Nalgene Bottles: Sustainable or Not?

Let me frame my argument by stating that I am a proponent of Nalgene bottles and have several which I regularly use. (Note: I use the term Nalgene, but I mean any reuseable plastic bottle and the term Nalgene has become synonymous with the type of bottle.)

But as I was thinking of what to write about on Thursday night, the question came into my head as to how sustainable the bottles are. Sure, you can reuse them again and again, and they are practically indestructable. But then I recall reading that certain plastics are either nonbiodegradeable or over their lifetime seep chemicals out as the plastic erodes. Over the last few days I have done some research on the subject.

These bottles are manufactured using two different types of plastic, polycarbonate (PC) or polyethylene (PE).

Polycarbonate is thermoplastic polyester, in other words, is a plastic that can be remolded and reshaped if pressure and heat are applied. Polycarbonate is a highly durable commercial plastic which is used in the manufacture of everything from bullet resistent "glass" to lenses, to our favorite water bottles. It has three main features, it has high impact resistance, temperature resistance, and optical properties (transparent+) But has a low scratch threshold, which is why a hard coating is often placed over the PC. All these factors have led to its increasing use in commercial household items manufacturing. Lexan is a registered trademark of General Electric Company's brand of a polycarbonate resin thermoplastic. It is one of the more commonly known brand/type of this plastic.

Polyethylene is also a thermoplastic. The difference from a PC is that it is a polymerization of ethene instead of a carbonate. The commercial uses are evident in the abundance of products made from its various incarnations. There are several different classifications of PE based on density and branching. The PE used to create the Nalgene water bottles and in many other liquid containers is polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or high density polyethylene (HDPE). The optical qualities vary and are determined by its processing and can be transparent or opaque & white. It is lightweight and depending on its density has high impact and temperature resistance. More often it is used in soft drink bottling.

Both plastic compounds, PC & PE, are petroleum byproducts and therefore fall outside the general realm of what is considered a sustainable product. Sustainable plastics are manufactured using plant sources, they are biodegradeable and produce greenhouse emissions. Bioplastic technology is still relatively new and its applications are still limited to mostly commercial packaging, although the Japanese have started to use it in electonic cases, and computer production. PE can be confused as a bioplastic because it is biodegradable, but should not be confused for a bioplastic as the degradation is not microbial, but due to exposure to light.

Nalgene bottles are part of the sustainable "environment" not for their design but for their functionality. We all know the three "R's" of usage: reduce, reuse, and recycle. These bottles can be reused over and over again. Please remember that the occasional washing (with simple dish soap!) only helps. The use of nalgene water bottles hopefully limits the number of soft drink bottles that need to be purchased and manufactured. Recycle accordingly. And therefore, they are thought of as sustainable. In reality, they are valuable because the proliferation of their use has boosted not only their visibility, but usage, and indirectly the conservation of our natural resources, but they are still not sustainable.

The question to ask at this point is, why not? The plastics most commonly used in their manufacture, PC and PE, have several issues which would raise questions to their environmental friendliness and safety.

PC contains Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical compound that leeches out of the plastic when it is exposed to harsh cleaners, acidic, or high temperature liquids (Remember to use simple dish soap). Exposure to BPA has a number of potential risks including lowered or infertile sperm counts in males, and can disrupt estrogen levels and reactions in females. A number of studies have been conducted and have found that the chances of these negatives are relatively low. But, are they risks that people are willing to take, however small?

PE compounds, especially HDPE, while still petroleum based products, have less of the risks that PC seems to contain, however, they do not meet the standards of sustainable design. PE still relies on oil, a resource that we are finding in dwindling quantities and releases greenhouse emissions. PE is however a mildly safer alternative to PC, although not as varied in the color selection.

In closing, nalgene bottles are not sustainable by the strictest definition, but they are a visible symbol of the environmental movement and its proponents. I recommend the continued use of reuseable containers. Carry it with you, save the plastic cups. Yes, they have already been made, but if they aren't bought, less will be manufactured.

Nalgene water bottles are a tool in the recycling movement and in the next few years, I imagine I will be eating all these words, as bioplastic alternatives will be available to the public and they will be truly sustainable.

46 days, 46 runs...