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Archive for the ‘Berkey’ Category
The Dangers of Fluoride - The Great Debate
Saturday, February 14th, 2009I sometimes wonder what percentage of the population is aware of the ongoing fluoride debate. There’s absolutely a growing voice of dissent over municipal water fluoridation, but how familiar is the everyday citizen? I know that a good majority of my friends and family are not aware of it. I’ve never heard it brought up on any major news television programs like 20/20 or Dateline. It seems the majority of discussion is coming from radio programming, local news stations, activist groups, and some select scientific community organizations.
Just last month, I had the privilege to catch an in depth conversation on the subject. It occurred on one of my favorites programs; Coast to Coast AM w/ George Noory, where Director of the Fluoride Action Network, Paul Connett and leading dentist in the fight against fluoride, Dr. Bill Osmunson dug into the issue for 3 hours. Here are some clips from the show.
- Pt. 1: Fluoridation Problems - 7.0 Mins
- Pt. 2: Risks and Issues - 8.5 Mins
- Pt. 3: Water and the Fluoride Gamble - 8.5 Mins
If you’re interested in the full show, e-mail me at dan@bigberkeywaterfilters.com. In the meantime, below are some high level basic facts and information on the subject of fluoridation.
What’s the Debate?
Adding fluoride to the public water systems, otherwise known as fluoridation, has occurred for more than 60 years in the United States. Given this basic historical fact, the immediate question that comes to many peoples mind when they are confronted with the debate is;
“If fluoridation is so bad for us, wouldn’t we already have figured it out? Wouldn’t there be mountains of evidence to illustrate the toxic effects?”
Opponents claim that this evidence does exist, and that much of the scientific and government community simply fail to acknowledge it. It’s curiously regarded as a combination of sticking one’s head in the sand along with a fear of taking a stand against conventional baked-in thinking. Among other statistics, defenders retort that the evidence for fluoride benefits is proven by US general population tooth decay reductions in the order of 50-60% since WWII. This statistic is one of the most controversial as these same reductions, over the same time periods, are shown in countries that have never engaged in water fluoridation.
Where Does Fluoride Come From?
Sodium fluoride, used in fluoridation, is a hazardous-waste by-product from the manufacture of aluminum. It is a common ingredient in rat and cockroach poisons, anesthetics, hypnotics, psychiatric drugs, and military nerve gas. Fluoride is more toxic than aluminum and studies have shown that fluoride consumption increases the body absorption rate of aluminum by 600%. There are, however, controls set in place to manage this risk. The EPA has maximum water fluoridation levels set at 1 ppm (part per million) and every day many of us are given the opportunity to read a warning on the back of our fluoride toothpaste:
“Keep toothpaste out of the reach of children under 6. If swallowed get medical help or contact poison control center right away.”
But, are these controls enough to protect the general population to the serious downside risks?
Harmful Effects of Fluoride
What is not up for debate is that fluoride harms bones, causes stiff joints, encourages skeletal abnormalities, raises the risk of cancer, results in genetic damage, can damage the thyroid, and hampers nervous system function in humans. Opponents of fluoridation have a real cause for concern given that fluoride acts as a cumulative poison gradually and increasingly affecting the body over long periods of exposure. As a result, potential toxicity becomes a function on how much water is consumed on a daily basis, the individual’s body weight, and the body’s ability to filter and eliminate the chemical. These are wide margin variables that may allow a relatively large percentage of the population to fall into a toxic range over time.
Recently, there has been government studies that attest to fluoridation dangers. In 2005, a CDC study showed irreversible enamel fluorosis in 1 out of 3 children. Then in 2007, the ADA warned parents not to mix baby formula with tap water in the first 12 months of development so as to avoid fluoride intake. Just recently in June of 2008, the National Kidney Foundation stated the kidney disease patients should be notified of the potential risks of exposure to fluoride. Unfortunately, many individuals with thyroid disease and other ailments have been complaining about fluoridation without an official government response.
Inherent Problems with Fluoridation
Each year our scientists are getting better at understanding the toxic implications of fluoride, and one point is glaringly obvious. With water fluoridation, you cannot control the dose ingested, both children and adults are treated with similar doses, and unless the public filters their water, they cannot opt out of this mass medication. Regardless of where one stands, it’s apparent that legitimate scientific data is challenging the entrenched “all benefits and no-risk” philosophy of water fluoridation, and all parties must openly and fairly revisit this practice.
To see if you may be drinking fluoridated water, you can start here: CDC Fluoridation Status. In the meantime, for those who are concerned, Berkey makes a highly regarded and very popular fluoride filter that works in any berkey filter system. The PF-2 Fluoride/Arsenic Filters are to be used in conjunction with the Black Berkeys. The PF-4 Fluoride Filters are to be used with the ceramic filters. More information on various system setups can be found here.
