Here's What You Need To Check The Next Time You Buy Bottled Water

We don't generally encourage the purchase of bottled water. Manufacturing the bottles is awful for the environment (and we think the environment is awesome!) and the water is usually just tap water from wherever it was bottled. Often times, bottled water companies steal water in mass quantities from arid communities that live in drought. That's no fun. That said, I do always keep a pack of bottled water in my car. You never know when you might be stranded somewhere and a little water could mean the difference between life and death. But when I'm stocking my emergency water supply, I check the label on the bottom of the bottles.

Why?

The letters you see in the recycle symbol, like PP and HDP, can tell you a lot about the plastic itself. This is what you need to know:

• If the label says PET or PETE, the plastic bottles may have leaked metals and chemicals into the water that impact hormonal balance in your body.
• If the label says HDP or HDPE, your water is likely the safest out of any type of plastic. it's the least likely to leak harmful substances into your water.
• If the label says 3V or PVC, don't drink it. They release toxic chemicals that impact your hormonal balance.
• If the label says LDPE, that's weird, because LDPE is only used to make plastic bags.
• If the label says PS, the plastic can leak carcinogenic substances. It's usually used when producing coffee cups and fast food casings. Also known as Styrofoam.
• If the label says PC or is simple not labeled at all, it's likely to contain BPA, an endocrine disruptor. This is most common in sports water bottles and some food containers.

Source: simpleorganiclife