MEC Takes All POLYCARBONATE off Shelves

[David Trippett]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071207.wcoop07/BNStory/National/home

[catbirdseat]

REI is doing a brisk business selling metal water containers these days.

[G-spotter]

old school white ones have no bis-A

[builder206]

So CBS, a question: polycarbonates are the hard clear plastics, right? Soft or soft-ish opaque white plastics are made of some other compound, is that correct? What I'm getting at is, are *only* polycarbonates the problem? I like my estrogen curvy and on two legs.

[Hendershot]

"The plastic in question is made mostly from bisphenol A, which mimics estrogen and is derived from petrochemicals. "

 

Does this mean I am going to grow tits?

[hafilax]

No, just prostate cancer.

[G-spotter]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor

 

 

[mythosgrl]

more info and comments on this subject can be found in the thread i started a while back...

 

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/737775/fpart/1

[jon]

So CBS, a question: polycarbonates are the hard clear plastics, right? Soft or soft-ish opaque white plastics are made of some other compound, is that correct? What I'm getting at is, are *only* polycarbonates the problem? I like my estrogen curvy and on two legs.

 

Polycarbonate is the hard clear plastic bottles. The whitish ones are either polypropylene or polyurethane.

[G-spotter]

HDPE = high density polyethylene

[PaulB]

It's worth noting that Bill C-307 the "Phthalate Control Act" was recently passed by the House of Commmons to limit the use of "bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, benzyl butyl phthalate or dibutyl phthalate" in cosmetics. These compounds have similar detrimental effects as the bisphenol A found in polycarbonates. With this precedent, it's not a big stretch to think that a similar bill might eventually be passed for bisphenol A.

 

The cynical might conclude that MEC is anticipating the future and voluntarily pulling polycarbonates from their shelves before they're forced to. Smart PR move.

[hafilax]

ourstolenfuture.org on polycarbonates

MalDaly at supertopo pointed out this website so I did a quick search on Nalgene and found the page linked above. It advises to avoid polycarbonates if possible but if you do use them avoid washing them with harsh chemicals (eg. dishwasher, bleach).

 

I don't think it's a real issue for healthy adults but not good for pregnant/wanting-to-be-pregnant women and infants.

[jon]

HDPE = high density polyethylene

 

or you could be right.

[JayB]

Looks like I'd better stock up on the polycarbonate bottles before the hysteria makes its way south of the border.

 

 

[David Trippett]

Looks like I'd better stock up on the polycarbonate bottles before the hysteria makes its way south of the border.

 

 

Don't worry, Mexicans don't buy Nalgene

[catbirdseat]

So CBS, a question: polycarbonates are the hard clear plastics, right? Soft or soft-ish opaque white plastics are made of some other compound, is that correct? What I'm getting at is, are *only* polycarbonates the problem? I like my estrogen curvy and on two legs.

 

Polycarbonate is the hard clear plastic bottles. The whitish ones are either polypropylene or polyurethane.

It all comes down to how much Bisphenol A leaches out into the water. It's not clear exactly how much leaching takes place. It can vary from lot to lot of plastics.

[murraysovereign]

We've also pulled all our lexan products until Health Canada or some such entity can give a clear answer as to the dangers or lack thereof. Fortunately, we've got 200 stainless steel water bottles arriving in about a week's time, so we'll at least have an option for people. They're actually lighter than the equivalent size of Nalgene bottles, albeit a touch more epensive.

 

Now I'm trying to figure out what to do with several cases of Nalgene and other lexan products (plates, bowls, mugs, cutlery) if we decide not to put them back on the shelf. I figure the coloured bottles are easy - I can drill holes in the bottoms and wire them up as coloured Christmas lights for the store, or patio lanterns for the deck at home. The other stuff I haven't given much thought to yet.

[Don_Serl]

avi,

when u get to it, you'd best correct your subject line. MEC took all their POLYCARBONATE products (a.k.a. Lexan) off their shelves. there are plenty of other plastics available, including Nalgene PTFE waterbottles.

cheers,

[mike1]

leaching plastics, lead painted toys, lethal chickens, second hand smoke, sun burns, tattoos, alcohol poisoning... It's a wonder any of us are healthy enough to go climbing!

 

Does this mean I can’t eat off my shovel anymore? Damn it!

[catbirdseat]

avi,

when u get to it, you'd best correct your subject line. MEC took all their POLYCARBONATE products (a.k.a. Lexan) off their shelves. there are plenty of other plastics available, including Nalgene PTFE waterbottles.

cheers,

I didn't know theyb made PTFE waterbottles. I imagine that they'd be expensive and heavy. Are they? They should be quite inert, I should think.

[murraysovereign]

avi,

when u get to it, you'd best correct your subject line. MEC took all their POLYCARBONATE products (a.k.a. Lexan) off their shelves. there are plenty of other plastics available, including Nalgene PTFE waterbottles.

cheers,

I didn't know theyb made PTFE waterbottles. I imagine that they'd be expensive and heavy. Are they? They should be quite inert, I should think.

 

I think Don meant HDPE - those are the softer, nearly opaque white bottles that Nalgene makes, and as far as anyone knows so far, they're perfectly safe. PTFE is commonly known as teflon, as used in non-stick frying pans and waterproof-breathable laminates, and, apparently, as a protective coating for certain politicians.

[hemp22]

yeah, that's correct - Nalgene makes a polyethylene version.

link

they're actually a bit lighter than the polycarbonate - but they don't hold up as well to hot liquids, and they tend to retain some scent/color from having beverages other than water in them.

 

[JackY]

Heat may increase the amount of BPA leaching out of the polycarbonate bottles.

[dmuja]

 

 

But in case you think that ridding yourself of nalgene bottles will save you completely from leached contaminates (Im not saying don't switch btw), just consider how often plastics and other untested synthetics may be in contact with your food supply via containers like; blenders, food processors, coated pots&pans, plates, bowls, plastic wear forks/spoons etc, spatulas, ladles, tupperwear type containers, plastic packaging of all kinds (if only in transporting it). And although the plastic types are different, store bought bottled water probably is leaching some other toxins as well. Then there's your tap water possibly flowing thru PVC piping at least at some point, and what are water reservoirs sometimes lined with? It goes on and on.

 

Because we like convenience so much, our lives have become synthetic to a large degree and no doubt there is a price to pay fer dat.

[Hugh Conway]

Because we like convenience so much, our lives have become synthetic to a large degree and no doubt there is a price to pay fer dat.

 

Running water is ruining our lives.

 

I'm curious what MEC is going to sell for rainwear now. Ventile cotton anoraks? Waxed cotton?