Cancer Scare Causes Nalgene to Pull Plastic Bottles - By Allie Gardner

Nalgene recently announced they are pulling their hard-plastic bottles from shelves nationwide in the next few months. The polycarbonate plastic bottles, made with bisphenol A (BPA), have been found to cause cancer and increase risks of other serious health problems.

Yet another very good reason to stop using that plastic water bottle.

Like many outdoor enthusiasts, I had been a faithful user of Nalgene plastic bottles up until I first heard the news about these health risks. Traditional Nalgene (and other polycarbonate water bottles) leach BPA into the drinking water they contain and get worse with age as they begin to crack.


While Nalgene continues to insist there is little evidence that the low levels of chemicals leached from the containers cause cancer, critics point to studies that show increased incidence of cancer and obesity (among other things) in animals when exposed to BPA.

Steve Casimiro from National Geographic Adventure Blog alerted me to an informative post he wrote concerning the health effects of BPA. Here’s an excerpt…
What’s more, a study from California published in April shows that BPA directly alters genes in breast cells so that they resemble cancer cells and, while couched in cautious scientific language, the study implies BPA can actually cause aggressive cancers. Earlier this year, in the first direct test for bisphenol A migration in water bottles, University of Cincinnati scientists found that BPA leaches from polycarbonate containers at room temperature whether the bottle is old or new. More alarming, when the bottle has hot water in it, the chemical is released up to 55 times faster.

Scary stuff. I drank from my Nalgene daily… for years.

To replace the BPA-leaching polycarbonate bottles, Nalgene is now making BPA-free bottles. And all of Camelbak’s water bottles are BPA free now. Stainless steel or aluminum water bottles are the best option, however, in my opinion. I absolutely love my Sigg. Water tastes noticeably better, stays colder longer, and contains absolutely no BPA. It’s a little heavier than a plastic bottle, but hey — I’m worth it. And so are you.