through the dishwasher.

BPA has been shown in numerous studies to interfere with reproductive development in animals and has been linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity and even decreased fertility in humans (2).

Plastics containing BPA’s are found in many products and packaging including baby bottles (Canada has now banned the use of PBA’s in baby bottles since 2008) and sippy cups; dentistry composites (fillings); and in the lining of aluminium food and beverage cans.

According to Debra Lynn Dadd (hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times),

“health concerns aside, plastic is also not good for the environment. Americans use about 10 million tons of plastic every year, but recycle only about two percent of it. A plastic milk jug takes about one million years to biodegrade. And, getting back to health concerns, the manufacture and recycling of plastics produces toxic wastes that return to us indirectly through polluted air, water, and soil.”

Debra goes on to ask- if “there is a level of BPA that may be acceptable? To answer that question we have to ask: acceptable to who? A healthy male? A woman? A child? The elderly? And how would you know how much leaching has occurred in the water? It could easily vary from day to day depending on how long the water had been in the bottle, whether or not the sun was shining on the bottle in the delivery truck, and a variety of other factors.”

There are so called BPA free plastic bottles around but isn’t it better to go for the bottles that have no known toxic effects to animals and humans and our environment. Glass is great. But the kids don’t like walking around with the big dorky bottles.  Mum the health nut again! (They’ll thank me one day!) Besides which they can break when they inevitably chuck their sports bag on the floor as soon as they enter the house. The stainless steel work well for the kids. Glass or stainless steel also taste much better.

As conscious parents we give our kids the best start we possibly can in life. Is there anything more important than their health?

(1) Use of Polycarbonate Bottles and Urinary  Bisphenol A Concentrations

Jenny L. Carwile, Henry T. Luu, Laura S. Bassett,

Daniel A. Driscoll, Caterina Yuan, Jennifer Y. Chang,

Xiaoyun Ye, Antonia M. Calafat, and Karin B. Michels

(2)"http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/oncompounds/bisphenola/bpauses.htm#recentimportant" http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/oncompounds/bisphenola/bpauses.htm#recentimportant

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