Q. I have recently been told that water bottles and other types of plastic containers release toxic chemicals when heated. I am leaving on a 6-week camping trip and will be taking my needed supplies, including water, in plastic containers.
Do I need to worry about them becoming heated in my car? Will the plastic release toxins into my food and water? If so, is there a safe alternative to metal or glass?
A. Bisphenol A (BPA) used to be a common ingredient in hard plastic (polycarbonate) water bottles. But controversy about this chemical as a hormone disruptor has led many manufacturers to reformulate their containers. For example, Nalgene now makes a BPA-free line of water bottles.
Some kinds of soft plastic may release phthalates if exposed to heat. These plasticizers and other chemicals such as PET have recently been shown to have estrogenic activity when leached into water (Environmental Science & Pollution Research International, May, 2009).
Your short-term exposure probably won’t pose a great risk. To be completely safe, though, consider stainless steel containers. They’re less convenient but phthalate and BPA free.
