The nasty truth about Bisphenol-A
Water is a critical element of any survival gear, so I pay special attention when there is news about treating and storing it.
Years ago I used bottled waters in my cache. I would cycle them in and out, but only about every 3 years. As I would do that, I would always notice how the old bottles felt flimsy and thin after pouring the water out. I always thought the plastic probably broke down and evaporated into the air. It turns out the reason that was happening is because I was pouring a large portion of the bottle out with the water! The chemicals in the bottles were actually leaching into the water.
Now as bad as that sounds, the chemicals in plastic bottles are especially bad for you. BPA, the nastiest chemical found in common plastics, actually mimics the hormone estrogen. So yes, using old water bottles for storage or repeated usage can increase estrogen in your system. It can also cause cancer, weight gain, and infertility. The hormone confusion it causes can also accelerate puberty and alter growth patterns in children.
So, as we’ve written about repeatedly, be careful about how you store your water. If you have to use bottled water, change the bottles AND the water yearly. Use larger plastic containers that do not contain BPA for long-term storage. Keep a variety of stored sizes and weights so that all members of the family can help transport water.
Remember our on-the-fly water treatment methods so that you can get clean water wherever you are and no matter what the conditions are. And don’t forget to keep your water safe from looters.
This was a great article for “alerting” us to the fact that plastic water storage is NOT the way to go!
So now please, how should we be storing water? Using the large 5 gal. glass jugs?
How long will the distiller water you buy in the grocery store safely keep?
Does anyone ever chlorinate the distiller water before storing? How much Clorox?
I am already on your list.
A pain killer that is over the counter with a long expiration date may come in handy if you should be in need of a temporary “fix”, also any Vitamins that are not readily available in your daily food intake, that you are currently taking now, such as Vit. C in fresh fruits ,or Vit. A in some dairy foods or Vit. D in fish and certain plants. these are lightweight and can be carried in your pack of daily health requirements. If you are a heart patient, a very small bottle of pills PRESCRIBED by your doctor could possibly save your life in an emergency. One is a pill anyone could place under your tongue, if you have an attack and cannot do it yourself. Cecelia
Good articles. I’d like so send Farakhan, Jackson and Sharpton up to the moon since they feel so discriminated against.
Yes Frank, I’ve heard that the plastic and it’s cemical make up is pretty bad. It’s kinda strange that bottle water companies still crank out the plastic and keep it all on the market.
Years ago when the large bottle water business started out they used glass bottles, but after realized that those bottles where so heavy and it took a pretty hefty person to upend one and put it on the cooler. That gave way for the lighter plastic bottles. But, as with alot of products we use, the FDA can’t get around to checking out every item as they get throughn out on the market day after day.
Your right, purifing as you go is really the best way to go. Not that having some stored water handy won’t help, as it does, but, having the straws, the cemical pills and best of all, boiling, and the eqiptment to do that is most important.
With all of that fancy survival equiptment you can keep on hand is real nice, but you don’t survive too long without potable water. And, water is probabley the most neglected item of you survival gear. Think Water, Fire, Shealter, and Food ! Then with those, fill in the goodies around each to improve each.
Find the ways to collect water from our invirorment, have a bunch of items to make fire, including a gross of bic lighters, 10 for a dollar, strickers, flint,dryer lint. Shealters can be easily made from small tarps and a spool of para-cord. Having a good hunting knife is a real blessing.
MRE’s, jerkey, dryed sausage and other meats. Nuts, trail-mix granola. Never stop thinking of the posiblities. And it best to start thinking of it now, not when the stuff it’s the fan.
Remember, it’s nice to have a big sidearm, but, think of how much ammo you can carry in .22LR ! A small plinker like a “Walther P-22 pistol, and a take down Ruger 10-22 are a couple of excellent choices, strong shooters, reliable. And in the right hands can bring down most any game in your area, even if it happens to be of the two legged type.
Be awake, be alert, stay in condition yellow, and have a very merry survival season…