They are practical to fill, light in weight and harmless in terms of the risk of injury: plastic drinking bottles. In recent years, plastic bottles have fallen into disrepute, mainly due to the discovery of the plasticizer bisphenol A BPA, genauer „4,4'-(1-methylethylidene)bis(phenol)“, ist im Handel als weißes Pulver mit einem Schmelzpunkt von 158°C.... This poses a not insignificant risk to human health. Some newer plastic water bottles that do not contain bisphenol A are made of Tritan Tritan Copolyester ist ein in den USA produzierter Kunststoff. Er findet Verwendung in der Herstellung von Kunststoffflasch... or polypropylene. But are they safer than bisphenol A?
What is behind bisphenol A?
Bisphenol A (BPA) is often used as one of the main components in the production of plastics. Plastic containers made of hard plastic, such as drinking bottles, are often not only filled with cold drinking water. Cleaning is also not always gentle. Heat, acids or alkalis can cause the chemical to dissolve from the plastic coatings. The plasticizer then enters the body unnoticed and unhindered via the oral mucosa when drinking. It has been scientifically proven that bisphenol A is highly disruptive to the hormone system. This can lead to developmental disorders in infants and children and to reproductive problems in adults. In the worst case, irreparable damage to the brain is to be feared. Bisphenol A is also being discussed in connection with increased body weight, diabetes mellitus griech. diabeinein, hindurch passieren (für vermehrte Harnausscheidung), lat. mellitus, honigsüß. Diabetes mellitus ist ... and some heart and cancer diseases.
Tritan and polypropylene in drinking bottles
If you are looking for BPA-free drinking bottles, the plastic “Tritan copolyester” has recently become increasingly popular. The production of such bottles originated in the USA. The thermoplastic should be food-safe, heat-resistant, tasteless and shatterproof for the consumer. The water bottles should also withstand temperatures of up to 80 degrees in dishwashers without any problems. But what effects does this synthetic polymer have on the human body? There is not yet as much research available on Tritan as there is on bisphenol A. However, there is already scientific evidence that Tritan may even have a higher estrogen-like effect than bisphenol A. In Germany, there is another plastic alternative used in drinking water bottles. Bottles made from high-quality polypropylene, which is also used in medical technology, are free from hormonal plasticizers and heavy metals. Nevertheless, there are still many unanswered questions in health-related plastics research. Many manufacturers conduct research in the context of general product safety and product benefits. But independent research results relating to the long-term health of the human body would be desirable.
Long-term health aspect and alternatives
Although plastic drinking bottles are practical to use, they also pose a fundamental environmental problem. If plastics are not recycled properly, they pollute the environment for many generations to come. As plastics do not break down on their own, they are highly damaging to the ecosystem. In the long term, this also has an impact on human health via nature. If you want to be on the safe side in terms of health and ecology, opt for drinking water bottles made of stainless steel or glass.
Note on undesirable substances in drinking bottles: There is no need to “demonize” the use of plastic drinking bottles. If you decide to buy a new bottle for drinking water on a regular basis, you should do your research beforehand. If the product contains undesirable chemical substances and these can be released from the product under certain circumstances, alternatives should be used.
