Lexan Lessons

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Doc McPeak

Doc McPeak

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Someone sent me this link about some (as always) undisclosed risks associated with Lexan. Of Which I have several Lexan Nalgene bottles.

The gist is they can leach toxins into us hikers, and especially when the insides are scratched up, or if washed in a dishwasher with typical (i.e. harsh chemical) detergents.

The link is from Seventh Generation which sells and promotes earth-friendly products, (which could be biased) but the science makes sense. Just thought people may want to give it a gander.

Here's the link: http://www.seventhgeneration.com/page.asp?id=1456#3

Would love to see if anyone has other scoops as well.
 
Doesn't this kind of stuff kill you. You think your doing a positive, healthy thing like being outdoors and then BAM, cancer and defective births. I think I can hear the bottles hiting the trash cans now. I wonder how credible that source is. My avatar is a result of Lexan consumption.
 
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Doc,

I always thought the the leaching affect was with the older Nalgene bottles. As they age, they get softer, have a chemical smell and the water tastes lousy.
I was under the impression that the Lexan version is different.

PB
 
Boy, it seems like you're ok as long as you don't WASH it out! I guess I don't need to be too concerned about cancer since I never clean mine... :D :D :D :D :D
 
Ohhh, my trusty titanium spork, I love thee. :D

Actually, I wonder if I'm the only one who doesn't own a Nalgene bottle. I, coming from the cycling world have a ton of plastic bike bottles so I'm always using those. I do have a Nalgene 1 gal. canteen but that is a collapsable water jug and not a lexan bottle.

Feel free to send me unwanted lexan bottles though.. :)

Jay
 
From the analysis of the studies (link here) I think you don't have to worry about any bad effects from Lexan bottles. It looks to me like someone got hold of a report without understanding it and the media ran with it.

I'm not saying there couldn't be problems with Lexan water bottles, just that this study doesn't show anything to worry about.

-dave-
 
Sounds to me like a miniscule risk relative to our chosen sports. Of course the biggest risk is probably driving to the trailhead!
 
Put it in perspective. You're taking a higher risk driving up 93 on the way to your trail.
And then ther'es that bacon you had for breakfast....
It was probably more dangerous to drink out of the garden hose when you were a kid!
 
I'll go one step further and say the air that you breathe on the way to the trailhead is far more dangerous. I also believe that chemicals and metals in the water we drink from the bottles are more dangerous that anything leaching from them.

I used to work for Nalge a few years ago. It was a relatively small division of Sybron at the time. The Nalgene bottles that we know have their origins in the plastic labware that was once Nalge's core business. Any chemical can kill you, but my experience with Nalge has me believing that they have their act together, know the materials well, don't (or didn't) do animal testing, and they are a responsible company. I can't see them knowingly putting out a dangerous product and my guess is that they know much.

I am generally cynical about these things, but I feel ok with the bottles.


FWIW
 
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That's what I would expect, as all the science shows that the Lexan bottles are perfectly safe. Thanks for contacting them and letting us see the response.

-dave-
 
I work in the environmental field and see stuff like this everyday. Fact is, EVERYTHING is dangerous. It all comes down to dose-response. The body is generally very effective at neutralizing toxins and foreign bodies. Although something like cyanide takes very little dose to envoke a response, a more benign compound like water (yes, water) takes a greater dose...

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/hydration/a/aa051200.htm

Although the leachate may contain some "nasties", it is insignificant when compared to to all the naturally-occuring radon and asbestos, animal/human dander, and mold spores/viruses you inhale; microscopic worms in the mud you splatter on yourself; billions of bacteria living on the food you eat; fungus growing on your sweaty skin; bacteria, parasites, and metabolic wastes injected into you from mosquitoes/blackflies; etc :eek:
 
rico said:
...Although the leachate may contain some "nasties", it is insignificant when compared to to all the naturally-occuring radon and asbestos, animal/human dander, and mold spores/viruses you inhale; microscopic worms in the mud you splatter on yourself; billions of bacteria living on the food you eat; fungus growing on your sweaty skin; bacteria, parasites, and metabolic wastes injected into you from mosquitoes/blackflies; etc :eek:
Click to expand...
Jeez, Rico, I'm glad I finished my lunch before I checked VFTT!:D
 
A discussion on alternatives would probably be helpful here in case someone did want to switch products because of the issues raised.

Outside of the lowtech (gatorade bottle) options or something like the plastic bike bottle.... I am not really up to speed on what else is out there. I know the last time I was at EMS I saw a nice display of metal bottles - that almost looked more like MSR fuel cannisters.
 
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