When concern over BPA in polycarbonate bottles reached a feverish pitch in late 2007 and early 2008 (click here to read the May 5, 2008, SNEWS® editorial, “SNEWS® View: BPA reaction driven by the power of consumer perception, right or wrong.”), those selling aluminum bottles, including SIGG and Laken, benefited greatly as retailers and consumers scrambled for water-carrying alternatives. SIGG reported at one point it could hardly keep up with consumer demand. Consumers, retailers and most mainstream media assumed incorrectly aluminum bottles were BPA-free.

In truth, until quite recently, the lining of all aluminum bottles contained BPA. Even today, it appears most aluminum bottles coming out of China still are coated with epoxy linings that contain BPA.

According to Dr. John Rost, chairman of the North American Metal Packaging Alliance (www.metal-pack.org), all epoxies worldwide utilize BPA as a monomer to manufacture the final product.

SNEWS asked Rost in November 2008 if there was any such thing as an epoxy liner, even water-based, that did not contain BPA and he stated, unequivocally, there was not. While other coatings are being evaluated as a replacement for epoxy, none yet can match the high performance and food safety of an epoxy, he said. Still, Rost said stringent testing by numerous agencies have proven that BPA does not leach from epoxy liners in any quantity that would remotely be deemed as unsafe, since most canned goods (yes, most of the cans in the pantry are lined with epoxy too) show BPA migration of less than 10 parts per billion.

Both SIGG and Laken have acknowledged to SNEWS that until August 2008, every aluminum bottle they produced and sold was lined with a water-based epoxy that contained BPA. To their credit, both have told SNEWS that since August 2008, all bottles manufactured by Laken and SIGG are being made with new liners that are certified to be BPA- and phthalate-free.

Steve Wasik, CEO of SIGG, and Greg Garrigues, president of Laken USA, each confirmed to SNEWS their respective companies were aware their bottles were being made with an epoxy lining that contained BPA long before the smoldering BPA brushfire turned into a wildfire in late 2007 and into 2008.

“Once I was able to talk to our supplier in June of 2006, I learned that the water-based epoxy being used in our bottles contained BPA, but I was also assured that our lining was the best in the world and contained very low levels of BPA and absolutely did not leach any BPA,” Wasik told SNEWS. “We conducted myriads of tests to confirm our bottles were 100 percent safe and, at the same time, I went to our board and CEO and told them we needed to make a change to a new coating.

“We made a huge investment in new equipment and the development of a new liner that was BPA-free,” said Wasik. “It took two years to perfect and, in 2008, we shut our factory down for one month to install the new equipment to produce a liner that was something that our engineers tell me has never been created before.”

SNEWS was also shown a July 2009 test by a laboratory in Europe conducted on two SIGG bottles that were purchased at an EMS store in June 2009 indicating the presence of BPA in the lining. This, too, was an indication that old stock remained in the pipeline and was being sold by unknowing retailers to unknowing consumers who quite likely believed they were selling (or purchasing) BPA-free bottles.

Much of the past and current confusion stemmed from the fact that neither SIGG nor Laken publicly disclosed, prior to this article, that their bottle linings before August 2008 did contain BPA. A number of consumers and retailers were certainly suspicious, in part because of a sudden change in the wording of SIGG’s own catalog materials. Where product descriptions used to refer to the lining as “micro-epoxy,” all uses of the word “epoxy” disappeared, being substituted with a reference to an alleged top-secret formulation to which they had “proprietary rights with a third-party producer.”

As a result, some retailers, most notably MEC in Canada, declined to carry SIGG as the brushfire was whipped up to wildfire stage. “We asked them to tell us exactly what the ingredients were in the lining they were using, but they declined,” David Labistour, CEO of MEC, told SNEWS. “So, we felt it best to not carry something we did not have sufficient information about.”

Both Laken and SIGG have conducted their own tests on off-brand, Chinese-manufactured aluminum bottles (the same ones many in the industry use for private-label bottles), and those companies shared those results with SNEWS. In each case, high levels of BPA were even detected leaching into the water, indicating a very low quality epoxy to begin with. Those bottles were being sold under the brands Gaiam, Pottery Barn, Paper Chase, and also as no-name bottles at both Old Navy and The Container Store.

Laken is the only brand that has made it very easy for both retailers and consumers to tell the difference between its old bottles manufactured with a lining that contained BPA and its new bottles, manufactured since August 2008 with a certified BPA-free liner.

