Chattanooga Pulse

A few years ago, we learned that our plastic bottles could be leeching BPA into the water we drink. All of a sudden, we were turning skeptical eyes toward our trusty Nalgenes. Our attempts to reduce bottled water waste and stay hydrated were being counteracted by the fears of what might happen if we continued to ingest bishpehnol-A (BPA) on a regular basis.

BPA has recently been put on the Environmental Protection Agency’s “priority review list.” This chemical, used to harden plastic (thus the “indestructible” Nalgene), has been linked to the development of diabetes, premature puberty in girls, reduced sperm count in men, and developmental problems in infants, among a variety of other health problems. With these dangers being linked to plastic bottles, more and more waste-conscious water drinkers were switching to aluminum. Although Nalgene reformed their product, the Swiss company SIGG started to replace the popular plastic brand.

SIGG benefited greatly from having the right product at the right time. This company answered the call to provide an attractive and quality product with a practical purpose but which would not put the consumer in danger. With merchandise ranging from simple to trendy and girly, including a line of kid’s-sized sippie-bottles, which some parents invested in to avoid using plastic baby bottles, SIGGs started to become the norm. The company received plenty of free advertising as the aluminum bottles started to appear in the hands of eco- and health-savvy celebrities.  Now you can find the aluminum bottles (SIGG and their knock-offs) at most stores, usually in a rack above the plastics.

Little did eager consumers know: These aluminum bottles, the seemingly safest choice for portable water, are not necessarily BPA-free. In fact, SIGG bottles that were manufactured before August 2008 all contained the chemical. However, it was less likely, the company claimed, for BPA to leech into the water from the aluminum in the way it does from plastic. There haven’t been any reported cases of the BPA leeching into that generation of bottles, but some think that SIGG should have been promoting the truth about their products instead of riding the wave of another product’s failure.

The company is reported to have started research developing a new, BPA-free liner as early as 2006. Meanwhile, consumers were spending about 20 dollars on what they thought to be a completely safe container. In 2007, new research was released to the public about BPA and its effects. Some states, including Illinois, Connecticut, and Michigan, have placed bans on the chemical, and more states are starting to follow suit. As the hype grew, consumers started to discover that SIGG, in fact, contained BPA in its liners. When their discrepancy was brought to light, the company, while refusing requests to give refunds, agreed to exchange older bottles for newer, BPA-free models. CEO Steve Wasik became a target of customers’ outrage, and he promised in a mass e-mail that his company would not let them down in the future, admitting that to be a “green company” one must maintain a high level of “corporate transparency.”

If you are reading this and starting to stare down at your SIGG, sitting so innocently next to you, and wondering if it may actually be a porter of poison, take a look inside. The older, copper colored inside contains the BPA-infused liner. The new EcoCare liner, which is powder-based and co-polyester, is a pale yellow color. SIGGs with this new liner are said to be 100 percent BPA-free. If you search the company’s web site, you can find the section on their exchange program.  A part of it reads:

“Please note that you will need to pay to ship your bottles inbound to SIGG for replacement as this is a voluntary program—not a recall. To our knowledge, the companies that made plastic polycarbonate #7 bottles—which in 2008 were pulled from retail shelves for leaching BPA—never offered their consumers any sort of free exchange program. We believe our exchange policy is very fair.”

The exchange program was available only through October 31 of this year. Some retail locations may still offer the exchange.

In the end, it seems as if SIGG did what they could to make right by their customers. They are still producing the original product we all love, but now it is actually “safe,” or at least, safer than it was.

Victoria Hurst is a proud resident of the Appalachian Mountains. She has recently graduated from Warren Wilson College with a B.A. in English: Creative Writing.