Alternative uses for Nalgene bottles

orrey45

orrey45

Joined
Jan 11, 2008
Messages
1,825
I have read numerous articles about this latest scare and I am unsure of what to think. The tree huggers and the like say that its like storing your food in former radioactive materials containers. The company says that the amount is so low its ok. They also say that as long as you don't heat the bottles(hot foods, washings) or scratch them you are find. For this reason I have read that old bottles are supposed to be replaced at about the time the label wears off. Studies have shown that Americans have 3 times the amount of BPA then others.

All this and I am not sold on the whole its gonna kill me idea. I have used these bottles for years and I currently own 5. This being said I am reluctant to use them anymore but I dont want to take all my nalgenes to the dumpster. I guess I would rather be safe then sorry.

So, Do yall have alternative uses for your bottles?
 
I have heard of people making use of Nalgene containers as ways to store items that aren't as water resistant, or just plain don't work when moist(tinder, matches, cameras, etc.). I've also read that they make a fairly decent way to carry a PSK that has the added benefit of water storage(i.e. use a plastic bag to line it, toss in your stuff, and if you really need water, you can still take the items out while still keeping them "together").

I'm sure if I put my mind to it I could think of various other things, but those seem to be popular choices. If you wanted to be really eccentric you could make the whole thing a tackle box(use plastic disc layers like those for flies)and carry all your hooks, lures, line, swivels, splitshot, etc. Then use the bottle as a float with a line attached to fish at different depths :p

Just an idea off the top of my head, hopefully someone will come along with some more practical applications.


Gautier
 
ghetto bolo? or a weight on a rope
club?
icepack?
test sample older?
long term storage device?
survival kit holder?
team up with window scree and a drill and you have a terarrium
net weights/bobbers
dry ice bomb?
powdered mix holder?


ill think of some more later
 
I don't spend my days worrying about if my water bottle will kill me. Thats my stance on it,

But, I have way to many nalgenes, so I have used my older ones as geocaches, I have a few liquor only nalgenes too, for backpacking one for whiskeys, the other for everything else :P
 
I definately have noticed a chemical odor/flavor to water that has been stored in a Nalgene for an extendd period in the heat (like several weeks in the car).
 
piss bottle for winter camping. sucks getting out a sleeping bag in the cold and snow. I have a yellow one for that, and I'll never drink out of a yellow one (mine or anyone else's) for that reason.
 
I posted this before. I want to get the word out before alot of people throw out perfectly good water bottles. This is just internet granola cruncher, hemp wearing hippie hysteria. Remember all plastic has some solvent bleed. The longer you keep solution in it the more you can taste it. This includes hydration bladders, nalgene bottles, US canteens and commercial bottled water. The amount is too small to hurt anyone. If it bothers anyone, be safe, and keep it away from infants and pregnant wormen as a precaution.


BPA and NALGENE

As a responsible manufacturer of polycarbonate consumer products, Nalge Nunc International has monitored scientific research concerning the safety of our products including Bisphenol-A for many years.

Based on the findings of the Food and Drug Administration, The Environmental Protection Agency, The American Plastics Council and other reliable sources from around the world, we continue to firmly believe in the safety of our products.

Nalge Nunc International also believes in providing its customers with the most factual information currently available on this subject. You can view the most up to date information here


Statement from the FDA, from a written communication dated January 29, 2008:
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press_room/press_release/pr_bpa.html
http://www.stats.org/stories/2008/should_baby_bottles_feb9_08.html
The following reference sources are provided for customers wishing to perform additional research.

Frequently Asked Questions:
View our FAQ for answers to many popular questions.
Downloadable PDF's:
BPA and NALGENE (PDF 423 KB)
Polycarbonate Safety Studies (PDF 555 KB)
Additional Websites:
http://www.bisphenol-a.org/
http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.92/news_detail.asp
http://www.plasticsinfo.org/babybottles/index.html
http://www.epa.gov/endocrine/about.html
SNEWS article regarding BPA



Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Nalgene is committed to the well being of everyone that uses our products. Therefore, we’ve compiled the following information to better inform our consumers on all of our products. We hope you find it useful and reassuring.

Q: Did Mountain Equipment Co-Op (MEC) remove all Nalgene products from its stores?
A: No. MEC removed food and beverage containers constructed of polycarbonate. MEC will continue to carry a wide range of Nalgene hydration products made from other materials, including HDPE, LDPE, PP and PET.

