posted on February 9, 2008 by
64 Comments

Are Brita Water Pitchers Made From Safe Plastic?

 

Updated 1/7/2012

We’ve been asked a lot over the years about the safety of Brita pitchers because they’re a top choice for folks interested in decreasing their disposable bottled water use. Of course it always makes sense to scrutinize food and beverage containers when you’re working to protect your family from toxic chemicals like BPA.

We contacted Brita to find out exactly what materials are used in their pitchers and here’s what the company said:

The pitcher lids and filter housings are made of Polypropylene plastic. The reservoirs and pitchers are made either from NAS (a Styrene based plastic) or SAN (Styrene Acrylonitrile). The soft-touch handles are made from an elastomer called Santoprene (not to be confused with Latex or Neoprene). Our products do not contain any bisphenol A and are all tested by the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) for safety and wetted contact.

And while you may not be able to find information on Brita’s website regarding BPA, you can call them at (800) 24 BRITA for the scoop.  The first thing you’ll hear is a statement confirming that each of their products is 100% BPA-free.

A few years ago, The National Geographic’s The Green Guide responded to an inquiry from a reader on the subject too:

It is true that Brita filter systems use containers made from styrene methylmethacrylate copolymer, which is a polymer (a combination of molecules) primarily used in the production of acrylic sheeting, molding powders and resin and surface coatings. According to Brita, the company manufactures containers made from styrene methylmethacrylate copolymer to avoid leaching.Brita’s information on leaching came from the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), which performs extensive material safety tests. The NSF states that Brita pitchers have been tested for material safety while in contact with “very aggressive water” (i.e. exposure to water with low total of dissolved solids and .5 ppm of available chlorine for three successive 24-hour periods) and have found no evidence of leaching.

Rick Andrews, the technical manager of the Drinking Water Treatment Unit Certification Program at the NSF, explains that when a company is seeking NSF certification for new container/filter system, NSF requires information about the constituents of the plastic and then tests for leachates they know are associated with those ingredients. Using acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) as an example, they would look for styrene and acrylonitrile leaching into the water. We asked about styrene leaching from the methylmethacrylate copolymer, and he assured us that any polymer that includes a styrene component would be tested for styrene leaching.

Our Conclusion

The bottom line is that The Green Guide saw no reason not to use Brita pitchers so long as they are the correct filter for the contaminants in your tap water.  We agree based on the current research and feel comfortable recommending Brita pitchers, so long as it’s used correctly (i.e. no dishwasher or microwave).

Does Brita Make a Glass Water Filter Pitcher?

Yes, they sure do.  But it’s not available here in the United States.  Read more about that HERE.

Filed Under: Ask TSL, Safer Materials Tagged With: ,
← Older Comments
  • Margie Cervantes

    My Brita leaches out its smell into my water and I can both smell and taste it in the water that has run through it. How then can it be safe and not be leaching out harmful chemicans? I am just using plain tap water because I cannot find any pitcher that is not made of plastic.

  • Guest

    They have a program now.

  • Vaughnse

    I would like a stainless steel pitcher or a glass pitcher. Does anyone make a filtering pitcher with stainless steel (304 or 316) or glass?

  • Visia Dragowska

    We bought a new Brita water filtration pitcher model OB11-OB3. The white part which holds water has a strong chemical-lik umpleasant smell. Is it possible that this thing doesn’t leach anything to the water and has a strong smell? Intuitivelly seems for me unlikel so we plan to return it to the store. Does anyone face the same problem? Thanks. [

  • Visia Dragowska

    We bought a new Brita water filtration pitcher model OB11-OB3. The white part which holds water has a strong chemical-lik umpleasant smell. Is it possible that this thing doesn’t leach anything to the water and has a strong smell? Intuitivelly seems for me unlikel so we plan to return it to the store. Does anyone face the same problem? Thanks. [

  • Pingback: Ketchup may kill you! | Don't Panic!

  • http://www.bes.co.uk/ plumbing

    Be sure that your filter has a National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certification. This assures you that the unit has been vetted by the organization. It is an assurance that the brand has undergone rigorous testing and passed the standards of the NSF.

  • Pingback: Ask NatureMom – Laundry Baskets » Nature Moms Blog

  • Neeta777

    Hi all,

    Interesting and useful information. Information on this type of plastic seems to suggest that it should not be placed in sunlight as this can cause degradation. I haven’t found information specifically about Brita filters – does anyone have an answer about this?

    Regards
    Anita

  • Tessita80

    If I ran my Brita through the dishwasher before learning that I shouldn’t, should I still not be worried about leaching into the water, even after being modified with such high heat?

    • http://thesoftlanding.com Alicia

      Hi Tessita80 – I wish I could help you with this question, but there’s just no way to tell. I think I’d contact Brita and run it by them since they recommend hand washing.

  • http://kreamer.myopenid.com/ Mamba

    My Brita has developed a moldy smell, and nothing helps, including a diluted bleach soak and scrubbing. May have to ditch it and just let water stand for a few days in the fridge to outgas the chlorine….

  • Pingback: Today’s Shoping Trip 10/1 Preview — A Coupon Queen

← Older Comments