Question from heather
Hi Debra,
With all the new things we know about plastics, do you know what the water lines used to dispense water from our refrigerators are made out of? I think about water sitting in the lines overnight or for long periods during the day, and chemicals from the tubing leaching in the water. My husband hasn’t caught me dumping out the “first glass” before each use, but when he does, he will think I’m crazy. Am I, or do I have a legitimate leg to stand on? Thanks for your help!
Debra’s Answer
I don’t know for sure what type of plastic tubing is used in refrigerators, but most plastic tubing is polyethylene, one of the safer plastics. Yes, any water sitting in any plastic tubing will get plastic into the water, so tossing out that first cup is a good idea.
You can also replace the tubing with a braided stainless steel line. but that would then leach metals.
The braided stainless steel lines only appear to be stainless steel on the outside. From what I could find, some people think it is rubber on the inside. My further research found that it is nylon or PVC, or nylon reinforced PVC. I’m not sure if there are different ones with different cores or not. I need to get a refrigerator line quickly, and am not sure what to buy. I’m thinking maybe copper, though that can kink. Appreciate your help!
I’m not sure what they are lined with. I don’t use water from the refrigerator. Have you looked for PVC-free lines? That would be the most important material to avoid.