It may not be safe to drink the water

Polycarbonate water bottles have received plenty of bad press for releasing potentially toxic compounds into unsuspecting drinkers, but there may be another culprit: everyday plastic packaging.

A German study of commercially-available bottled water found contamination by chemicals that mimic natural sex hormones. When the researchers raised snails in the water, they bred with extreme rapidity -- a warning sign that the chemicals were active. Contamination levels were twice as high in brands packaged in plastic instead of glass, suggesting that plastic was the culprit.

Wired Science

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When things are attractive, inessential and harmful the government often taxes them to raise revenue and try and discourage their use.
How about a bottled water tax and put the money into early education or some such?

Wasn't there something a year or two ago about 9 year-old girls becoming sexually mature due to water bottles? I recall a scientifically illiterate co-worker (you know the type that think mainstream news' science stories are fact) telling me something about that and I dismissed it due to her sources say eggs are good, then the next week eggs are bad; and according to mainstream news' count we should have about 14 planets now, but we now only have 8, we lost one!!!!

By Steve Ulven (not verified) on 30 Mar 2009 #permalink

Wasn't there something a year or two ago about 9 year-old girls becoming sexually mature due to water bottles?

I could be wrong, or this could be a completely different story, but I heard about that happening from shampoo, specifically shampoo designed for 'ethnic' hair

http://www.gina.antczak.btinternet.co.uk/CU/PUBERT.HTM