Nalgene

Nalgene is a brand of plastic products developed originally for laboratory use, including items such as jars, bottles, test tubes, and Petri dishes, that were shatterproof and lighter than glass. The properties of plastic products make them suitable for work with many substances in various temperature ranges.

Nalgene products are manufactured by Nalge Nunc International, which in 2004 became a subsidiary of Fisher Scientific, now Thermo Fisher Scientific.[1] The name Nalgene is a registered trademark.

Nalgene Outdoor

In the 1970s, conservationists began discouraging the disposal of cans and glass bottles by burning and burial in wilderness and recreation areas, and some places began forbidding such materials by regulation. Nalgene products became popular replacements among backpackers for storing consumables; the light, wide-mouthed high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polycarbonate bottles were more secure than plastic bags and were used for both liquids and solid foods.

Originally, wilderness travelers purchased Nalgene products from laboratory-equipment suppliers, or perhaps gained access to them in their workplaces. Company lore has it that Nalge Company president Marsh Hyman, based in Rochester, New York, discovered that his son's Boy Scout troop was using Nalgene laboratory containers when camping. Since then, the company has re-packaged and marketed items for consumer sales through their line of Nalgene Outdoor products.[2] By the late 1990s, the "Nalgene" trademark was recognized by many hikers, and sales of the 1-litre wide-mouth bottle of translucent polycarbonate (originally typically grey, but now commonly in bright colors, often with custom labels made for the bottle retailer) with a screw-on plastic top that stays attached when the bottle is open, began to increase. Today, many hikers and others recognize the distinctive appearance of Nalgene-branded bottles. Its laboratory pedigree is still suggested by the markings, in hundreds of millilitres, of the volume contained. The materials resist stains and odor absorption, and can be filled with boiling water.[3]

Bisphenol A (BPA) concerns

In recent years, studies have suggested that polycarbonates, made from bisphenol A (BPA) and phosgene, such as the ones Nalgene used, may leach endocrine disruptors including BPA.[6] BPA is a concern because it binds to estrogen receptors, thus altering gene expression.[7][8][9] Other research has found that fixatives in polycarbonate plastics can cause chromosomal error in cell division called aneuploidy. Nalgene denies that the quantity leached from their products posed a significant threat to health,[10] and claims these chemicals are only potentially released from Nalgene products when used at temperatures outside of the designed range.[11]

See also

• Cyclobutanediol as an alternative to bisphenol A
• Phthalates

External links

• Atlantic article on safety of BPA free products
• Nalgene
• Phthalates as Endocrine Disrupters - 2003 Nalge Nunc International
• Company whitepaper in response to boycott