BPA and DEHP concern with plastic components.

[Leviathann]

I'm not an expert. The information contained herein is merely my opinion on information I have found during my own research.

This is an important issue that I believe does not get nearly enough attention in the vaping community and our society as a whole. Many have taken this issue up as a crusade to better educate people, since plastic is such a large part of our lives and is more than likely here to stay.

Certain plastics, and possibly plastic in general (studies are underway), is not suitable to be used in the construction of vaping components that come in contact, at any time, with eliquid.

Many plastics contain either BPA ( Bisphenol A - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ), DEHP ( Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ), or both.

Both of these compounds are proven to be highly toxic in humans and animals with long-term or permanent side-effects. They also have a tendency to leech out of the plastic into materials they come into contact with.

While I do own a poly-carbonate tank, I will be replacing it with either a pyrex or steel tank very soon. I advise everyone else to do the same.

Manufacturers and vendors should be held accountable as to how safe their products are.

In addition, I've also concluded that acrylic is unsuitable as well, but for different reasons. Acrylic acid, used in the manufacture of acrylic products, is irritating and corrosive to certain organic tissues. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylic_acid

 

[Traver]

It is also the plastic bottles that we should be concerned about.

 

[Leviathann]

indeed it is

 

[Kurt]

It is also the plastic bottles that we should be concerned about.

In terms of plasticizers, the cloudy soft squeezable bottles do not have plasticizers, or not much. They are generally polyethylene, at least the ones I get from USPlastics.

Plasticisers, like BPA, are used in hard clear plastics, like polycarbonates. My understanding is they are not used in soft cloudy squeeze bottles. There may be some exceptions to this. Thing is, if you TASTE plastic, you are actually tasting plasticizers. I have only had a couple bottles over the years whose juice took on a plastic taste, so those probably had them in them. Those were vendor bottles, and I do not know their origins. The ones I get from USPlastics have never given a plastic taste to me, and PE plastic is most often plasticizer free.

Clearomizers I have tried, from small to large, are another story. I get a strong taste from all I have tried, so I tend to avoid them. I have a glass tank which is no problem, and an acrylic Gordy tank (Blue Mist). This tank is probably poly methyl methacrylate, the most common glass-like acrylic. It is used in medical devices and bio-implants. This of course does not mean it is safe for bio applications, like many drugs approved by the FDA are not safe at all, but it does have an excellent track record.

As far as "Manufacturers and vendors should be held accountable as to how safe their products are." is concerned, there is growing awareness of the problem, but no laws that would punish offenders. These plasticized plastics have been used for food and drink containers for a very long time. Clear water bottles and hard polycarbonate water bottles are among the biggest BPA offenders.

The ecig industry has become pretty responsive to customer concerns, regardless of clinical results. Voting with your wallet works. If you want steel or glass tanks, tell your vendor, or buy from those that sell them. I do think clearos and tanks that crack from certain juices, and the plasticizer leaching that they can do, should be removed from the market. But I would be very hard-pressed to hold any vendors that sell these "accountable" when they are selling devices made from plastics long used in the food and beverage industry, regardless of what we are aware of those plastics now.

 

[vaporator2000]

This is very relevant to another conversation found on this forum; cartomizer filler material burning during operation. In general, people who are "in-the-know" have been tinkering with all sorts of different cartos/attys but even the most advanced disposable carto IMO (CE2/CE3 type) still has a chemical taste and is contained in a plastic tube.

If there can be some sort of list made for carto/atty options (regardless of cost) that the industry has produced thus far, that do well to avoid any carcinogens it would be greatly beneficial and possibly worth being made a sticky. I can contribute two or three that I know of:

1) The short/long HH.357 atomizers

HH.357 Cisco Spec Hybrid 510 Atomizer - Avid Vaper

HH.357 Long Barrel Hybrid 510 Atomizer - Avid Vaper

2) Penelope from GG

http://www.cloudsofvapor.com/store/...-penelope-tank-mod-only.html?keyword=penelope

3) Odysseus from GG (will be available soon, I hope)

GG ODYSSEUS the iAtty 2 Rebuildable Tank

 

[Vapoor eyes er]

I immediately transfer all my liquids to glass amber bottles to avoid BPA contamination. There is one vendor that I know of that sells juices in glass bottles for this reason. I also remember reading that RTSVapes nic bottles have a coating inside to help deal with this issue.

 

[vaporator2000]

Wow, I didn't even think of that. Good call.

 

[JohnsWorld]

I use vendors that sell their juice in glass bottles (VR, Crystaleliquid) and if not I transfer samples, etc to bottles. Crystal E Liquids sells empty bottles. Need a glass tank, though.

 

[CityLights]

The majority of my vapes of choice are from Halo (Glass bottle + Glass dropper) for the reasons already posted above, plus they have LOT numbers and are working to become ISO certified. Some of my vape friends think I'm nuts paying a premium for glass bottle e-liquids, yet I'm still saving over analog cigarettes.

A physician I used to visit, wise in environmental induced or exasperated medical conditions warned me that a lot of the soft frosted/milky types of plastics are to be avoided. The softeners he said can leach out hormone disruptor and mimickers, accelerate cancers... He said the pure PE -polyethylene is the safest. ..But not when they have the hardeners and plastic conditioners in them, like the BPA and DEHP. I've wanted to advoid the common frosted 30ml bottles since I've gotten into vaping. I see GotVapes Flux Nector is now in 36ml clear plastic bottles, I'll give em a try.

The worst offenders I've had, that I could truly taste plastic from have been..
Revolution V2, The case and the bottom feeder bottles it came with. On first vape and after washings.
Extreme Vision 3.5ML Clearomizers. On first vape.
All bottom feeder mods which used the non-clear softer plastic bottles. Not always on the first vape but soon after.

 

[mel_vin]

hmm this has got me thinking now. I wonder how the vision stardust clearomizers fit into this?

 

[jazzbo]

I've been concerned with the BPA/DEHP issue as it relates to vaping myself; glad I'm not the only one. I always transfer e-juice to sterile glass containers as soon as I get them and have avoided plastic tank mods -- I'd love to get one of the new rebuild-able atomizer/metal tanks as soon as I can scrape the jack together.... as far as most acrtos are concerned...anyone know what types of glue might be used in the construction of these devices?

 

[chad]

This is why I store my e-liquid in glass bottles and use AVA atty's (medical grade ceramic)...