Tritan copolyester

Tritan is a copolymer offered by Eastman Chemical Company since 2007 to replace polycarbonate, because of health concerns about Bisphenol A (BPA).[1] Tritan is a copolymer made from three monomers: dimethyl terephthalate (DMT), cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), and 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol (CBDO).[2] Tritan is made without using any BPA.

A water bottle made of Tritan

In April 2008, Nalgene announced it would phase out production of its outdoor line of polycarbonate containers containing the chemical bisphenol A.[3] Nalgene now uses Tritan as a replacement for polycarbonate, as it does not contain BPA.[4]

Health controversy

In 2011, a neurobiologist at the University of Texas, George Bittner, published an article claiming most polymers, including Tritan, contained other materials with estrogenic activity.[5]

Eastman Chemical Company sued, and after a jury ruled in Eastman's favor, the Court barred Bittner from making claims about Tritan’s oestrogenic activity.[1]

References
  1. Glausiusz, Josie (2014). "Toxicology: The plastics puzzle". Nature. 508 (7496): 306–308. Bibcode:2014Natur.508..306G. doi:10.1038/508306a. PMID 24740050. S2CID 4454912.
  2. Osimitz, T. G.; Eldridge, M. L.; Sloter, E.; Welsh, W.; Ai, N.; Sayler, G. S.; Menn, F.; Toole, C. (2012). "Lack of androgenicity and estrogenicity of the three monomers used in Eastman's Tritan copolyesters". Food and Chemical Toxicology. 50 (6): 2196–2305. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2012.02.010. PMID 22343188.
  3. "Nalgene to Phase Out Production of Consumer Bottles Containing BPA". Reuters. April 18, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 30, 2014. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
  4. "Nalgene Choice". Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved 2008-09-29. Requires Adobe Flash
  5. Yang, Chun Z.; Yaniger, Stuart I.; Jordan, V. Craig; Klein, Daniel J.; Bittner, George D. (2011). "Most Plastic Products Release Estrogenic Chemicals: A Potential Health Problem That Can be Solved". Environmental Health Perspectives. 119 (7): 989–996. doi:10.1289/ehp.1003220. PMC 3222987. PMID 21367689.


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