Big Berkey Water Filter Overview
- Each factory-sealed bottle contains 90 fresh tablets of Potassium Iodate 85 mg
- Because of the extra molecule of oxygen in Iodate, the shelf life of Potassium Iodate 85 mg is exceptional
- Medical Corps recommends that each family member should have at least one bottle in their kit. Youngsters are extremely susceptible to thyroid cancer after exposure to radioactive contamination
- Unlike other blockers, this is NOT government surplus 130-mg tablets of Ki (potassium iodide)
Why Would I Need Potassium Iodate Tablets?
Potassium Iodate is used for protection against radiation. Radiation from a nuclear attack, plant meltdown, or other unanticipated event can be carried downwind for hundreds of miles, potentially poisoning thousands or even millions of people in large population areas. Unfortunately, a Nuclear Power Plant has over 100 times more radioactive materials than an Atomic Bomb, which can be released as fallout. One of the most abundant components released is Radioactive Iodine 131 that is then carried downwind for hundreds of miles. Thyroid cancer attributable to Chernobyl has been documented more than 300 miles from the accident site.
Very small amounts of inhaled or ingested Radioactive Iodine can do serious damage because it will always be absorbed and held in the thyroid gland. Eventually, by absorbing a large amount of radiation in the thyroid, abnormalities are likely to result, such as nodules in the thyroid, loss of thyroid function, or thyroid cancer. Taking Potassium Iodate (KiO3) in the event of fallout will saturate a person’s thyroid gland with stable ("good") iodine, so the Radioactive Iodine cannot be absorbed by the thyroid. Because the thyroid is saturated with the "good" Iodine, then any Radioactive Iodine that is later inhaled or ingested is quickly eliminated by the body. Potassium Iodate (KiO3) is now being stockpiled by many government agencies.
Additional FAQ
Would it help if I started taking KiO3 now…just in case?
No. Do not take any thyroid blocker now. You will be wasting your supply. It will not help you unless you are caught in fallout.
When will the authorities tell us to start?
They should tell you that Fallout is headed your way and you should start taking KiO3 or Ki as a single dose about 3 to 12 hours before, or up to 10 hours after exposure (although this is less effective). If there is a "nuclear event" and you are down-wind, you need to take KiO3 or KI before the radioactive plume reaches you. The tablets should be taken as a single dose 3 oto 12 hours before exposure, or up to 10 hours If you do not have KiO3 or KI at the time of the event, then it is most likely too late to take a thyroid blocker unless the authorities can reach you with the proper dose during fallout conditions.
What is the usual recommended "daily dosage" in case of a nuclear disaster?
- Adults ( age 12 years and up) - 2 tablets - 3 to 14 days
- Children (age 3 years to 12 years) - 1 tablet - 3 days or longer*
- Infants (age 1 month to 3 years) - 1/2 tablet - 1 - 3 days*
- Babies (age newborn to 1 month) - 1/4 to 1/2 tablet - 1 -3 days*
- *Authorities may determine that repeat or longer dosing may be necessary.
*Under heavy plume conditions 1/2 tablet may be given to newborns as a starting dose. It is extremely important that young children be taken out of harm's way as soon as possible.
Keep in mind that it is possible to have more than one event OR an ongoing event as happened at Chernobyl.
For young children or newborn babies, the 1/2 to 1/4 tablet may be crushed and taken mixed with milk, juice or water.
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding you should normally not take more than two doses for a minor "reactor leak." Babies up to a month old should only receive one dose for a minor "reactor leak." However, this should be determined by authorities.
I am allergic to Iodine and it gives me a rash. Should I not take a thyroid blocker?
That should always be your choice. However, if Iodine gives you a rash then, Radioactive Iodine (I-131) will also give you a rash!
What are some other considerations before taking KiO3 (or any thyroid blocker)?
Is it a true radiation emergency? Are you allergic to iodine? Do you suffer from a skin disease? Do you sufer from inflammation of the blood vessels? Are you being treated for an overactive thyroid? Do you have problems with your kidneys? Are you being treated for problems with your adrenal glands? Are you suffering from dehyudration due to extreme heat? Are you currently taking a diuretic? IF YOU ANSWERED YES TO ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS, YOU SHOULD TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TAKING KI OR KiO3.
Although rarely, hypersensitivity reactions such as a rash, swollen salivary glands, headache, wheezing or coughing and stomach upset may occur. if you have these or any other effects while taking Potassium Iodate, tell a doctor immediately.
I have a Thyroid problem and my doctor says I should avoid foods that contain Iodine. What should I do?
That is a tough question. Iodine can cause some serious problems in some Thyroid patients. Radioactive Iodine-131 is Iodine and can be deadly for babies and young children. One who has a Thyroid condition that requires the avoidance of Iodine will still be subjected to Iodine in the form of Radioactive Iodine-131. Talk to your doctor and try to come to a decision together.
