Sigg Bottles Made Before Aug 2008 Contain BPA
Company Quietly Phases Out Controversial Chemical
Aug 30, 2009
As concerns mounted in recent years that Bisphenol-A, a chemical building block of polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins, may leach out of food containers and pose a health risk, concerned consumers switched away from reusable plastic water bottles in favor of stainless steel and lined-aluminum. Companies like Sigg benefited from growing consumer preference for BPA-free food containers. In August 2009, however, Sigg revealed that, while their bottles tested free of BPA leaching, trace amounts of the chemical were present in the company's bottle liners until August 2008.
BPA May Be Harmful to Health at Very Small Doses
Bisphenol-A, used in manufacturing for more than 100 years, is a suspected endocrine disrupter that is detected in 95 percent of people tested for the chemical, according to the Environmental Working Group. Endocrine disrupters mimic natural hormones, may trigger biological responses at very low doses, and are of special concern for babies and children with still-developing reproductive systems. Adults may also have reason to be concerned and one recent study found a link between BPA and diabetes and heart attacks at very low exposure levels.
BPA Makes Headlines in 2007 and 2008
In early 2007, the first broad scientific study of BPA contamination from canned food was released, Canada classified BPA as a toxic substance, and the U.S. Congress launched an investigation into conflicts of interest of government-sponsored BPA researchers.
Consumer concern centered around Nalgene and other makers of polycarbonate plastic bottles. (Nalgene announced that it would end production of BPA-containing bottles in April 2008.) Green living and consumer health advocates generally recommended stainless steel or lined-aluminum bottles like Sigg's to avoid BPA exposure. Sigg benefited from very favorable reviews in green living press and blogosphere, many of which mixed up Sigg's assertion that their bottles were 100 percent leach-free with the bottles actually being BPA-free.
Suspicions of BPA in Sigg's Proprietary Bottle Liner Go Unconfirmed
Stainless steel bottles require no lining and are generally believed safe for direct food contact. Aluminum however reacts with acids and is typically either lined or anodized to make the surface non-reactive before use in food containers. The Environmental Working Group was one of many to voice suspicions that the epoxy resin lining of aluminum bottles probably contained BPA and urged consumers to avoid Sigg bottles for that reason.
In March 2007, Sigg demanded that the Environmental Working Group prove that their bottles contained BPA or remove them from their list of bottles to avoid. CEO Steve Wasik issued a statement attacking EWG's on BPA, stating that "SIGG bottles have been thoroughly tested in Europe to ensure 0% leaching of any substance – no trace of BPA, BPB or any phthalates…We are upset about the misinformation which has circulated and are working feverishly to clear the good name of SIGG."
As it turns out, this statement was issued well after the company "...recognized early that there were questions surrounding BPA" in 2006 and began developing an alternative BPA-free liner formula, according to their August 2009 letter.
Laken USA, another aluminum bottle manufacturer which had disclosed that its liner contained trace amounts of BPA, announced a new BPA-free liner and stopped shipping bottles made with their old liner in June 2008.
Sigg Phases out BPA in Bottle Liner but Continues to Ship Old Bottles
In August 2008, Sigg began producing bottles with its new Eco-Care liner but no effort appears to have been made to notify dealers or customers of the change and bottles manufactured prior to August 2008 may still appear on store shelves.
Can Sigg Regain Public Trust?
While the mainstream media in the United States largely ignored Sigg's August 2009 letter to customers revealing the presence of BPA in the phased-out liner, a few stories have surfaced in Canada and the reaction in the green living blogosphere has been harsh. Searches on the subject reveal angry bloggers that feel misled by the company. Only time will tell if that outrage extends to the bottle-buying public or will have long term ramifications for the company.
How to Tell Old and New Sigg Bottle Liners Apart
Sigg posted a cross-section photo of the old and new bottle liners online (see image below) along with tips for telling them apart. Generally, the old BPA-containing liner is a shinny copper color while the new BPA-free liner is a dull cream or tan color. The company is still not revealing their bottle liner formula.
Update 9/1/2009: Sigg announced that it would issue credits for a new bottle to customers who use the company's shipping label and return form before October 31, 2009 to return, at the customer's expense, bottles with the old BPA-containing liner to the company.
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