Monday, July 16, 2007

Can you still call it water?

I was pretty excited about the new Pur flavor options feature on the on-the-tap filter system. I was… until I read the ingredients on the flavors: the 2nd ingredient is propylene glycol? At concentrations as high as 22%? Yikes! Check out the material safety data on propylene glycol:

Potential Health Effects
Eye:
Causes mild eye irritation. Contact may cause irritation, tearing,
and burning pain.
Skin:
Causes moderate skin irritation. Contact with the skin may cause
erythema, dryness, and defatting.
Ingestion:
May cause gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting and
diarrhea. Low hazard for usual industrial handling. May cause
hemoglobinuric nephrosis. May cause changes in surface EEG.
Inhalation:
Low hazard for usual industrial handling. May cause respiratory
tract irritation.
Chronic:
May cause reproductive and fetal effects. Laboratory experiments
have resulted in mutagenic effects. Exposure to large doses may cause
central nervous system depression. Chronic ingestion may cause lactic
acidosis and possible seizures.

How did this ever get approved as a water additive meant to get people drinking more water and, consequently, more propylene glycol? Obscene!

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