SIGG shocks consumers, saying bottles contain BPA

Health-conscious consumers are outraged this week after makers of the metal SIGG water bottles announced recently that until last August the bottles were lined with an epoxy liner that included bisphenol A (BPA). As concern about BPA’s presence in plastic water bottles grew in the past couple years, many savvy consumers switched to metal water bottles, assuming they were BPA-free. But just as all soda cans and food cans contain BPA in their lining, so did the SIGG bottles.

Even though SIGG switched liners in August 2008, the company was still distributing bottles with the BPA liners to retailers up until Tuesday.

CIGG CEO Steve Wasik explained his decision to come out with this announcement now, according to the Calgary Herald:

"The primary reason that I am writing this letter today is because I believe that the BPA conversation has changed dramatically in the last 12 months. Last year, the primary concern was that of BPA leaching from bottles. Since that time, the dialogue has evolved such that now some people are concerned about the mere presence of BPA."

Consumers are angry that SIGG did not disclose its bottles contain BPA, particularly because many spend extra on metal explicitly to avoid BPA. A Nova Scotia mom told the Herald:

"Never did I expect them to have BPA in a liner. To me, it's pretty obvious that people are buying metal bottles because they're afraid of plastic and the BPA issue," Brandi Nicholauson said Tuesday.

"I feel a little bit mislead. That's how I feel. Whoever is making metal bottles out there are definitely benefiting from people being afraid of BPA and plastic."

Canada has banned BPA and several U.S. states including Connecticut and Minnesota have banned the substance in food and beverage containers intended for children. California is currently considering a similar ban, and Californians rallied Wednesday in Sacramento in support of the bill.

To learn more about the SIGG controversy, visit www.safercans.org.