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BPA in Water
Bottles
Over the past several weeks, there has been much in the news regarding a chemical
known as BPA (actual name is bispheral A). Plastic containing BPA is used
to line the inside of most food and drink cans as well as being use in the production
of polycarbonate water bottles, the popular type used by many campers and staff.
The concern regarding this chemical is
that it can and does leach from the water
bottles (as well as from food cans and
other lined containers) to a degree that
has resulted in unacceptable levels in
laboratory animals leading to possible
hormone disruption. Heat (such as
leaving a water bottle in a closed vehicle)
has been shown to increase the amount of
chemical leaching. Washing with a harsh
detergent also increases leaching.
The majority of "clear" polycarbonate
(hard plastic) water bottles, at this time,
do contain BPA. To verify this, one
simply has to look on the bottom of the
bottle for the #7 inside the "recycle
logo." If the bottle says "made
in China," chances are good it also
contains BPA.
Safer alternatives for water bottles (and
other plastics) are those that have #1,
#2 ,or #4 on the bottom. Most of
these are the bike water bottles or the
"milky plastic" bottles made
by Nalgene®.
While disagreement continues regarding
the true risk of BPA and polycarbonate
bottles, Nalgene® will discontinue
the production of bottles containing BPA
in the near future. There is a wide
range of choices of water bottles that
do not contain this controversial chemical. Many
are currently being advertised as BPA-free.
Some of these include: Nalgene®, Klean
Canteen®, CamelBak®, and Ultimate
Direction®.
For additional information, visit www.ACAcamps.org/hottopics
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Keeping Your Camp's
Web Site Secure
Is
your camp's Web site protected from
potential hackers? The most important step
you can take to answer this question is
to consult with your Web host provider.
Much of your Web site's security
relies on the strength of your host provider's
firewall. Determine what security protocols
your provider is following, and ask what
measures you can take to help protect your
site as well. Security measures for each
Web host provider are different, and it
is critical for you to know what precautions
you can implement to keep your site secure.
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