Related to an earlier post regarding bottled water, evangelical-type eco-warriors are known to say that all sorts of things are bad for us — frequently because our awareness about what is safe and unsafe lie on the many unexamined habits and practices that we don’t examine closely. Scientific study to prove one way or the other frequently is barely keeping up — or ineffectively communicated to the public. But of all the horrors, just as bottled water is bad for Ha’Olam, now our beloved Nalgene bottles are bad too?? How??

A little bit of internet research is useful, categorized here in brief.

The Green Guide: Certain varieties of the popular, colorful Nalgene water bottles are made from Lexan, a polycarbonate plastic (usually indicated by #7 in the recycling triangle) known to leach low levels of bisphenol-A (BPA), a suspected hormone disruptor. Because BPA leaching can increase as your bottle ages, it’s prudent to set some limits on reuse.

The Bisphenol-A Debate: Depending on whom you talk to, BPA is either perfectly safe or a dangerous health risk. The plastics industry says it is harmless, but a growing number of scientists are concluding, from some animal tests, that exposure to BPA in the womb raises the risk of certain cancers, hampers fertility and could contribute to childhood behavioral problems such as hyperactivity.

Radical Congruency: An old Nalgene can leach chemicals [BPA] that mess with hormones such as estrogen, and estrogen-like substances in the environment. Reputedly it’s important to not put a Nalgene bottle in the dishwasher, since the ultra-hot water can cause the polycarbonate to break down and leach Bisphenol A. Also, one should replace the bottle around the time the print wears off the outside.

Grist.com’s Ask Umbra: While some types of plastic reputedly contain carcinogens, much of this is attributed to a scare linked to a bogus health study. Most of Nalgene water bottles are made of plastic #2, HDPE, which is relatively benign. Criticism and concern is aimed primarily at the newer Lexan (#7) product, not Nalgene’s entire line of bottles.

The moral of the story:

No, Nalgene’s aren’t radically unsafe for the environment — apparently it’s us they’re unsafe for. While it’s unclear what effects #7 plastic used to make certain Nalgenes posses on humans, it’s not exactly positive either. Use a #2 Nalgene when possible — or skip the plastic debate entirely and grab some glass or alumnimum bottles.