So we’ve all heard about how ‘dangerous’ BPA is, right? But do we know why? Do we know just how dangerous? (You know, is it a oh-my-goodness-your-health-will-suffer dangerous or an ok-people-are-probably-overreacting-but-i’ll-play-along dangerous?) And what can we do about it? What solutions are available and which ones are worth pursuing?
BPA, or Bisphenol A, is a compound found in hard, clear polycarbonate plastics. Recently, the U.S. government’s National Toxicology Program supported the claims of a scientific panel who expressed concern about physiological changes that occur in people when they ingest BPA. Ingestion of BPA occurs when the chemical is leached from the plastic into the food.
The Canadian government has even considered declaring the chemical toxic, as reported in the New York Times. An article from US News and World Report notes “this could set the stage for banning it from plastic baby bottles, water bottles, and food containers. At the very least, some people will be even more eager to buy foods and beverages in BPA-free containers.”
According to an article from US News and World report, “several dozen scientists issued a review of 700 studies on BPA warning that the levels most people are exposed to put them at elevated risk of uterine fibroids, endometriosis, breast cancer, decreased sperm counts, and prostate cancer. Infants, the report said, are most vulnerable to BPA.”
I don’t know about any of you, but I used to be one of those people who would drink one bottle of water and then refill it throughout the workday, using it as my water bottle. Apparently this is like, the. worst. thing. ever. Read this. The horror!
Side note: this is the part where we realize that BPA is, in fact, an “oh-my-goodness-your-health-will-suffer dangerous,” just in case some of the above didn’t register. So this is pretty serious. OK. Noted. What now?
Enter: this week’s ‘try it!’ I did a lot of research on BPA-free products and ultimately decided to give SIGG a go. It helped that it already had a shining endorsement from the Mister, but I want you all to know I did my due diligence and looked into other options, as well.
But after reading some reviews from SustainLane (such a great site, by the way!) and reading some information from the SIGG Web site, I was confident in my decision.
From mysigg.com:
Many people think that they are helping the environment by refilling their plastic PET water bottles. But are you helping yourself?
“Disposable PET bottles are designed for one time use,” states Simran Sethi of The Discovery Channel. «Refilling them can release harmful toxins from the packaging – especially when it gets heated. If you’re tasting plastic, you’re ingesting plastic.
In 2008, many major North American retailers discontinued selling reusable plastic bottles made from polycarbonate #7 (brands such as Nalgene) due to concerns that these bottles were leaching Bisphynol-A. A report by Health Canada called this chemical (BPA) dangerous.
And not all metal water bottles are alike. Very recently there have been major recalls of Chinese-made aluminium water bottles for lead in the paint. Tests have shown that Chinese-made aluminium water bottles, like many polycarbonate #7 plastic bottles, also leach the chemical BPA.
A SIGG Bottle is your healthy and safe choice for your body. The baked-on, crack resistant bottle liner makes sure that you drink what you want to drink – and not unwanted chemicals. The SIGG bottle liner is leach-proof and resistant even to energy drinks, fruit acids and carbonation.
SIGG bottles are manufactured in Switzerland with no BPA, no lead, no phthalates – in other word, no risk to you! Look for the SIGG brand name to ensure you are getting the healthiest & safest reusable water bottle in the world!
Also, if you actually read this article I referenced above, you’d have seen that SIGG was a recommended option!
OK, I admit it. The adorable, stylish design options certainly only helped me settle on my decision to go SIGG. They have so many to choose from. I couldn’t decide!
This is what I finally decided on.
Gorilla SIGG - isn't he cute?
FLASHy Gorilla 
Also wanted to share a shot of the Mister’s…
The Mister's SIGG
His & Her SIGGs
So, was the 20-something price tag of the SIGG worth it?
YES!
Reasons why I love my SIGG:
1.) I feel super cool carrying it around
2.) It’s good for the environment (read this and this)
3.) It keeps my water cold
4.) I’ve already saved a ton of money not buying bottled water anymore
5.) It’s a good ice-breaker (in meetings, etc.). Although those of you who know me know that I don’t need an excuse to talk to people!
6.) It’s HEALTHY
7.) I match the Mister and we can tote out SIGGs around together like the dorks we are!
All in all, I love this product and it really has made a difference. The water tastes like…water. Cool, crisp and refreshing – no funny aftertaste or nasty chemical-like plastic taste. Just….water.
Do you drink from a SIGG (or similar BPA-free bottle)? Which design do you have?
