What do I do now?

The Boston Globe, has published a list of alternatives for BPA bottles.

Stay hydrated with these BPA-free water bottles

BPA in the News

A Hard Plastic Is Raising Hard Questions
By TARA PARKER-POPE, NY Times, 4/22/08

What about canned food and drinks?

While much of the focus is on plastic bottles, most human exposure occurs through the lining of canned foods. Canned beverages appear to contain less of the chemical than canned foods like soup, pasta, fruits and vegetables, which are often processed at high temperatures. Virtually every canned product, even those labeled organic, has a liner with BPA. One brand, Eden Organic Baked Beans, says it uses a BPA-free can.

Earlier articles mentioned canned soda but not soups, chef boyardee or canned yams.

BPA is ubiquitous, so even if you ditch your nalgene in favor of a sigg, you won't be rid of it.

There's a hole in the bucket

Bottle Maker to Stop Using Plastic Linked to Health Concerns
Ian Austen, NY Times, 4/18/08

Nalgene, the brand that popularized water bottles made from hard, clear and nearly unbreakable polycarbonate, will stop using the plastic because of growing concern over one of its ingredients.

The decision by Nalgene Outdoor Products, a unit of Thermo Fisher Scientific, based in Rochester, came after reports that the Canadian government would declare the chemical bisphenol-a, or BPA, toxic. Some animal studies have linked the chemical to changes in the hormonal system.

A difficult question for retailers will be how to handle products, including soft drinks, that are packaged in aluminum or steel cans.

For the last two decades, the interiors of most cans have been coated with an epoxy resin that is made using the chemical to extend the shelf life of the contents and prevent the metal from affecting the flavors of food and drinks.

For years Nalgene bottles have been associated with earth loving nature walking hippies and fans of the planet as a way to stay hydrated and decrease plastic bottle and paper cup consumption. More and more companies began giving away the bottles as promotional items. Now that the BPA bottles have been linked to cancer, what will become of the millions of Nalgene bottles in circulation? There are four alone in my kitchen. As of today (two days away from Earth Day), Nalgene's website offers no suggestions on what to do with your BPA bottles.

I set up a quick blog, What I Did With My Nalgene to show some of the solutions.

Be Creative!