Berkey Light Filters and Bisphenol A - BPA
Saturday, December 6th, 2008Recently there’s been some customer concern regarding the Berkey Light product and the potential for Bisphenol A to leech from the plastic into the filtered water. This is a valid concern that’s been brought upon by recent studies linking BPA exposure to possible breast cancer, prostate cancer, and other health problems. According to research, BPA mimics naturally occurring estrogen, a hormone that is part of the endocrine system, the body’s finely tuned messaging service. While there is much controversy over accurately assessing and quantifying this risk, many consumers are now making a conscious effort to avoid the toxin altogether. In light of this, Berkey customers will be happy to learn that the Berkey Light went BPA free in 2008.
Why the Concern with the Berkey Light?
Prior to 2008, Berkey Lights were historically constructed of Lexan plastic to take advantage of the high durability and strength that this plastic possesses. Lexan is made by reacting Bisphenol A with carbonyl chloride, also known as phosgene. Studies showed that in some occasions the leeching of BPA can occur from polycarbonates like Lexan into the containing fluid when either exposed to high strength industrial grade alkaline detergents or when they are repeatedly exposed to temperatures in excess of 192 degrees Fahrenheit (over 88 degrees Celsius). As far as what the Berkey Light was built for, along with the stated care instructions, these situations would not and should not occur. Regardless, the knowledge that the Berkey Light was made of a Lexan plastic known to contain the chemical BPA brought this highly regarded berkey product into the controversial discussion raising some questions and concerns.
Why The Transition to a Copolyester Then?
To alleviate the concerns of customers, New Millenium Concepts Ltd. decided to change the Berkey Light plastic to a new copolyester in early 2008. This new copolyster is BPA free, highly durable and dishwasher safe, in addition to being stain, scratch, and odor resistant. While the Lexan Berkey Light is considered to be of no risk of leeching BPA’s, NMCL recognizes that their customer base is very health conscious and a change in production materials would be beneficial to all parties. This move away from BPA plastics is a growing market trend and NMCL is one of the early adopter companies, Eastman being another example, that have made the transition to Copolyester.
Older Berkey Light Models
For customers who already own the Berkey Light, you can determine the makeup of your system by looking at the date stamp on the bottom of either of the 2 canisters. There should be a circle of numbers labeled 1-10 with a 2-digit number in the middle. The 2 digit number in the middle is the year of production and it will have an arrow pointing to the outer circle. The outer circle numbers represent the plastic recycle code. If it points to a 6 or higher with an “08″ in the middle you possess the new BPA free Copolyester. Any year prior and you possess a Lexan Berkey Light.
It’s important to reiterate that simply because you have a 2007 or earlier Lexan built Berkey Light does not mean that you are at risk of BPA leeching into your water. There is simply a great deal of misinformation on how BPA leeches from various types of plastic confusing much of the general public as to their level of risk exposure. The value that a Berkey system possesses from everything to water purification to emergency preparation is priceless and excuse the pun, but should not be watered down by confusion.
Berkey Water Filters vs Berkey Water Purifiers
Sunday, November 23rd, 2008Interest in home water treatment products such as Berkey filters has grown tremendously over the past 15 years. Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy for consumers to know whether or not a particular product will actually be as safe and effective as the manufacturer claims at reducing various contaminants from your water supply. This is where the NSF, a international public health and safety company, plays a critical role.
The NSF (National Sanitation Foundation), headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is an independent testing laboratory that performs comprehensive testing and certification of filtration products. In order for a product to earn “certification” for reduction of a contaminant, it must be able to reduce a specific amount of that contaminant. Certification is voluntary, so it is important that the consumer ensures that the product they are considering purchasing has attained certification.
One critical filter feature that sometimes gets overlooked is the level to which the filter removes contaminants from the water. For carbon filters, focusing on the pore size has some value, but the most important statistic is at what degree this filtering occurs. For instance, there is a significant distinction between water filters and water purifiers. A water filter like the ceramic berkey filters must remove pathogenic bacteria at the 99.99% level, also known as log 4. On the other hand, a water purifier like the black berkey elements, must be able to demonstrate a 99.99999% reduction in pathogenic bacteria, known as log 7. This is a much stricter standard and NSF certification in this regard gives confidence to the consumer that they are getting a high quality water purifier. If you are interested in water purification, double check to make sure the manufacturer and/or seller is not just throwing the word “purifier” around as it does have technical significance.
As a general rule, look for filters labeled as meeting NSF/ANSI standard 53. This standard applies to point-of-use (POU) and point-of-entry (POE) systems with a focus on removing bad tastes, odors, and chlorine. Standard 53 certified filters substantially reduce many hazardous contaminants, including heavy metals such as copper, lead and mercury, disinfection byproducts, parasites such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium, pesticides, radon, and volatile organic chemicals such as methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE), dichlorobenzene and trichloroethylene (TCE). For those interested, Berkey also has a separate class of filters called pf-2’s that filter out arsenic and fluoride.
Don’t forget that no filter will give you good performance over the long term unless it receives regular maintenance. As contaminants build up, a filter can become less effective and actually can make your water worse by starting to release harmful bacteria or chemicals back into your filtered water. The more contaminated the water, the more often you should clean the filters. Happy filter shopping!
