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The SIGG Debacle

I think it’s understandable that one of my biggest fears is that I’ll get some type of cancer.

It’s actually my second biggest fear, right behind being buried alive.

Although there are no official conclusions, research has linked Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in plastic bottles and many other household products to the development of breast cancer.

So last year when Health Canada announced the ban on bottles that contain bisphenol A (BPA) I patted myself on the back a little because I stopped drinking out of plastic bottles a long time ago and switched to metal water bottles as an eco-friendly alternative.

We even went from bottled-water delivery to a bottle-less water filtration system at the office.

Last week, water bottle manufacturer SIGG released a statement that their aluminum bottles made before August 2008 has a water-based epoxy liner which contains a trace amount of BPA. What????

Sigg

I have a bunch of SIGG bottles from before August 2008. I’ve been using them for years now!

I even blogged about them two years ago!

Last year, when the whole ‘BPA is evil’ debate was ongoing I found this reassurance on the SIGG website: “We understand the controversy and concern surrounding BPA leaching from plastic water bottles and can assure you that SIGG bottles are leach-free and 100% safe.”

I really should have read through the lines, because it didn’t really say their bottles were BPA free. SIGG does not disclose what’s in their liners for ‘proprietary’ reasons.

The website Treehugger did a post last year on whether the lining in SIGG bottles were safe, they had this quote from SIGG CEO

“Very thorough migration testing in laboratories around the world is conducted regularly and has consistently shown SIGG aluminum bottles to have no presence of lead, phthalates, Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), Bysphenol A (BPA), Bysphenol B (BPB) or any other chemicals which scientists have deemed as potentially harmful”

Water

All I wanted was to have safe, portable water and be environmentally responsible while I’m at it. I’d like to err on the side of caution and not drink water from a BPA lined bottle.

Now, I know it’s a giant leap to think I could get cancer from drinking from a bottle coated with BPA, but I also don’t know that I won’t, which is why I try to the best of my ability that I don’t.

I’ve been using these bottles heavily for over three years.

I feel betrayed by SIGG, if I’d known that SIGG bottles were lined with the hormone disrupting BPA, I wouldn’t have bought or used them. Let’s not forgot that SIGG bottles aren’t exactly cheap.

Another thing that bothers is that the company claims it’s been using a new BPA free liner since August 2008, so why did it take them a whole year to release this statement? I could have stopped drinking from their BPA lined bottles a year ago.

SIGG is offering to replace the old bottles for anyone who requests it, I think I’ll take my replacements and sell them on eBay or better yet donate them.

If you or someone you know owns a pre August 2008 SIGG metal water bottle and would like a replacement send an email to liners@mysigg.com or info@mysigg.com for more information

Some online retailers have replacement programs too.

Meanwhile, I’m switching to glass bottles!

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