What’s all the fuss about BPA?

BPA – Bisphenol A is a chemical building block used primarily to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. An NBC Today Show news segment created quite a stir about the safety of that chemical. Just Google “BPA” and you’ll be presented with a ton of information – both for and against. I’ve read many articles and have spoken with my suppliers who make polycarbonate bottles and I still don’t consider myself an expert on the subject. But here’s what I can tell you:
In the promotional products world – BPA can be found in polycarbonate water bottles. This is the Nalgene style of plastic – rigid, shatter resistant and translucent. BPA is not typically found in flexible plastic (traditional bike bottles, opaque plastics). It is possible to make polycarbonate style bottles using non-BPA materials.
Unlike in the retail market where BPA baby bottles can be twice as expensive as non-BPA, the price for non-BPA water bottles is comparable to the BPA version. In the media, the recycle code #7 has been given a bad rap. Recycle code #7 simply means that it is not classified as another type of plastic (ie PETE, HDPE, etc). It may or may not contain BPA.
Keep in mind that BPA is not just in our water bottles. BPA is found in many places that touch our lives – including many water cooler bottles and the lining of tin cans. If having a BPA free water bottle is important to you, all you have to do is ask your Promotional Consultant. Remember, the FDA still says that BPA is safe, it’s not against the law to sell them and many bottles being sold today still contain BPA. If this is an important issue to you, make sure to ask before purchasing.

Julia Wright, MAS

Wright Choice Promotions