Dangers Lurking In Your Water Bottle

Do you drink from plastic bottles? Do you ever refill them? Well, studies are showing you shouldn’t.

“Yeah, we reuse them a lot. We have five kids. It saves a bunch,” said Rich Pottorff, refills his bottles.

“I do reuse water bottles most of the time, but other bottles I just throw away,” said Matthew Cox.

It’s a normal response, but not one doctors want to hear.

“When you look at a bottle, you should see the numbers 1 through 7. The bottles labeled number 1 are intended for single use, which means you use the bottle and throw it away,” said Dr. Lloyd Stolworthy of Idaho Urgent Care.

Refilling your water bottle over and over only increases your chances of chemicals being released into the water.

On the number scale for plastic, here is the break down. Number 1 is most commonly a disposable water, soda, or juice bottle and contains high levels of BPA. Numbers two, four and five are safer. And stay away from reusing number 3 and 6. Number 3 is known for releasing hormone-disrupting chemicals and 6 for releasing a human carcinogen.

“Number six has styrene in it, also know to be carcinogen, so I guess you pick your poison,” said Stolworthy.

The American Medical Association said more studies need to be done but be very cautious of BPA and your kids.

“Especially for young kids, their bodies are smaller, and if they are drinking those toxins, it can have more harmful effects,” said Stolworthy.

So why do people reuse?

“On my choice, it is more of a convenience thing for me,” said Cox.

“So it is easy to buy the little plastic ones and keep refilling them,” said Pottorff.

Stolworthy says BPA can also be found in canned foods because of the plastic liners.