Q: Did Health Canada render a decision that resulted in MEC’s actions?
A: No. Health Canada is expected to issue preliminary results of its BPA analysis in May, with their final report due in 2009. We’re confident that when Health Canada completes its work, they will agree with all the important government agencies worldwide that have concluded that polycarbonate water bottles pose no health risk to humans.

Q. Are polycarbonate bottles safe?
A: Yes. Agencies and researchers worldwide have studied the safety of BPA and polycarbonate for approximately 50 years; including The Environmental Protection Agency and The Food and Drug Administration in the USA, The European Commission Scientific Committee on Food, The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment and the Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Findings of studies from these agencies indicate that food and beverage containers manufactured from polycarbonate do not pose a health risk to humans. As a result, polycarbonate is used in a wide variety of consumer products including baby bottles, water bottles, dental sealants and the lining of most food & beverage containers.

Furthermore, several scientific panels including the European Union's Scientific Committee on Food, the National Toxicology Program and the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis have concluded that the weight of scientific evidence does not support the hypothesis that low doses of BPA adversely affects human health. None of the large studies conducted have substantiated the claims made by those performing some of the smaller studies frequently cited.

Q: Where can I find reliable information on polycarbonate and BPA?
A: Consumers can visit the following web sites for more information:

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) study - www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press_room/press_release/pr_bpa.html
American Chemistry Council - www.bisphenol-a.org
Environmental Protection Agency - www.epa.gov/endocrine/about.html
American Council on Science and Health - www.acsh.org/search/home_result.asp
Nalgene - www.nalgene-outdoor.com/technical/bpainfo.html
Q: Which government and regulatory agencies have reviewed polycarbonate?
A: Many government and regulatory agencies, including those listed below, have conducted comprehensive testing and review of polycarbonate and determined that it poses no health risk to humans.
The Environmental Protection Agency (USA)
The Food and Drug Administration (USA)
The European Commission Scientific Committee on Food
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment
Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare
Q: What is the latest government-sponsored research conducted on BPA and polycarbonate?
A: In early 2007, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) announced its findings regarding BPA. The study reviewed all available data from the last five years and concluded that people’s dietary exposure to BPA is well below the Daily Tolerable Intake Level. In fact, the study recommended raising the Daily Tolerable Intake Level. Read more on this study at www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press_room/press_release/pr_bpa.html

Q: Does Nalgene offer products in other materials?
A: Yes. Nalgene has, and always will, offer a wide range of materials. Some of these materials include HDPE, LDPE, PP and PET. In an effort to consistently deliver the most comprehensive product offering, Nalgene will continue to develop both new products and new materials.

Q: Why does Nalgene use polycarbonate?
A: Many consumers prefer polycarbonate because of its unmatched ability to offer extraordinary durability, glass like clarity and resistance to stains and odors.

Q: Where are Nalgene bottles manufactured?
A: Unlike our major competitors, all Nalgene products are “Made in the USA”. As a US manufacturer, the business meets all applicable manufacturing standards, including ISO 13485, to ensure the quality and safety of its products.
 
Other uses:
Pee bottle
Hot water bottle.
Ice pack
Buried cache container
Float
Sinker
Improvised floatation device. (2 or more)
 
I fail to understand why anyone would listen to (1) manufacturer & (2) retailers, as to the safety of a product that they are making money off of. Especially the Manufacturer, since it means they go out of business if people stop using their products.

Myself, I stopped using all plastic food products and replaced the nalgenes with SS bottles. A little more weight and fewer female hormones (BPA is a naturally occuring estrogen) attacking my body. Of course, the bottles are not the only estrogen out there. Supposedly, there are many of them, including soy, that a mans body is absorbing on a daily basis. In the wild, soy in detergents and other chemicals in the air, are turning male fish, into female fish. Not something I want taking place in my little part of the world.
 
There are a number of threads in the past on this topic that included solid links to scholarly and scientific journals. I disagree with the previous post that the BP issue is junk science. BP is definitely in the sightline of many regulatory agencies at present and there are extensive reviews going on. It is also a very hot topic in the areas of reproductive toxicology and the evidence is building towards a story that suggest certain health concerns are likely.

My impression is that it will be very likely that BP will undergo stricter regulation as it is used in contact with foods in the near future, but that such restrictions are not yet in place and may continue for a while. Not surprising since it is a legal in its current usage, most manufacturers will list the studies and current regulatory support for their practice. It takes a lot of scientific inertia to take a product off market and can take a few years even when the science is more or less complete. A good example is brominated flame retardants which were regulated only recently.