You carry KiO3, but I have seen Ki for sale also. Is Ki any good?
Ki is a Thyroid Blocker and it works. There are distinct advantages to KiO3, but Ki will work to block the Thyroid.
Which is safer, KiO3 or Ki?
According to Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) KiO3 (our Thyroid Blocker) is safer to use. KiO3 has a Health Risk of 1---slight. Ki, has a Health Risk of 2—moderate. However, compared to Radioactive Iodine, a Health Risk of 2 for Ki means nothing.
Which would be best for babies, children and adults, Ki or KiO3?
KiO3 because it is easier to dose,
KiO3 is not bitter in the stomach therefore babies, pets and the ill are able to can keep it down easier.
What is the shelf life of Potassium Iodate?
According to the manufacturer, the shelf-life is "Theoretically Unlimited". This means that it will be good for 10 years or more if not exposed to excessive heat. Note the fact that the sealed bottles are air tight.
Is there a shelf-life guarantee?
Yes. At any time after you purchase KiO3 from any of our distributors or from us directly, and you believe it is damaged, or you just want to rotate your supply - simply take a picture of your bottle or bottles and send the picture to the manufacturer along with $7.00 for the first bottle and $5.00 for each additional bottle. They will send you a new fresh full bottle for every one of your old bottles, for any reason at any time--that's their Warranty. Please do not send the old or damaged bottles, save it for your neighbors. Prices may change dependent on product availability and changes in postal rates.
Is there anything else?
Yes. Store in a dry, cool place where children cannot reach them. If you swallow a lot of the tablets all together, or if you think a child has accidentally swallowed any of the tablets, contact your nearest hospital emergency room or Doctor immediately.
Shipping is Fast and Free (Same Day Shipping) for orders orders over $99 in the contigous 48 states. For an international shipping quote, simply add items to your cart and proceed to the shopping cart page where you can enter your postal code. The system will provide you a price quote based upon the weight of your items. You can also obtain this shipping quote during the checkout process prior to you having to confirm the purchase. Once you confirm your purchase, you will receive an order confirmation e-mail and your order will be shipped shortly.
Once shipped, tracking information will be forwarded to the e-mail address that you provided during checkout. Orders are sent over to the warehouse for picking and shipping immediately upon order placement! This means that canceling or modifying an order post-placement is very difficult and we cannot guarantee our ability to make these changes. If during normal business hours, please contact us immediately and we will do our best to catch the order at the warehouse before it ships.
All orders are sent No Signature Required.
- All Orders over $99 are free Shipping to the lower 48 states!
- All non-First-Class items shipped are sent UPS ground, Fedex, Lasership, or United States Postal Service within the contiguous US unless customer arranges for product to shipped via freight/shipping carrier.
- International: (International Shipments except Canada are currently paused until further notice) BigBerkeyWaterFilters.com ships Internationally via UPS. Once items are in your cart, you can go to the shopping cart page and input your zip code for a shipping estimate. In some cases, we may be forced to ship via another carrier if UPS does not ship to your location. International customers are responsible for all customs costs and these are not included in your checkout price. These vary by country, so we recommend the customer understands the process by which these fees are paid. (Typically at the point of package receipt) BigBerkeyWaterFilters.com is not responsible for any loss in transit due to a country's customs or DHL/UPS/Fedex/USPS carrier's shipping process. In the case of a lost product, we will file a claim and work on behalf of the customer with the carrier in attempts to locate the shipment. This can be a lengthy process and we are at the mercy of the carrier and their operations in this case. As a result, due to this being out of our control, we are not held responsible for any loss that may occur. Please contact us if you have questions regarding these types of shipments.
- Due to country-specific shipping problems, we do not ship to:
- Cambodia
- Chile
- Cuba
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Pakistan
- Poland
- Russia
- Venezuela
- International Note: Shipping to some countries such as China, Australia, New Zealand, etc have considerably gone up in price as of 1/1/16 due to UPS rate increases. This is unforunately out of our control.
- Shipping and/or freight charges are non-refundable.
- All Pricing in USD.
- Customer is responsible for all shipping and restocking fees for refused shipments, or
shipments that do not get through customs - Internationally, we have experienced that these
return shipping charges are notoriously higher than the original shipping costs out to the
customer. They also tend to be higher than any customs fees, so please be concious of
this before refusing any shipments. Also, sometimes the carrier will abandon refused packages.
In this case, we would be unable to provide a credit back to the customer as we would not get the product back.
- Once the order is placed, the credit card is charged for the purchase and the system/product is reserved for that paying customer. This is critical during times of economic and political turmoil, and helps ensure you are guaranteed to receive what you order. We are also not able to cancel an order once it ships.