As of February 2009, every new Laken bottle that is BPA-free will say so right on the bottle itself, the company told us, as illustrated in the image above and to the right. For those bottles made prior to February 2009, the only way to tell the difference is to take a peek inside the bottle. According to Garrigues, “The BPA-free lining can be identified by its translucent gold color with a moderate uni-directional brushed appearance that underlies the coating. The previous coating was a well-polymerized, high-density, phenolic epoxy, with an opaque creamy white appearance.”

SIGG is, for now, taking a less visually obvious approach — you have to peek inside to determine an old coating from a new one. The company has distributed to its reps, retailers and all its customer service staff a document with the imagery shown to the left to illustrate the difference between the color of the company’s new lining manufactured since August 2008 (the dull yellow color) and the color of the old, water-based epoxy lining used in production of all bottles prior to August 2008 (the copper bronze color).

In addition, Wasik told SNEWS, the company will distribute hangtags (image to the right and below) so its reps and staff can place them on all new BPA-free SIGG bottles currently in the market. These hangtags will start appearing on newly shipped bottles as of September 2009.

Laken’s lining is a wet-applied polyamide, which has chemical properties similar to nylon. The company said by applying the polyamide wet, this allows it to use a special formulation without a chemical catalyst. The coating is set with very high heat rather than a chemical process.

SIGG’s new EcoCare liner was described to SNEWS as a polymer, similar in nature to a copolyester. (Click here for more information.) Wasik said he could be more specific, but then he’d have to kill us and didn’t want to have to do that. (We think he was joking.)

Both companies said they have had their respective liners certified as BPA-free.

Therefore, what it comes down to is allowing the consumer to make an informed choice since there is insufficient science about BPA’s risk or safety. Until there is a definitive study completed by an independent agency proving once and for all that BPA is either a health risk or safe, consumers must be allowed to make a purchasing choice based on information that reflects full disclosure, which until very recently they have not received.
–Michael Hodgson

SNEWS® View: Finally, we have the full truth on the aluminum bottle front. How refreshing. Laken is now making a very concerted effort to drive awareness of BPA-free linings in aluminum bottles and point out that many aluminum bottles being sold today still contain BPA. The company has issued a press release (click here to read) that calls for BPA-free standards in reusable water bottles. This is all very good, and we commend Laken for this. SIGG, too, though a bit more quietly, is touting its new BPA-free lining as well as the fact that all new SIGG bottles are now being made with that lining.

Neither, however, can duck the fact that in 2007 and early 2008, both companies were selling large quantities of bottles, which consumers most likely believed were BPA-free.

Various chat rooms and blogs are full of discussions about the safety of the linings in aluminum bottles, including direct questions to the companies themselves regarding whether or not the linings of aluminum bottles contain BPA. At no time prior to this article did either SIGG or Laken admit or deny their linings contained BPA to the consumers, even though they certainly knew it by admission and by published information in catalogs as early as late 2006.

Instead, questions posed by bloggers and consumers regarding BPA content in the lining of bottles were answered indirectly with the assertion that no detectible BPA ever leached into water in either SIGG’s or Laken’s respective linings. That may, in fact, be the case, though one can argue whether or not the leaching tests were complete enough.

Leaching is not really the question, though. It was and is a simple question of lining content. Did the linings contain BPA? Yes, the answer is, they did. Only now, that Laken and SIGG both have a new, BPA-free lining, are we finding this out for certain. The timing is, certainly, convenient.

Why should anyone care since BPA is likely very safe? We have heard this surprising query or comment a number of times since launching our investigation months ago. On one level, if you are selling a product as something it is not, that alone is false advertising. On a more ethical level, if consumers buy a product from you and they believe it to be BPA-free because of information on signs, in catalogs or told to them by a salesperson, and then they find out it is not BPA-free, we suspect most would be more than a bit upset at all parties involved, be it the retail store, the salesperson or the manufacturer.

