Nalgene Bottles... Message from BSA Supply Division Scout Shop Kansas City

[John-in-KC]

Received the following message from my Council in an every member contact email:

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scout Shop Statement

 

Nalgene Brand Water Bottles Immediately Withdrawn

Nalgene Nunc International has directed vendors to withdraw all Nalgene bottles with Bisphenol A from sale. Accordingly, Boy Scouts of America's National Supply Group is immediately withdrawing all Nalgene brand water bottles from sale at Scout Shops, online, and through its retailers across the country.

 

Safety is our top priority. Any parent or consumer who has previously purchased Nalgene bottles at our stores should stop using the product and wait until arrangements are made by Nalgene to receive an alternate product.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

I avoided O-chem like the plague in college. Can someone explain the chemical issues?

 

TIA

[scottteng]

http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/114/bpa

The above four page article goes through the concerns about Bisphenol-A.

Seems like everything is either real bad for you or causing cancer. The most dangerous one I have seen seems to be this Dihydrogen Monoxide it is a leading cause of death among scout age boys.

http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html

[Ohio_Scouter]

John,

 

Here's an article about the recent Nalgene bottle issue from the Collegian Online at Penn State University, FYI...

 

The safety of Nalgene water bottles, which can be seen in stores downtown and attached to students backpacks, is being questioned after a controversial study said the bottles might cause adverse health effects.

 

The chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA) in Nalgenes line of polycarbonate containers which include the wide-mouth and narrow-mouth hard bottles has been linked to neurological and behavioral complications including breast and prostate cancer, diabetes, obesity and reproductive failures including miscarriages in animals, according to The Associated Press.

 

However, Nalgene officials urge consumers that their products are safe and have been so for years. An official statement released by Nalgene on its Web site states, We are confident that Nalgene polycarbonate bottles, which contain the chemical BPA, are safe for their intended use.

 

Nalgene has also said on its Web site that the Food and Drug Administration has concluded the bottles are safe to use.

 

Regardless, Nalgene has decided to eliminate bottles containing BPA because of consumer concern and has introduced an Everyday line, which contains BPA-free bottles.

 

Nalgene also launched a Choice information resource center that provides information about BPA and allows consumers to choose the product they think is best for them among BPA and BPA-free bottles.

 

Andrea Schwander (sophomore-geography), who uses a Nalgene bottle, said it is a good thing Nalgene is giving consumers information on the issues.

 

Without any information, I dont want to make any decisions, Schwander said. That would just make me ignorant if I just trust it without question.

 

Geoff Brugler, owner of Appalachian Ski & Outdoors, 123 S. Allen St., said he believes more research is needed before consumers can effectively make the choice about the bottles.

 

The problem with this situation is that all the information is on the Web and there is no way to authenticate it, Brugler said.

 

He added that if consumers are concerned, Appalachian Outdoors also carries a complete line of BPA-free bottles.

 

We are moving away from the BPA bottles for three main reasons: We dont want to sell anything that is unsafe, there are a lot more alternatives to choose from and finally, we want to be able to respond to what consumers are looking for, Brugler said.

 

At Rapid Transit Sportswear, 115 S. Allen St., where Nalgenes are also sold, owner Terry Losch said he hasnt received any direct information from the Nalgene Corporation that the bottles are unsafe.

 

Once we receive notification, we will immediately pull them off the shelves, Losch said.

 

Penn State Bookstore assistant store manager Rebecca Brouwer said she is also waiting for notification before they pull the bottles off the shelves for good. However, she added that she doesnt know when that will be.

 

BPA is one of the most widely used synthetic materials in the world and is also found in dental sealant, baby bottles, food can liners, CDs, DVDs, eyeglasses and other household goods, according to The AP.

 

The Nalgene bottles in question are the hard polycarbonate bottles including brands loop-tops, N-Gen, OTG, Oasis, Grip n Gulp and mini-grip.

 

They are especially popular for their durable plastic and variety of colors, according to Nalgenes Web site.

 

 

[Trevorum]

Scott, the tongue in cheek sobers after reading these.

 

 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/02/04/BAGNSB576121.DTL

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16687211/

 

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

 

[RememberSchiff]

I think Canada's decision to declare B.P.A a toxic chemical forced the product withdrawal decision. Too bad Canada was not as vigilant about their own Menu Foods dog food, eh? Ok, we share blame too.