Manufacturing Defects
Upon receipt, if an item is damaged or defective as a result of manufacturing, simply contact BigBerkeyWaterFilters.com within 10 days or receipt and we will coordinate with the manufacturer to get that item fully replaced at no cost to you as quickly as possible. Prepaid return postage will be included with the replacement product so that you may return the damaged/defective product at no cost to you!
Shipping Damage
Please notify BigBerkeyWaterFilters.com in the event of shipping damage and we will coordinate with the manufacturer to ship you replacements for the damaged items at no cost for you along with prepaid postage to return the damaged item. No need to worry about working out the damages with the carrier as we'll have the manufacturer and the shipping carrier work this out. If you'd like to file a claim, this must be done with the delivering carrier and New Millennium Concepts, LTD / BigBerkeyWaterFilters.com are not permitted to file this for you. All claims for shortages, damages, inaccurate shipments, and inaccurate billing must be made within 10 days of receipt.
Lost Packages
BigBerkeyWaterFilters.com must be notified within 14 days of the expected delivery date for any lost packages. This is a requirement of the shipping carriers and they will not accept claims past this timeframe. Once notified, we will file a claim on any lost package and pursue reimbursement from the carrier on your behalf.
Exclusive BigBerkeyWaterFilters.com Lifetime Warranty
(For purchases made through this website only) BigBerkeyWaterFilters will replace any of our customer's parts that come standard with the system over the life of the Berkey system ownership. This includes the stainless steel chambers and lid, plastic spigot, washers and nuts. This is above and beyond the General Manufacturers Warranty stated below. We must have your customer information on record as purchasing through this website. Stainless must have been handled with proper care. This guarantee does not cover items that are damaged due to user misuse, abuse, salt water/air, lack of maintenance ((routine cleanings or unwillingness to use a rust cleaner), or accidents (dents from falling, etc). Systems with damage or issues upon receipt require a notification to our company to qualify for warranty replacement as this falls under the "damage upon receipt" warranty rules. Customer is responsible for shipping and processing charges.
IMPORTANT: We do not sell on Amazon. Also, please be aware that the manufacturer does not warranty any items purchased on Amazon from unauthorized dealers. For example, Amazon.com itself is NOT an authorized dealer. We routinely receive requests for assistance/support from Amazon purchases, and most times are unfortunately unable to provide service support. As a result, and due to the inability of Amazon to assist in policing and removing fraudulant/imitation Berkey products, we do not recommend purchasing through Amazon.
Standard Manufacturer Warranty - Black Berkey & Berkey Earth Filters
The Black Berkey purification elements and Berkey Earth Ceramic Filters have a two-year prorated manufacturer's warranty calculated in six month intervals. The manufacturer's guarantee is prorated similar to the guarantee on tire tread. In other words, if you have used the filters for 8 months, 75% of the guarantee still applies and so you can get a full replacement set for 25% of the normal cost.
The Berkey systems themselves and their components (stainless steel, etc) have a 12 month manufacturer's warranty as stated below. We do not guarantee/warranty taste as this is a subjective measure and will vary from individual to individual.
Standard Manufacturer Warranty - Systems, PF-2's, Product, & Parts
The manufacturer warrants this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 6 months from date of purchase, and 12 months from date of purchase for the stainless steel. This includes any "damage upon receipt" due to manufacturing defects or shipper damage. Black Berkey purification elements have a 2 year prorated warranty calculated in six months intervals. The manufacturer will replace or repair any product that it deems is not properly functioning during the stated warranty period. Relief under this warranty is limited to the replacement or repair of defective materials or workmanship only. The manufacturer and BBWF.com shall not be held liable for incidental or consequential damage to personal property from, but not limited to, a defective unit, improper use, abuse, accident, or neglect, etc. No warranty will apply to units which have been used for purposes not intended, which have been altered so as, in the manufacturers judgment, to affect adversely its performance. This warranty is for the original retail purchaser only, and cannot be transferred. The laws of the State of Texas, USA, will govern any disputes regarding this warranty or claim made. This warranty, which is given expressly in lieu of all warranties, expressed or implied, or merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, constitutes the only warranty made by the manufacturer.
Warranty Exclusions - The following actions will void your warranty coverage:
- Attempting to use the the Ceramic Super Sterasyl Filtration Elements in a pressurized manner. The Black Berkey Elements are the only Berkey elements that require priming.
- Allowing any of the Berkey elements to freeze.
- Using dehumidifier water with any of the Berkey elements for daily use.
- Breaking the Berkey elements due to dropping an assembled system or carelessness. For example, a broken black berkey stem while assembling would not be covered.
- Performing a red food coloring test with the Berkey PF-2 Fluoride and Arsenic Reduction Filters attached.The Berkey PF-2 Fluoride and Arsenic Reduction Filters must be removed prior to performing a red food coloring test in order to stay in compliance with the six month warranty on these filters.
- If the product is not used in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations or instructions.
Please contact us at any time for assistance with your product warranty.
