The documentary Tapped is being featured in select cities.

“Tapped” is one of those movies that you should see but probably don’t want to, because of its “inconvenient truth” elements.  It is a documentary that exposes the health and environmental dangers of bottled water.

Some of the issues the movie takes on:

1. The health risks of Bisphenol-A, or BPA, the substance that is found in hard and clear plastics. 
2. The alarming growth of the North Pacific Garbage Patch, a stew of discarded bottles and other plastics that is twice the size of Texas, and located between California and Hawaii.
3. The presence of pharmaceuticals in bottled water.
4. The world water crisis that pits nations against each other in the competition for clean, safe water.
5. How corporate bottled water interests have exploited consumers and the environment.
6. The lack of government regulation of this huge industry.

Tapped is from the same producers who made “Who Killed the Electric Car” and “I.O.U.S.A.”  The documentary premiered July 12^th but is on limited release, and is still scheduled to play in many cities.  See the Tapped screening schedule or pre-order a DVD on the official Tapped movie site.

The makers of Tapped dedicate a page of their site to recommending the purchase and use of reusable bottles, particularly stainless steel water bottles and glass decanters.  They say they don’t feel comfortable using any type of plastic water bottle, even one that is certified BPA-free.

As always, buyer – or giftee – beware.  Not all stainless steel water bottles are the same.  Here is a mini cheat sheet to help identify substandard canteens:

• Material: You want 304 or 18/8 stainless steel, which is food-grade material used by the food processing industry.  Avoid Eco Canteen – it is made of a cheap non-food-grade 201 stainless that may dent when dropped.  Also avoid Sigg – this metal water bottle is actually epoxy-lined aluminum that has had a history of leaching bisphenol A (BPA).
• Finish: You want a tough powder-coated finish that won’t chip or flake.  Urban Canteen stainless steel water bottles are finished in the U.S. using a lead-free Dupont powder-coat paint that is hard baked on at 400° F.  Klean Kanteen bottles are liquid painted in China.    
• Caps: You want a cap made of stainless steel or a safe BPA-free plastic.  Urban Canteen offers both in a total of six cap types.  Unlike Kleen Kanteen, any cap can be paired with your bottle purchase. 

There is a reason Eco Canteens sell so cheap - they are made of non-food-grade 201 stainless

Stainless steel water bottles are portable - and BPA-free

Bisphenol A, or BPA, has been in the news a lot lately.  According to a new article in USA Today, the National Institutes of Health will spend $30 million to study the safety of BPA, which is found in many water bottles.  Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to release its own assessment of BPA’s safety by the end of November.

Animal studies link bisphenol A with infertility, weight gain, behavioral changes, diabetes, and prostate and breast cancers.  Although its presence in plastic water bottles has not yet been outlawed in the U.S., it may soon be.  Some states, like Minnesota and Connecticut, have outlawed the presence of BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups. 

Not to worry – not all reusable water bottles contain BPA.  Following are the primary types of reusable water bottles, and the risks they carry.

Plastic Water Bottles
This type of water bottle is the most common carrier of BPA.  Bisphenol A is commonly used to harden plastic to make it durable.  Bottles with the recycling code 7 may include polycarbonate plastics, made with BPA.  The most well-known manufacturer of these bottles in Nalgene, which has discontinued many of the BPA-containing bottles.

Aluminum Water Bottles
Aluminum water bottles are typically lined with plastic or epoxy which can contain BPA.  Recently, Sigg and Laken aluminum bottles have been found to harbor BPA.  Sigg especially has come under heavy fire from consumers because the Swiss company knew since June 2006 that its bottles contained BPA, but didn’t announce it until August of this year.

Stainless Steel Water Bottles
Stainless steel water bottles like Urban Canteen sells are BPA-free.  They are made of food-grade 18-8 stainless steel and will not leach toxins or chemicals into the contents of your canteen.

Glass Water Bottles
Glass water bottles are also BPA-free.  The Urban Canteen glass water bottle is also phthalate-free and lead-free.  The bottle cap is made from a BPA-free plastic (recycling code 4) that is completely safe.