With all of that now past, we do hail both SIGG’s and Laken’s current openness to educate the public about BPA in aluminum bottle linings. We trust that both will do all each can to inform their respective consumers who purchased bottles that were believed to be BPA-free but in fact had linings that were not. And, “Oops, we’re sorry, but as you know tests have show the BPA does not leach” really is not going to be enough. We might suggest an offer to exchange any old BPA-lined bottle sold in 2007 and 2008 with a new and truly BPA-free bottle. Now that would be doing the right thing. 
–SNEWS® Editors

…Elizabeth Klien from the University of Cincinnati!!!  Her stop-motion video impressed the judges (including Alec Baldwin) with “a declaration of love for tap water, some discussion about bottled water consumption, and why the student’s college or university should break the bottled water habit.”  And now for the show…

Reusable metal water bottles are typically made from two types of metal; aluminum or steel.  Common aluminum bottles you’ll see are Sigg and Laken, while our bottles, and Klean Kanteen’s are made from stainless steel.  Let’s take a look at the difference between the two types of metal and how they play into the production process of each type of bottle.

Aluminum

Aluminum has the advantage of being the most common metal in the Earth’s crust.  Unfortunately, it’s rare in its’ free form and is usually found trapped in various types of ore.  Most commonly bauxite ore.  In order to be used in production applications (like bottles), the aluminum has to be extracted and refined.  But because aluminum bonds strongly to oxygen this process is extremely energy intensive.  So much so that aluminum has earned the nickname “solidified electricity.”  In fact, the EPA has estimated that as much as 2-3% of all electrical use in the U.S. goes toward the production of aluminum.

So just how much electricity does it take?  An MIT Study found that the production of just 1kg (2.2lbs, or about seven 1.0L Sigg bottles) of aluminum requires 290 MJ (or 80 kilowatt-hours) of energy.  That’s enough to power your average 60 Watt light bulb for about 1,300 hours.  Alternatively, 80 kilowatt-hours could power your average personal computer (with an LCD flatscreen) for about 760 hours!

And it’s not just lots of electricity that goes into aluminum production.  It requires approximately 12kg (26.5lbs) of raw material to produce just 1kg (2.2lbs) of aluminum.  This means a lot of ore needs to be mined to produce a small amount of aluminum.

Stainless Steel

Unlike aluminum, steel is an alloy.  Meaning it contains two or more metallic or metallic and non-metallic elements fused together.  The largest constituent of steel is iron, which is the fourth most common element in the ground.  Depending on what other elements are added, different types of steel are created.  To make stainless steel, extra chromium is added to the mix.  And chromium is what gives stainless steel its self-passivation characteristics.

For several reasons, stainless steel requires far less energy to extract and refine than aluminum.  The production of 1kg of stainless steel requires about 37 MJ (or 10 kilowatt-hours) of energy.  Meaning it takes about 85% LESS energy to produce the same amount of stainless steel than aluminum.  To use the personal computer analogy from before, the energy required to produce about 30 1.0L stainless bottles could power your average personal computer (with LCD flatscreen) for about 90 hours.  So from an energy perspective, stainless steel is a far more eco-friendly choice.

And other studies have shown the production of stainless steel produces considerably less greenhouse gas emissions than that of aluminum.

Summary

If you’re concerned with the environmental impact of your bottle’s production process, stainless steel is the better of the two options.  It uses considerably less electricity and raw materials, and produces less GHG emissions (greenhouse gas emissions) to produce a stainless steel bottle than an aluminum bottle.  And while both aluminum and stainless steel use some raw materials (which must be mined), many facilities use high amounts of recycled material.  In fact, Pura Stainless bottles are composed of approximately 60% recycled stainless steel.  Combined with the number of disposable bottles you’ll spare from landfills, your Pura bottle is one of the most eco-friendly purchases you can make.

Some of the key points from the video:

• All steels are not created equal.
• Stainless Steel has added chromium, which reacts with air to form a thin, invisible protective layer on stainless steel.
• If the surface is damaged (i.e. scratched), the protective layer reforms, or self-repairs.  This process is known as self-passivation.