 

http://www.backpacker.com/blogs/105

with a followup in June Backpacker magazine.

 

I think it is prudent NOT to heat plastics (hot water, microwave) due to concerns of toxins being released, but then I don't use teflon coated cookware and am a firm believer in glass baby bottles and glass lined thermos.

 

Anyway speaking of bottles, I think we will be left holding ours. I have seen no consumer recalls or trade-in offers.

 

 

 

[John-in-KC]

OK, so the polycarbonates (hard plastic) Nalgenes are out.

 

Are the soft plastic Nalgenes, where the plastic appears to be a heavier version of recyclable #2 (milk bottles) (the ones Philmont sells as water bottles) ok to use?

[RememberSchiff]

What I've read, #2 HDPE plastic (milk bottles) are though to be the safest plastic, while #1 (typical convenience store water bottles) is only recommended for short, single use water storage. I have noticed my area supermarkets are cutting back on those #1 bottles, of course, there is also a green issue does it make sense to truck water bottles when tap water has equal or better quality.

 

Another brief informative article

http://trusted.md/blog/vreni_gurd/2007/03/29/plastic_water_bottles

 

I wonder what I did with my old scout aluminum canteen. It held water and I could use it to signal Sky King.

 

 

 

[baden]

Out of the blue of the western sky comes...SKY KING!!!

 

The plane was named Songbird, his niece was Penny, and his nephew was named, I believe, Skyler.

 

Did he have a horse?

[OldGreyEagle]

His nephew was Clipper, the titlar hero was Schuyler (or Skyler) "Sky" King. His plane was the songbird but I beleive he had a second plane the Sky Bird. I don't think he had a horse, but he did have a lead dog King, wait a minut, the lead dog King was with Sgt Preston of the Yukon, with his lead dog King.

 

Ah yes, reminds me a Fury, My Friend Flicka, and of course the redoubtable Circus Boy, such a cute kid, rumor has it he had modest success in a later career

[RememberSchiff]

I don't recall a horse. Probably too big and heavy to fit in his Cessna , besides he didn't seem to need a horse as the bad guys were always a short walk from the airstrip.

 

 

 

[John-in-KC]

Now I remember Sky King... still backgrounds and movie lips.

[scoutmomma]

For reasons too complicated to explain, I know a lot more about water bottles than I did just a month ago. Thegreenguide.com does explain the issues, but admits that the jury is still out on bisphenol-A: http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/ask/nalgene . Most recently, the National Institute of Environmental Health Science released a draft report indicating that there was "some concern" about the use of the chemical: http://tinyurl.com/3j8bcb . BPA is everywhere, not just in polycarbonate (Lexan) water bottles. The linings of metal cans contains BPA: http://tinyurl.com/6q958q

 

Consumer concern is what is driving the likes of Camelbak (http://tinyurl.com/5qgx2v

) and Nalgene (http://tinyurl.com/37lq7l

) to phase out the use of BPA in their water bottles, in favor of HDPE and a new "copolyester" called Tritan: http://tinyurl.com/5qabtv

 

Some people have switched to aluminum, which doesn't have the health concerns of BPA, but has huge environmental implications in its manufacture: http://www.container-recycling.org/aluminum/dirty.htm

 

The environmentally conscious and health conscious seem to be switching to light weight stainless steel (http://www.kleankanteen.com/ and http://www.guyotdesigns.com/stainlessbottles), though this new Tritan material may yet win out.

 

Personally, I don't plan to toss my son's Nalgenes unless the bottles are getting scratched and worn.

(Edited to fix broken URLs and a misspelling)(This message has been edited by scoutmomma)

[Bob White]

"Now I remember Sky King... still backgrounds and movie lips.'

 

That was 'The Adventures of Clutch Cargo' (and his pals Spinner and Paddlefoot).

 

 

 

[John-in-KC]

Whatver... but you're right on this one. It came on at 3AM on KBMA channel 41, when I'd be pulling duty officer for my battalion.

 

My sergeant and I generally flipped coins for who'd go to the latrine and toss cookies first.

[Vicki]

I hate to be a luddite about it, but I do believe that if I keep my Nalgenes out of the microwave and the dishwasher (which I did anyway), I'll be OK.

 

Vicki