Tags: product review
I keep meaning to look for a SIGG but haven’t gotten around to it yet. Having said that, I replaced my old Nalgenes a while ago with a cute metal bottle from LuluLemon…which is made of similar stuff to SIGG.
I have a 32 ounce SIGG and love it. However, over the weekend I saw some friends who informed me that the lining in SIGG can break down and cause harm to your body. Do you know if this is true? I really hope not!
Rose:
I came across that question when I was doing some research.
from the SIGG site:
SIGG has proprietary rights with a 3rd party producer of our liner formula. In other words, we do not produce it ourselves. This supplier is based in Switzerland and has an impeccable reputation for quality and safety. SIGG is THE ONLY WATER BOTTLE ON THE MARKET to use this special liner. As there are many copy-cat manufacturers in the market that would like to get their hands on this formula, our supplier has an agreement with SIGG to keep his formula strictly confidential.
“Because we know that this liner is the very best on the market and we would like to continue working with this supplier, we have honored this agreement.
More important than the formula of the liner – is THE PERFORMANCE of the liner. Very thorough migration testing in laboratories around the world is conducted regularly and has consistently shown SIGG bottles to have NO PRESENCE WHATSOEVER of phthalates, Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), Bysphenol A (BPA), Bysphenol B (BPB) or any other chemicals which scientists have deemed as potentially harmful.”
from: http://www.mysigg.com/FAQ/
also found this:
SIGG President, Steve Wasik addressed this rumour:
One of the reasons SIGG is the world leader in the manufacturing of premium water bottles is because of our proprietary bottle liner. This special liner is a water-based, non-toxic polymer which has been perfected over decades of Swiss craftsmanship. Like Coca-Cola’s soft drink recipe, the SIGG liner formula remains secret and unavailable to third parties in order to protect our competitive advantage. The Swiss have confirmed to me the following information which may be of interest to you:
1. The SIGG bottle liner meets and exceeds requirements outlined by the USA FDA regulations (175.300). The liner is micro thin and still allows for the bottle to be 100% recyclable.
2. Due to the finish/porosity of the liner, SIGGs outperform polycarbonate #7 and other plastic materials at reducing bacteria build-up and ease of cleaning.
3. The SIGG bottle liner is totally inert because it is baked on at extremely high temperatures (over 200 degrees Celsius). The liner is flexible and remains intact and fully functioning no matter how dented the outside of the bottle becomes.
4. SIGGs are safe to be placed in the dishwasher with no harm to the liner. In addition, SIGG’s liner protects from any migration or leaching of the liner & container into the liquid. All tests of the liquid reveal no trace (0 %) of any of the following chemicals: Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), Bysphenol A (BPA)
I have 2 Camelbak H2o bottles for myself, and I bought one for my DH. He works from home, and I like to make sure he drinks enough water. (What man does?) My next step will be to buy little ones for my kids.
I have a sigg too. The only 2 things I don’t love about it is that it gets freezing cold when you fill it with cold water (so you can’t actually hold the bottle) and that you can’t see how much you’ve drank already. Otherwise I think it looks pretty cool and I like that it’s BPA free
I have a sigg too, and LOVE IT! I find mine a little hard to carry around, so I bought a BPA-free Nalgene bottle with a big pink heart on it. Super cute too!
haha what an ordeal it was for me to figure out which design i wanted! i couldn’t decide!! i love the gorilla one! so guess waht, i got the all silver bottle lol. but i LOVE it and drink out of it and carry it with me every day
I don’t have a sigg but I’ve always wanted one! I love the whole concept of them
I use a pink camelbak that is BPA-free =)
Awesome post! I have 2 BPA-free bottles I alternate with, they’re not nearly as pretty as the SIGGs though. It really helps me remember to drink more water, and I don’t have to waste money on plastic bottles, recycling, etc!
I love my Sigg…totally worth the price tag. Mine is black with silver square/rectangle designs on it…it’s identical to Tina’s at Carrots & Cake, if you’ve ever seen hers. I love my Siggy!!
[...] ‘Try It’ – I swig from a SIGG! Learn why you MUST make the switch … [...]
I love my SIGG bottles as well, I’ve had them for years. I just picked up a few of the 2009 designs on http://reusablebags.com after receiving a 10% off coupon in their newsletter- SIGMAR10 – it takes 10% off ALL SIGG, not just the bottles. Great deal! Can’t wait for my new bottles!
[...] the fact is, Central and South Americans have long known about these benefits.” Shannon presents ‘Try It’ – I swig from a SIGG! Learn why you MUST make the switch to BPA-free bottles. posted at The Daily Balance. Shannon says of her article, “Explains the dangers BPAs and plastic [...]
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