From the perspective of nalgene containers, the truth is though that you are likely getting most of your BP-exposures from canned foods and canned drinks as BP is commonly present in the plastic liner of tins including soda pop and sometimes even in baby formula. As mentioned previously, BP has a relatively low water solubility. Its ability to dissolve increases dramatically when food oils and surfactants are present and as such tinned foods can leach a large portion of the material within the liner during storage, more so than an equivalent volume of water.

From a health perspective, infants and pregnant mothers are at the greatest risk and much of the contraversy has to do with the very high likelyhood of exposure of these sensitive sub-populations to BP through foods which are often consumed by them. Toxicity to men can occur, but the dose thresholds are much higher. Also, BP shows little ability to stay in the body and is rapidly excreted. This means that if your exposure to BP is punctuated and at low levels you will not likely experience any effect.
Personally, I have and still use my lexan nalgene and use it for drinking water (not daily, but for the field). I wouldn't store hot soup or oil in it though.

Instead of tossing my nalgene, I made a decision to scale back on eating canned foods on a regular basis. So now, I tend to purchase dried lentils and beans and rehydrate them instead of the more convenient canned forms. I avoid canned soups including chicken broth which was one of the tougher habits for me to change as I like to cook rice in broth instead of water. About the only tins I buy now are tuna and I only consume that every once in a while.

Back to the original post - the PSK bottle is a very a practical thing as these bottles are so watertight.
 
Thanks to everyone that posted but I did not intend this thread to discuss BPA and its effects. I just wanted to know some alternative uses for the bottles not whether they do or do not affect my heatlh in any way.

I really like the fishing idea. Load it with fishing tackle and then you could use the bottle for a bobber for a drop line.

PSK is also a great idea.
 
When travelling by airplane, I usually stuff my leatherman, SAK and other small folding knives I'm bringing with me in the nalgene bottle along with a hand towel to stop the rattling. This of course goes in the check-in baggage. My thinking is that it makes it easier for the security dudes to verify when all the suspicious things are in one spot. Plus when packed with the handtowel, the knives are nice and secure to survive the gorillas throwing the luggage about on the tarmac.
 
Joezilla said:
I don't spend my days worrying about if my water bottle will kill me. Thats my stance on it,

But, I have way to many nalgenes, so I have used my older ones as geocaches, I have a few liquor only nalgenes too, for backpacking one for whiskeys, the other for everything else :P
Click to expand...

I agree with Joe, but wonder what he means by "everything else". I know he's not talking about any kind of homemade liquor..........or is he?:D
 
I drank C8 contaminated water from Dupont Chemical for 15-20 years. Nalgene? I'm doomed already!
 
Man, I am so tired of seeing this nalgene bottles BPA crap. If polycarbonate was this bad, then you better not eat at any restaurant anywhere.
Why? Because all the clear NSF listed food service containers (Cambro for example) are made from polycarbonate. And they contain acidic foods, salsa (go look at the next salsa bar you see) hot stuff, cold stuff, lemons, limes, everything. And then, they get washed in the high temp industrial washer.
So your room temp water in a Nalgene for a weekend is far less likely to have anything in it in comparison. This is just another stupid thing that rich white liberals use to make fun of and act superior to other white liberals.
 
zman308 said:
I posted this before. I want to get the word out before alot of people throw out perfectly good water bottles. This is just internet granola cruncher, hemp wearing hippie hysteria. Remember all plastic has some solvent bleed. The longer you keep solution in it the more you can taste it. This includes hydration bladders, nalgene bottles, US canteens and commercial bottled water. The amount is too small to hurt anyone. If it bothers anyone, be safe, and keep it away from infants and pregnant wormen as a precaution.


BPA and NALGENE

As a responsible manufacturer of polycarbonate consumer products, Nalge Nunc International has monitored scientific research concerning the safety of our products including Bisphenol-A for many years.

Based on the findings of the Food and Drug Administration, The Environmental Protection Agency, The American Plastics Council and other reliable sources from around the world, we continue to firmly believe in the safety of our products.

Nalge Nunc International also believes in providing its customers with the most factual information currently available on this subject. You can view the most up to date information here


Statement from the FDA, from a written communication dated January 29, 2008:
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press_room/press_release/pr_bpa.html
http://www.stats.org/stories/2008/should_baby_bottles_feb9_08.html
The following reference sources are provided for customers wishing to perform additional research.