1. Immune Defense -  Getting sick around the holidays is a common occurrence to which many of us can relate.  All the flying, hugging, greeting, food sharing, and cold weather has a way of weaking even the best immune system. Boost your chances of making it through the holiday season sans sickness by adding a few Emergen-C Immune Defense packets to your daily drinking routine.  Packed with 1,000mg of Vitamin C, B Vitamins, Zinc and other minerals, a few Emergen-C’s are sure to help in fending off any illnesses that come your way.  Just fill your Pura bottle with water, drop in a few Emergen-C packets and you’re set.
2. Conversation Starter - Two weeks ago we took our Pura bottles to our local Green Drinks event.  While other attendees were drinking from the party-supplied Dixie cups, we drank in style from our Pura bottles.  Filled directly from the keg and/or box of wine, the bottles hold enough to allow for ample mingling and less interruptions for refills.  Needless to say they were a huge hit.  Each of us was approached by several inquisitive party goers.
3. Stocking Stuffer - Give the gift that will keep giving for years to come, a Pura Stainless bottle!  Our bottles are the perfect sized stocking stuffers, and won’t put a dent in your gift budget either.  With sizes ranging from .6L to 1.2L we have something for every sized stocking, and right now we’re offering free shipping on orders over $75.
4. Peppermint Twist Martini shaker - Everyone (over 21 years of age) is obligated to try at least one holiday-themed cocktail.  We recommend the Peppermint Twist Martini.  Pour the ingredients (see the previous link) into your easy-to-fill Pura bottle, add some ice, then shake vigorously for a minute or two.  After rimming your martini glasses with a bit of peppermint twist sugar, use a strainer to pour the concoction into your glasses.  Add half a shot of Creme de Menthe then finish it off with a peppermint patty for decoration.
5. Eggnog - The holidays just wouldn’t be the same without a giant glass of Eggnog.  And drinking from your Pura Stainless bottle will offset those ugly xmas sweaters everyone’s wearing.

Some of the key points from the video:

• Last year Americans spent over $4 Billion on bottled water.
• 33% of bottled water was in violation of industry standards.
• In Penn & Teller’s own (and unscientific) blind taste test, many said tap water tasted better than bottled water.

First, we need to dispel a common myth about stainless steel.  The myth being that stainless steel doesn’t need to be cleaned.  After all, it’s stainless steel right?  Well, that’s exactly right, it’s stainLESS, not stainPROOF.  Eventually even stainless steel will show signs of aging if uncared for.  To keep your bottle in tip-top shape and maximize its life we recommend giving your Pura bottle some TLC about once a month.

Let’s start with what NOT to do when cleaning your bottle.  Despite being extremely durable, there are some things that don’t mix with stainless steel.  One of those is bleach, so do not apply bleach to your stainless steel bottle.  Chlorine (which is found in bleach) can stain and corrode stainless steel, which can result in discoloration.  Another reason to avoid bleach is that if you accidentally miss some while washing the bleach out, you could risk drinking some of the chemical.

In most cases, warm water and mild dish soap will do the trick.  Just mix a small amount of dish soap with warm water, then dip your Pura bottle in and slosh it around.  If you happen to have some really caked-on material, we recommend soaking the bottle for just a little while.  Use a kitchen brush if needed to gently scrub the inside (or outside) of the bottle.  It is typically not necessary to press very hard.

Once you’ve finished washing your bottle, rinse it thoroughly with clean, warm water.  Using a clean, dry cloth (or a paper towel, please recycle), wipe down the exterior of the bottle.  Then set the bottle upside-down, with cap removed, in a safe place to dry.

Your Pura Stainless lid can be cleaned using the same method as above.  Some mild soap, warm water and a gentle scrubbing.

Regarding dishwashers, we personally don’t use them to clean our own bottles.  We also don’t recommend cleaning your lid, or painted Pura Stainless bottle, in the dishwasher.  The high-pressure jets can force water into the cap (between the stainless steel and plastic part) and the heat can potentially damage the paint on the bottle.

Hope this little how-to helps out.  If you have any questions, feel free to leave them below in the comments.

This week we discovered a segment on Bisphenol-A (BPA) from the CBS Early Show.  Despite a growing amount of evidence indicating the harmful effects of BPA, the FDA has yet to ban it.

Green Drinks, wine and Pura

One of the many great characteristics of our stainless steel bottles is they don’t retain flavor.  Unlike aluminum bottles (which contain a baked-on liner), or plastic bottles, stainless steel doesn’t react with acidic foods and doesn’t absorb any of the beverage in your bottle.  As a result, your beverage doesn’t leave any flavor in the bottle, and your bottle doesn’t transfer any flavor to your beverage.

We demonstrated this property at Green Drinks by filling our bottles with beer and wine, then left the beverage to soak overnight.  The next night we poured the contents out, rinsed it with water (just once), then filled it back up with water.  The result?  Just plain water.  Not a trace of beer or wine was noticeable.