Texas company to make alternative to Gaiam BPA Bottles and others

Austin, TXPlasticPure has reportedly received $1.1 million in federal money to further its research in providing an alternative to potentially toxic water bottles, such as the ones made by Gaiam that allegedly had traces of BPA.

BPA, or Bisphenol A, has been associated with increasing the risk of obesity and breast cancer in those who use water bottles or other products known to have traces of the compound.

While it has been reported that some Gaiam products were found to have BPA, PlastiPure has announced it will use grant money from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to develop plastics and materials free of harmful chemicals, the Austin American-Statesman reports.

Mike Usey, CEO of PlasticPure, told the Statesman that his company was looking into developing products that would be free of BPA as well as "estrogenic activity."

Gaiam water bottles came under fire when the company was accused of marketing their products as being free of BPA when in fact traces of the compound were found.

Recently, Wal-Mart and Toys R Us announced they would stock only BPA-free baby bottles, toys and baby food containers in the interest of public safety.