Is it true that drinking water from plastic bottles left in the car may cause breast cancer?
Saturday, December 5th, 2009 at
5:59 am
Sonia M asked:
I heard chemicals are produced in plastic water bottles after being left in the heat of your car, and drinking this water may cause breast cancer.
I heard chemicals are produced in plastic water bottles after being left in the heat of your car, and drinking this water may cause breast cancer.
Filed under: Breast Cancer
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No this is not true.
Check snopes.com
I heard this also…i believe it to be a serious possiblity…I use to work at a plastic factory, i’d sware i’d get high off those fumes…I actually quit a week before the place blew up…all that aside, I’d be cautious.
Apparently, this is how Sheryl Crow may have gotten breast cancer, because it was not heriditary for her…
No. It’s not true. It’s an Internet myth. If Sheryl Crowe believes that than she was fooled too. The American Cancer Society has a report about this latest ‘urban myth’ about plastic bottles left in the car. It’s not true.
Urban Legends: Heated Plastic Causes Cancer
Top Ten Unfounded Health Scares: Plastic causes cancer
ACS: Myths and Half Truths
“Plastic Water Bottles
Email:
The original version of this email begins by saying “Many are unaware of poisoning caused by re-using plastic bottles,” and says “bottles are safe for one-time use only; if you must keep them longer, it should be or no more than a few days, a week max, and keep them away from heat as well.” The email says the bottles contain DEHA, which it calls a potential carcinogen.
A newer (2007) version of the email quotes an unidentified doctor as saying women should not drink bottled water that has been left in a car because the heat and the plastic of the bottle have certain chemicals that can lead to breast cancer.
Fact:
These emails are apparently based on a student’s college thesis. In fact, DEHA is not inherent in the plastic used to make these bottles, and even if it was the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says DEHA “cannot reasonably be anticipated to cause cancer, teratogenic effects, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, gene mutations, liver, kidney, reproductive, or developmental toxicity or other serious or irreversible chronic health effects.” Meanwhile, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), says diethylhexyl adipate “is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans.”