Frequently Asked Questions:
View our FAQ for answers to many popular questions.
Downloadable PDF's:
BPA and NALGENE (PDF 423 KB)
Polycarbonate Safety Studies (PDF 555 KB)
Additional Websites:
http://www.bisphenol-a.org/
http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.92/news_detail.asp
http://www.plasticsinfo.org/babybottles/index.html
http://www.epa.gov/endocrine/about.html
SNEWS article regarding BPA



Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Nalgene is committed to the well being of everyone that uses our products. Therefore, we’ve compiled the following information to better inform our consumers on all of our products. We hope you find it useful and reassuring.

Q: Did Mountain Equipment Co-Op (MEC) remove all Nalgene products from its stores?
A: No. MEC removed food and beverage containers constructed of polycarbonate. MEC will continue to carry a wide range of Nalgene hydration products made from other materials, including HDPE, LDPE, PP and PET.

Q: Did Health Canada render a decision that resulted in MEC’s actions?
A: No. Health Canada is expected to issue preliminary results of its BPA analysis in May, with their final report due in 2009. We’re confident that when Health Canada completes its work, they will agree with all the important government agencies worldwide that have concluded that polycarbonate water bottles pose no health risk to humans.

Q. Are polycarbonate bottles safe?
A: Yes. Agencies and researchers worldwide have studied the safety of BPA and polycarbonate for approximately 50 years; including The Environmental Protection Agency and The Food and Drug Administration in the USA, The European Commission Scientific Committee on Food, The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment and the Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Findings of studies from these agencies indicate that food and beverage containers manufactured from polycarbonate do not pose a health risk to humans. As a result, polycarbonate is used in a wide variety of consumer products including baby bottles, water bottles, dental sealants and the lining of most food & beverage containers.

Furthermore, several scientific panels including the European Union's Scientific Committee on Food, the National Toxicology Program and the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis have concluded that the weight of scientific evidence does not support the hypothesis that low doses of BPA adversely affects human health. None of the large studies conducted have substantiated the claims made by those performing some of the smaller studies frequently cited.

Q: Where can I find reliable information on polycarbonate and BPA?
A: Consumers can visit the following web sites for more information:

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) study - www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press_room/press_release/pr_bpa.html
American Chemistry Council - www.bisphenol-a.org
Environmental Protection Agency - www.epa.gov/endocrine/about.html
American Council on Science and Health - www.acsh.org/search/home_result.asp
Nalgene - www.nalgene-outdoor.com/technical/bpainfo.html
Q: Which government and regulatory agencies have reviewed polycarbonate?
A: Many government and regulatory agencies, including those listed below, have conducted comprehensive testing and review of polycarbonate and determined that it poses no health risk to humans.
The Environmental Protection Agency (USA)
The Food and Drug Administration (USA)
The European Commission Scientific Committee on Food
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment
Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare
Q: What is the latest government-sponsored research conducted on BPA and polycarbonate?
A: In early 2007, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) announced its findings regarding BPA. The study reviewed all available data from the last five years and concluded that people’s dietary exposure to BPA is well below the Daily Tolerable Intake Level. In fact, the study recommended raising the Daily Tolerable Intake Level. Read more on this study at www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press_room/press_release/pr_bpa.html

Q: Does Nalgene offer products in other materials?
A: Yes. Nalgene has, and always will, offer a wide range of materials. Some of these materials include HDPE, LDPE, PP and PET. In an effort to consistently deliver the most comprehensive product offering, Nalgene will continue to develop both new products and new materials.

Q: Why does Nalgene use polycarbonate?
A: Many consumers prefer polycarbonate because of its unmatched ability to offer extraordinary durability, glass like clarity and resistance to stains and odors.

Q: Where are Nalgene bottles manufactured?
A: Unlike our major competitors, all Nalgene products are “Made in the USA”. As a US manufacturer, the business meets all applicable manufacturing standards, including ISO 13485, to ensure the quality and safety of its products.
Click to expand...



HEAR HEAR!!!! finally someone sets the nalgene bottle hysteria by the ecofreak yuppie hippies straight!

Mountain equipment Coop should be sued for telling their custoimers that the Nalgene was a 'high health risk". Then they should be kicked in the nuts and set on fire.

:mad:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top