Recently word got out that Canada was halting the sale of plastic bottles that contained BPA (Bisphenol-A).This was followed by WalMart pulling their inventory. The concern is that the chemical used in plastic baby bottles and other uses was thought to leech out when heated, and is a potential carcinogen. One of the largest makers of sports bottles is Nalgene of Rochester, NY. Early word went out that if your bottle had a “7” on the bottom, it was made with BPA. Well, turns out that the triangle where the number is found is for recycling purposes. And that many number 7 bottles do NOT have BPA. The 7 indicates a resin. Nalgene is phasing out their BPA bottles. I talked to the Mountaineering Store manager at Yosemite who said they have reviewed the published works and do not have concerns about BPA in bottles. The US Government has not issued negative reports. The Food and Drug Administration, The Environmental Protection Agency, The European Food Safety Authority, The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, The Japan Ministry of Health, Labor & Welfare, and the American Plastics Council have all found BPA innocent. In fact, most things man-made have some potential for harming us. REI has pulled all their BPA containing bottles. In fact, REI will refund any bottles you bought there – no questions asked. Their generous on-going store policy is that for ANY product you buy there, you can *forever* return it if you are not pleased. I took back my 11 bottles today and only 1 was found to have been bought there as far as their database showed – 8 years. Since I KNOW I bought most of them at REI, they have requested Corporate to dig up my records since I joined – way back last century. I bought a new colored Nalgene bottle that is not made with BPA. They are translucent and are a tad softer – not the rigid hard LEXAN I had in the past. And there you have it.
*Carpe Diem Experience– Rick Deutsch–www.HikeHalfDome.com*