BPA Uses

• Bisphenol A is a chemical used to manufacture many different types of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, including baby bottles, Nalgene bottles, the lining in some aluminum cans, compact discs and other objects, according to the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences. Containers that contain BPA usually have a No. 7 on the bottom. Because the use of BPA is widespread, so is human exposure.
  
  

BPA Affects on the Body

• BPA is known to have the ability to disrupt a person's hormone system, according to an article in the Boston Globe. However, scientists differ on the harmfulness of products manufactured with BPA because they generally contain a small amount of the compound. In 2008, the National Toxicology Program issued a study on BPA concluding that the program "has some concern for effects on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures to bisphenol A."
  
  

Nalgene's Response

• Nalgene issued a statement saying the company is confident that its products that contain BPA "are safe for their intended use," according to the company's website. The statement went on to point out that studies have shown "the risks from exposure to BPA in polycarbonate bottles are negligible and theoretical." Nalgene bottles are safe to use, the company says, because the products are made in the U.S., meet Food and Drug Administration requirements for materials and resins, and are manufactured in quality-certified facilities.
  
  

Nalgene Product Changes

• Citing consumer demand, Nalgene has since phased out products that contain BPA, instead offering an array of bottles and containers made of other plastics and stainless steel. Stainless steel bottles do not use plastic liners that contain BPA. Nalgene's plastic consumer products are now made from HDPE, PP, LDPE, PET, and Eastman Tritan copolyester, according to the company's website.
  
  

Minimizing Exposure

• Even though Nalgene has stopped making products that contain BPA, many people still own older Nalgene bottles that contain the chemical. To reduce exposure to BPA, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences says containers made with BPA should not be heated in a microwave. While polycarbonate is durable, high temperatures can cause the plastic to break down and release amounts of the chemical, according to the institute's website.