A recent editor's note in Sweat Magazine, an Arizona sports and fitness resource, cites evidence that some types of water bottles are not safe and may pose serious health risks.
Type 7 plastics, which are made from polycarbonates, seem to pose the greatest health risks. These plastics leach bisphenol-A into foods and liquids stored in containers made from this substance. BPA acts like an estrogen in the body -- which is common for many chemicals leached from plastics -- and if present during certain times can cause a defect in cell division known as aneuploidy. In this condition, chromosomes do not divide evenly when the cell splits, which results in cells containing fewer chromosomes than healthy cells. According to the research, these abnormal cells can lead to cancer, miscarriage, and birth defects.
Another type of plastic that is very common in water bottles (of three major brands I looked at, all three used this form of plastic) is known as #1 PETE. This form of plastic should not be reused due to the risk of DEHA and acetaldehyde leaching from the plastic -- both of which are carcinogens.
The safest forms of plastics, according to environmental advocates, are polypropylene (#5 PP), high density polyethylene (#2 HDPE), and low density polyethylene (#4 LDPE). Look for these numbers inside the "recycle" triangle on the bottoms of plastic bottles.
If you absolutely must reuse commercial water bottles, make every effort to keep them refrigerated as much as possible and avoid leaving them in direct sunlight. Never refill them with carbonated beverages or hot liquids. Wash them with soap and water regularly and rinse them with diluted bleach water once a week.
However, your best bet is to buy some good quality, safe plastic water bottles and fill them with filtered water from a home filtering system. For those times when you need to buy bottled water, avoid the temptation to reuse it and recycle the empty bottle.
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