People who swig mineral water from a plastic bottle that’s been left out in the sun could be drinking more than they bargained for. Dangerous chemicals from the plastic can leach into the water, especially if the bottle is warm.
Plastic bottles are made from a material that releases antimony and bisphenol A (BPA), two toxic chemicals, when they are heated up. Leaving bottled water in a hot garage or in the car all day in the summer could send levels of antimony-a recognised carcinogen-and BPA to high levels that could be especially damaging to the health of children, says the US’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Not surprisingly, the levels rise the longer the bottles are exposed to heat, and University of Florida researchers noted they were increasing after four weeks.
(Source: Environmental Pollution, 2014; 192: 113)
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