Plastic with recycling #7

Question

A few months ago, there was news about the nalgene bottles being harmful because of the plastic. They said if plastic has a recycling symbol with a number seven inside, we shouldn't use it.

Now what about the water cooler/dispensers? You know, the white tower with a big blue bottle of water inserted? I just checked under that blue bottle and it had the number seven. Is it harmful?

Answer 1

I've been confused about what is ok and what isn't. I avoid plastics in general as much as is practical. I've put a link with information about safe plastics.

Answer 2

The number 7 symbol on plastics is not a specific type of plastic.  Numbers 1 to 6 tell you what type of plastic it is.  Number 7 means 'other' - i.e. it doesn't fit into groups 1 to 6.  It could be anything.

The only way to find out exactly what is in the plastic is to contact the manufacturer, although they may not be completely forthcoming about what's in there!

Added on Aug 6th:

Finally, Miz Pearle - someone else on here making sense!

Answer 3

Oh this is so ridiculous. The #7 plastic just means that it's one or two different other types combined. The number system has nothing to do with chemistry or safety - it's a legally mandated labeling system that only identifies the resin the item is made of. If it's made of a combination of two or more resins, it's a #7. It's not a discriminating system, it doesn't say that "#7 is reserved for toxic plastics!!". For example, the #7 gallon orange juice jug in the grocery store is exactly the same as the #2 jug, except for a couple of extremely thin layers of nylon that protect the OJ from spoiling due to oxygen permeating the plastic. Something that is very unlikely to happen.  

Answer 4

Yes.  It is harmful.  It was on the news that #7 plastics are recycled from plastics, which you would not want to ingest.  One example is recycled plastic from Tampons found on the beach.  Yuck !!!  :-(

Answer 5

The harmful plastic bottles are number three and seven.  Seven is dangerous because it can contain all of the other plastic (1-6) or some of the plastic (1-6) as well as other things.  The problem you are talking about is the chemical BPA aka (Bisphenol A)  BisphenolA is a is know to change the hormone levels in people, it acts like a hormone and this confuses the body and causes all types of problems and illnesses.  BPA is in # 7 plastic and it can also be in # 3 plastic because #3 is PVC and BPA is in PVC.  But plastic bottles are not the only things that have BPA it is also in tin cans like soup and tins of corn etc, it is in the lining of the tin can.  Plastic baby bottles have this chemical in them, but where I live in Canada they have a ban on all baby bottles with the chemical.  I wish they would ban this chemical in everything else!  

Some water cooler stores are now selling their water coolers without the chemical BPA in them.  I would just phone around and ask them if that is what they are doing, if they don't know chances are the cooler has BPA in it.