I-Team

Is Your Sports Bottle Safe From BPA?

Read More About BPA

MIAMI (CBS4) ― We often tote them around in our bags or cars without a second thought. But the next time you find yourself holding a sports water bottle or sippy cup, why not turn it upside down and look at the recycling symbol on the bottom?

You might be surprised to learn that it could be made with chemicals linked to breast cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

In fact, many scientists say that consumers should avoid containers marked 3 or 7 that contain Bisphenol A (BPA) or Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). And indeed, many consumers are aware of the potential risks.

CBS4 I-Team investigator Laurie Stein has been examining the issue for almost two years. Consumer Sarah Charlton stated in Stein's report,"I think (these plastics) are really dangerous for people's health. I really think they should be taken off the market."

But, as the I-Team found after visiting more than half a dozen major retailers, containers made with BPA and PVC are still on the market. And the most confusing part for consumers? They are often sold on shelves right next to items with stickers that claim "BPA free".

Stein found hundreds of sippy cups, sports water bottles and food containers marked "3" or "7". When she showed some of the items to Dr. Janvier Gasana at Florida International University's school of Public Health, he said, "this is a tragedy."

Dr. Gasana chairs Florida's Children's Environmental Health Alliance and has done extensive research on plastic chemicals. He was especially worried about the sports bottles because we often toss them into our cars where they heat up during the day. He says the plastic chemicals could leech when heated and then contaminate the liquids inside the containers.

The Container Store told the I-Team that it has been phasing out PVC products and selling more glassware as an alternative. It also adds that consumers should not store liquids in PVC containers. K-Mart points out that it has a new policy on the types of plastics Laurie found and Publix says that it is still examining the issue.

If you are looking for alternatives, Dr. Gasana suggests you use glass containers. If you must use plastic containers, he advises that you look for numbers "1, 2, 4 and 5" and that you do not use them for hot liquids.

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