Nalgene

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Nalgene (Nalge inc. International Corporation)

Type
Founded	1949
Headquarters	Rochester, New York, USA
Operating income	^{[citation needed]}
Net income	^{[citation needed]}
Parent	Thermo Fisher Scientific
Website	http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/

Two Nalgene bottles for laboratory use. These bottles include the NFPA 704 color code for hazardous materials identification.

Nalgene (sometimes referred to as Nalge Nunc International) is a distributor and manufacturer of plastic laboratory containers that has diversified into the field of containers for outdoor sports. Nalge Nunc International was formed in 1995 by the merger of Nunc A/S of Denmark, founded in 1958, with Nalge Company, which was founded in 1949 by chemist Emanuel Goldberg of Rochester, New York.^[1]

Its original line included jars, bottles, test tubes, graduated cylinders, Petri dishes, and the like. At the time of introduction, these products were helpful to laboratory workers such as chemists and biologists because they were shatterproof and lighter than glass. They also make polycarbonate cages and cage accessories for lab animals. The properties of the respective plastics make them suitable for work with many materials, in various temperature ranges.

1 Camping uses
2 Controversy
3 Possible health risks
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Camping uses

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In the 1970s, conservationists began discouraging the former wilderness approach of disposing of cans and glass containers by burning and burying, lest such debris clutter or otherwise damage 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, HDPE and Lexan bottles were more secure than plastic bags, and found use for both liquids and solid foods.

A much-used one-litre narrow-mouth Nalgene bottle. The strap attaching the cap to the bottle has broken off in this case, and a handle made from braided embroidery floss added.

Originally, wilderness travelers purchased Nalgene products through laboratory-equipment suppliers (or perhaps got access to them in their workplaces). The company has re-packaged and marketed items that most appeal to them for consumer sales through their line of Nalgene Outdoor Products. 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. Now, most hikers and others recognize the distinctive appearance of Nalgene-branded bottles. Its laboratory pedigree is suggested by the markings, in hundreds of millilitres, of the volumes contained when filled to the corresponding levels. The materials resist stains or absorbing odors, and permit filling the bottle with boiling water. The wide-mouth bottle is recommended over the newer, narrow-mouth bottles in sub-freezing conditions as well since it is easier to break through frozen ice in the wider mouth.

Products originated by other manufacturers, that are designed for compatibility with this item's overall dimensions or its 63 mm neck include:

Screw-on water-purifying filters
Stainless-steel collapsible-handle cups, for drinking and/or stove-top cooking, that store compactly with a Nalgene litre-bottle nested inside them
Nylon-fabric cases, each holding one Nalgene 1 litre bottle; these insulate the bottle, and provide strong, stable attachment points; in most cases, a nested cup is also accommodated
Snap-in plastic "splash guards" that narrow the neck opening to a size where drinking while in motion is less likely to cause spilling
Screw-in filters, which allow the user to add coffee grounds or tea, pour boiling water over the contents, seal the lid, and brew the beverage.

Another widely available Nalgene Outdoor product is a 650-ml (22-fl oz) "All-Terrain" or "bike" bottle. The bottle itself is LDPE, and its screw top has two moving parts: a drinking nozzle that seals until snapped open by pulling on it, and a hinged Lexan dome, that when closed both snaps the nozzle closed and protects the nozzle against contamination. Unlike traditional Nalgene containers, this item can be damaged, and potentially ruined, by filling it with very hot water.

Recently, Nalgene has added hydration systems to its cycling and wilderness product line. The line features 1- to 3-litre bladders with hose-and-bite-valve assemblies in small back-carried packs (mostly under 1000 cubic inches (16 L) of additional storage). Nalgene offers the option of two different bladder materials for a choice of superior taste and bacteria resistance versus improved durability. In addition, the bladder on these products can be quickly detached from the hose and pack by a self-sealing connector on the bladder. These features seemed aimed at dissatisfaction in traditional hydration systems with problems of awkward filling and/or spilling water into gear that shares the pack.

Increased awareness of the importance of hydration - and perhaps a fad of wilderness chic - has led to the appearance of some Nalgene containers in urban and suburban settings like gyms, offices, and campuses. Many colleges give or sell Nalgene water bottles to their students, and Nalgene bottles are also customized and sold as retail promotions.

[edit] Controversy

In 1997 Nalgene was targeted in a nationwide boycott by campus-based animal rights activists for products used in animal experimentation. The majority of company criticism was directed towards a Nalgene device that prevents rabbits from breaking their own backs during pyrogen testing. The company has responded with an official statement^[2] that it supported research "conducted only within the guidelines of the federal Animal Welfare Act and only when necessary."

[edit] Possible health risks

In recent years, studies^[3]^[4] have suggested that polycarbonate plastics such as the ones Nalgene used may leach endocrine disruptors. Nalgene denies that the quantity leached from their products posed a significant threat to health.^[5] Among the secreted chemicals, Bisphenol A (BPA) is an area of concern as it binds to estrogen receptors, thus altering gene expression.^[6] Other research has found that fixatives in polycarbonate plastics can cause chromosomal error in cell division called aneuploidy. Nalgene claims these chemicals are only potentially released from Nalgene products when used at temperatures outside of the designed range.

In November 2007, Mountain Equipment Co-op removed all hard, clear polycarbonate plastic water bottles (including Nalgene-branded product) from their shelves and no longer offers these items for sale. In December 2007, Lululemon made a similar move. In May 2008, REI removed Nalgene-branded polycarbonate water bottles and replaced them with BP-A free Nalgene bottles.

An alternative is available in the polyethylene versions of these products (made out of HDPE, Nalgene's traditional material), which are free of these chemicals. They can be identified by their greater flexibility, by their translucent, "milky" appearance, and by the number 2 triangular plastic recycling symbol on the bottom, rather than the number 7 on a polycarbonate bottle.

On April 18, 2008, Health Canada announced that Bisphenol A is "'toxic' to human health".^[7] Canada is the first nation to make this designation.^[8] On the same date Nalgene announced it would phase out production of its Outdoor line of polycarbonate containers containing the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA). Nalgene’s current product mix, includes the recently launched Everyday line and the original polycarbonate bottles made from materials that do not contain BPA.