I’ve heard and read many stories and emails about how bottled water causes breast cancer. These usually are about bottled water left in cars. The stories go along the lines of – the sun heats the water in the bottle and the bottle gives off poisons called dioxins. Dioxins are a known carcinogen (cause of cancer).
I set out to find out how much truth there is in the story. Largely because having water in the car helps me drink more water everyday, and that’s a good thing. But was I killing myself while trying to be healthier?
Here’s the result of my research.
- Plastics do not contain dioxins.
Dioxins are any of a range of toxic or carcinogenic compounds that are byproducts of herbicides, pesticides, incineration or chlorine bleaching. More than 90 percent of human intake of dioxins is from food, especially animal fats, herbicides and pesticides. - Some plastics do contain BPA (bisphenol A), particularly those with the recycle number 7 or 3, or marked with the code PC (ploycarbonate).
BPA is used in some food can linings, bottle tops, many food and drink packagings, and water supply pipes. Considered “safe” because it has no overt and obvious health effects, the substance has been used since the 1960’s.
Recent research, however, is identifying it’s subtle effects on the body. It is shown to simulate estrogen in our bodies and disrupts our hormone balance. This imbalance can lead to developmental problems in children and a myridad of illnesses and diseases in adults, including cancer.
The Endocrine Society of America has over 100 articles about BPA and its effects on the body.
So I’ve cleaned out all plastics out of the house with 7,3 or PC on them, as well as any plastics that don’t state what they are. I now reheat food in the microwave in glass or ceramic containers. And I’m in the process of finding aluminium drink bottles to put in the car.