Update: Sigg water bottles contain Bisphenol A......Swiss company apologizes for gaff

Bisphenol A (BPA) was banned in baby bottles last year by Health Canada due to numerous studies showing that it could potentially lead certain cancers, endocrine and neurological problems as well as affecting the gender of animals in studies.

Last year, there was a big move by consumers to discard plastic water bottles in favour of Bisphenol A-free ones. And one of the manufacturers who claimed to be BPA free was Sigg.

Unfortunately, the Environmental Working Group, a U.S. environmental agency discovered this was not the case back in 2006. Sigg has recently apologized for this gaff and is now producing BPA-free water bottles. They are offering to make amends by replacing your older Sigg bottles with their new one. Unfortunately, I don't know how laborious it will be to get these exchanges.


Yours in health,

Ian Koo, ND
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic Essentials Health Centre
"The care you want, the health you need"

Bisphenol-A Free Products

BPA forms the inner lining of almost all canned goods. It leaches into the foods when the cans are heated during the pasteurization process.

Alternatives:

• Eden Foods, an American company switched to BPA free cans in 1999.
• Buy foods in glass jars.
• Frozen goods like peas and carrots are another option.
• Of course, fresh is best!

BPA free water bottles:

1. Sigg - Swiss made water bottles made from aluminum w/ some sort of protective organic coating inside with claims that there's no leaching into the bottle.
2. Nalgene - Recently started producing BPA free water bottles. Their new line called Tritan Bottles, are made from Eastman Tritan TM copolyester, which is manufactured without Bisphenol A.
3. Klean Kanteen - Stainless steel drinking bottles with no inner lining.
4. ThinkSport - Stainless steel vacuum sealed bottles keep contents hot or cold for hours. These bottles do not contain any toxins, including BPA, PVC and phthalates.

Plastics - the DOs & DON'Ts. Health Canada's Ban on Bisphenol A

It looks like Health Canada is close to regulating bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in some plastics. Major retailers like the Hudson's Bay Company, Canadian Tire, Forzani Group (which operates Sport Chek, Athlete's World and Coast Mountain Sports), Lululemon & Mountain Equipment Co-op have pulled products containing bpa off its shelves. BPA is the main component in polycarbonate, a shatter-proof plastic that is used in food and drink containers. It is also found in household items like CDs, electronic products & baby bottles. It is also used to line the inside of metal food and soda cans. Acidic substances such as tomatoes, citrus fruits & sodas release the BPA.

Bisphenol A is an endocrine disruptor, meaning that it can mimic or wreak havoc on the hormones in your body. Bpa is linked to breast & prostate cancer, obesity, early puberty attention deficit disorder and a host of other developmental problems.

The general rule of thumb for plastics is that it should not be heated or come in contact with hot foods or drinks. That includes leaving your water bottle in the car during the hot summer months.

Have you ever bought bottled water and stored it away from the sun and heat sources? I have and in a few months time, this water had an odd taste to it. I assumed that something was leeching out of the plastic into the water. I'd be curious to know if any tests/studies have been done on this?

Some plastics don't contain BPA and are considered microwave/dishwasher safe, but this naturopath's opinion is that nothing should be microwaved in plastic. Stick with glass!

There are times when glass isn't as convenient to carry like when you're hiking on a trail so you can use stainless steel water bottles which I've seen at Walmart & Mountain Equipment Co-op.

If you have trouble finding glass baby bottles, here's a Canadian web company to help you out: http://www.justbabybottles.com