7 BPA leeching
BPA is a man-made carbon-based compound that is used to make certain kinds of plastics. Under certain conditions, large amounts of the BPA in plastic packaging can leech into the liquid contents.
Over the last decade, there have been an increasing number of questions raised over the safety of its use in the food industry, and in September 2010, Canada became the first country to declare BPA a toxic substance.
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There are seven grades of plastics recognised by the International Resin Identification Code which contain varying concentrations of BPA. The safest is PP which is used for most reusable food containers. PET also has low concentrations of BPA but there are certain recommendations about its use.
Dudley says people should employ common sense when using plastic bottled water. “PET bottles should not be used one time and not refilled, nor should they be rinsed in hot water, or left sitting in the sun.”
This view is echoed by Kausar who says she and her team educate people and raise awareness about the issues surrounding plastic bottled water. “There is a growing awareness now of the health issues surrounding plastic bottled water.
You see them kept out in the sun, and when the plastic bottled water is kept out in the sun, the plastic heats and leaks toxins and carcinogens into the water. There are a lot of people concerned about the quality of the water from that respect.”
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