(In Partnership with SNEWS, Grassroots brings you a comprehensive look at the Controversial BPA Debate)

Since SNEWS® first addressed the issue of BPA leeching into water in a Nov. 12, 2003, story, “Sierra magazine story causes stir over Lexan safety” (click here to read), the curiosity and mild concern over possible human health impacts has turned into a feeding frenzy whipped up by government and media reports and devoured by consumers. On Dec. 6, 2007, Canadian retailer MEC announced that it was pulling all polycarbonate bottles from its shelves “until guidance is provided by the government of Canada on the health risks posed by BPA.” (Click here to read the SNEWS® story.)

The irony in all of this is that we are collectively experiencing far more exposure to BPA through the lining of canned goods than from any water bottle we’ve ever used. Every can on every kitchen shelf is likely lined with a coating that contains BPA. Yes, the canned food industry is now scrambling to find alternatives too, but no one is suffering quite the brunt of scorn and media ridicule as Nalgene. The company was an easy and, as we’ve stated, unfair target. But, that’s now moot. By this time next year, we expect that polycarbonate bottles and containers still in the retail pipeline will have been depleted, replaced instead with alternatives, including the new Eastman product Tritan. Of course, who knows if some scientist down the road will not find something bad about Tritan, too. Only time will tell, but let’s hope for the best.

Please read the full article by the SNEWS Staff here

To read other articles and resources provided by Grassroots Manufacturers on BPA please go here.

Over the past couple of days there has been a lot of information and misinformation in the press on BPA and plastic bottles in general. For our member stores this sent a lot of customers to them trying to get the facts straight. We petitioned our foremost partners in the hydration industry, Nalgene and Camelbak, for their side of the story and received overwhelming support on the issue. We would like to commend both Nalgene and Camelbak for taking the time to educate not only the public but Grassroots members specifically on this issue. We received very timely replies when these companies were scrambling to issue Press Releases and clarify the real issue of BPA to the American public. We urge all consumers to educate themselves on the issue of BPA in hydration systems and to consider the information that is supplied from the manufacturers, as they have the public interest in mind with their products and thoroughly test their products. Please review the links below for more information on this very important topic. Thank you! Grassroots Outdoor Alliance

RESOURCES ON BPA: Camelbak BPA FAQ; Camelbak BPA Statement to Grassroots from CEO; Nalgene.com; BPA and Nalgene; Nalgene Choice- Information Resource

Released by Nalgene 4.9.08:We are confident that Nalgene polycarbonate bottles, which contain the chemical BPA, are safe for their intended use. For many years, scientists, government officials, industry groups and consumer groups have examined the question of whether BPA poses a health risk to people. The great weight of scientific evidence from such studies demonstrates that the risks from exposure to BPA in polycarbonate bottles are negligible and theoretical.The recent study reported in Toxicology Letters confirms our longstanding position that the amount of BPA released from polycarbonate bottles – regardless of whether the water in those bottles is hot or cold – is extremely small and far below established safety standards. The agencies that have set these standards include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the European Food and Safety Authority, and the Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.We have been making our polycarbonate products in the USA for more than 15 years; the safety and integrity of our products are supported by several key practices:

• We only use FDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration) compliant materials and resins.
• Our manufacturing facilities are quality certified by ISO; as a result, we believe we offer higher-quality products than those made overseas.
• All of our products are manufactured here, in the United States.

Therefore, we are confident that it is safe for you to drink from our bottles.We would like to express our sincere appreciation to those customers who are committed to our brand and products. We are, and have always been, deeply committed to creating a safe, high quality, environmentally friendly product to meet our customers’ needs.We also recognize that our customers want a variety of choices and make their decisions based on a wide range of factors, including functionality, style, convenience and safety. As such, we continue to offer the broadest product line in the industry, with a range of choices (both with and without BPA) to meet the needs of every consumer.