The Thirsty Berkey - For the Love of Clean Water
Emergency Preparedness - Berkey Water Filters to the Rescue
Wednesday, November 12th, 2008For the majority of suburbanites and city dwellers, the food supply rests solely of the effectiveness of large scale farming, transport supply chain systems, and local supermarkets. Rarely nowadays, do we find self sufficient households with the ability to live off the land via their crops, gardens, livestock, and local water sources. Compare this to 100 years ago when self sufficiency was much more prevalent, neighbor could rely upon neighbor to barter and trade for essentials, and the local town store filled in the gaps. Today, our idea of bartering with our neighbors lies more along the lines of borrowing the snow blower for the power washer.
The more our current model of food supply evolves, the more dependent our population becomes. This is a dangerous road we’ve been traveling down for a very long time. The dilemma can be compared to that of raising an animal in the zoo for 10 years and then releasing it into the wild and expecting it to be able to fend for itself. Under those circumstances that animal will not survive, and on many levels the majority of the US population is just as vulnerable. If a natural disaster does strike and our zookeeper can’t tend to us for a few days, where’s our food and water come from? We can’t expect relief organizations to pick up immediately where the zookeeper left off as it takes days and weeks to address those in need.
The percentage of the population that is prepared and has a backup plan is sorely low and is only trending lower due to the nature of our technological pursuits and progression. Due to the fact that you can go weeks without food but only days without water, emergency preparedness begins with potable water. The popularity of Berkey Water Filters stem from the fact that they filter and clean the dirtiest of water using gravity, without the need for electricity. This fact alone speaks volumes as to the inherent value that these systems possess, not to mention the piece of mind it brings to the owner. There’s an argument to be made that a water filter such as the Big Berkey is considered the most, if not one of the most important forms of emergency preparation. Stop and adjust your perspective for a moment and this reality becomes abundantly clear. If we spent just a tenth of the time preparing for a potential emergency that we do preparing for a economic downturn, we’d have a garage stocked full of food, water, supplies, and equipment. Unfortunately, I feel as though we’ve been hypnotized by our own technological advances into a false sense of security. New Orleans residents had the wake up call of a lifetime, and my hope is that the rest of the population is still not sleeping.
Click here for more information on how many berkey filters are needed.
The Thirsty Berkey - For the Love of Clean Water
How Many Berkey Water Filters Are Needed?
Thursday, October 30th, 2008This seems to be one of the questions I receive the most. And, it makes sense because there are many ways in which Berkey Water Filters can be set up. The more you read, the more confusing it can get, and the information out in cyberspace doesn’t always clear things up. Below, I’ve assembled 7 basic facts and guidelines that will help you understand the world of Berkey.
- Basic systems all start out with 2 filtration elements in the upper chamber. You then build upon the system from there depending on your needs and system capacity.
- The larger the system, the more elements you can fit into the upper chamber. It ranges from 2 elements in a system like the Travel Berkey or Berkey Light, to 8 elements in the Crown Berkey.
- Traditionally, filter / purifying elements are designed for either the upper or the lower chamber. Ceramic filters & Black Berkey filters are upper chamber. PF-2 Fluoride / Arsenic and PF-4 Arsenic / Lead / MTBE / Fluoride filters are lower chamber. In theory, if you wanted to pimp out your Berkey, 16 filtration elements could fit into the Crown Berkey (8 up / 8 down).
- Black Berkey’s only match up with PF-2’s, and Ceramics only match up with PF-4’s. This is because the PF-2’s are designed to complement the improved filtering abilities of the Black Berkey elements. Similarly, PF-4 filter technology is designed to complement and fit with the Ceramic filtration elements. So, if you buy 4 BB’s up top, you’ll need 2 sets of PF-2’s down below…not a PF-4 set.
- The amount of lower chamber elements in any given system must match the amount of upper chamber elements. i.e. 2 BB’s up top must equal 1 set of PF-2’s down below, 4 Ceramic’s up top must equal a set of PF-4’s below…etc. Keep in mind, lower chamber(pf) filters are not required. A system can function with only upper chamber elements, like 2 BB’s, but not the other way around.
- You cannot combine different types of filtration elements in one chamber. In other words, if you have 2 Black Berkey purification filters in the upper chamber and you’d like to expand to 4, you cannot add two Ceramic filters to the mix. You would need to add 2 addt’l Black Berkey filters.
- More Filters = Faster filtration; not better filtering. If you’re buying a larger system, you most likely have a requirement for water to be available quicker and in larger volumes. In this case, you would want to opt for 4, 6, or 8 upper chamber filter elements.
Hope this gives everyone a good foundation. Couple this information with your filtering intentions and you’ll be able to select the right system and elements combination that will meet your health needs. Please feel free to contact me with any other questions that I can help you with - Dan@Bigberkeywaterfilters.com.
The Thristy Berkey - For the Love of Clean Water
