Plastic Water Bottles
They had a health & fitness fair in the fitness center at work today, and I was there representing the taekwondo group. Among the various promotions, the fitness center was giving away clear plastic reusable water bottles with the logo of the company that handles our 401(k).
The part I found amusing was the prominent label that said to hand wash only and do not microwave. I'm almost 100% certain the only reason that label is there is because of the massive media scare last year about BPA in food and beverage containers, and they're trying to avoid liability. The whole thing was blown way out of proportion. As someone who studies plastic degradation professionally, I have no problem with using bottles containing BPA. And I'm going to continue putting them in the dishwasher periodically. Yes, you do get more BPA leaching into hot water, because of increases in reaction kinetics, diffusion rate, and solubility. But I'm not going to drink hot water out of these bottles. And the heat of the dishwasher has minimal effect on the amount of BPA when you fill it with cold water later.
Pardon me while I roll my eyes and go put my new water bottle in the dishwasher.
The part I found amusing was the prominent label that said to hand wash only and do not microwave. I'm almost 100% certain the only reason that label is there is because of the massive media scare last year about BPA in food and beverage containers, and they're trying to avoid liability. The whole thing was blown way out of proportion. As someone who studies plastic degradation professionally, I have no problem with using bottles containing BPA. And I'm going to continue putting them in the dishwasher periodically. Yes, you do get more BPA leaching into hot water, because of increases in reaction kinetics, diffusion rate, and solubility. But I'm not going to drink hot water out of these bottles. And the heat of the dishwasher has minimal effect on the amount of BPA when you fill it with cold water later.
Pardon me while I roll my eyes and go put my new water bottle in the dishwasher.