German Scientists Finds Estrogen-Mimicking Chemical Leaches from Polyethylene Terephthalate
Published: 2 April 2009
Category: PET (polyethylene terephthalate), Packaging CONCERNS, Reproductive/Hormonal Changes, Studies/State & Federal Regulations
Toronto’s “Globe and Mail” reports researchers in Germany have found traces of an unknown estrogen-mimicking chemical leaching into mineral water from polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, a widely used type of plastic bottle. Scientists detected estrogenic activity in 78 percent of polyethylene terephthalate samples, according to a study published online in Environmental Science and Pollution Research. The study, conducted at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt, is the first to find consistent contamination of bottled water with a hormonally active substance leaching from polyethylene terephthalate, one of the world’s most popular packaging materials.