Mikey -  Baraka

With so many neti pots on the market these days, I can’t help but write about the plastic ones. In 1996 when we began producing our Baraka neti pot, there were only a handful of companies making them, and like ours, most were ceramic. However, in April 2007 Dr. Oz introduced nasal rinsing to the general public, and it went from being in a niche market to the mainstream. Suddenly neti pots could be found everywhere and most of them were made of plastic.

While I’m glad more people are nasal rinsing, there are a few things you should know about plastic neti pots.

  1. Few neti pot on the current market are made from BPA-free or food grade plastics. BPA is a known carcinogen found in many plastics. It can leech into anything that’s put in it – which means the saline solution for your neti pot. For more information on eco-plastics view our previous blog on the subject.
  2. Plastic can easily harbor bacteria. Manufacturers of plastic nasal rinsing devices recommend that you replace their product every year. They warn you to look for any “discoloration” in the plastic. What they don’t mention is the discoloration is often caused by mold or bacteria.
  3. If you have a plastic neti pot with a hollow handle, bacteria is even more likely to be present. Since the handle is narrow and curved, it receives less water flow and is very difficult to clean, making it an ideal breeding ground for pathogens. If you own a plastic pot with a handle- or know someone who does- do your own investigation.
  4. Salt can deteriorate plastics; therefore, you will have to replace your nasal rinsing device more frequently. The more replacement products you buy, the more waste is produced for our landfills.
  5. Some plastics can emit a strange odor as they age. These are the cheaper plastics and their spout can have rough edges which hurt the nostrils.

Many people want a plastic neti pot to travel with because it won’t break. I fly frequently and have never had that problem with my ceramic neti pot. I wrap it in my clothes and put it into the middle of my suitcase. However, if you don’t trust your ability to pack it safely or the airline’s ability to not crush your suitcase, at least consider a steel or copper neti pot.

Plastics are a necessity in life. I think of the pacemaker in my father’s heart- a life saver! I try to use plastic only when necessary. I see the effects of gratuitous plastics while traveling in developing nations and it isn’t pretty. They don’t have the ability to hide it like we do in the United States. Every day when I’m offered something made of a plastic I don’t absolutely need, I say no.  It’s only my no,  but if more of us do that, we can make positive impact on the future of our planet.