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The New Bad Boy on the BPA Block
If you were one of the parents who went racing around for a new BPA-free alternative after the big Sigg announcement this summer, sit down. We’ve got another one for you – and this is a doozy.
Z Recommends – who initially broke the story of how bogus Sigg’s BPA-free claims were – has a new story of water bottles gone bad that makes Sigg’s look like they’re candy coated.
The blog posting this week notes Gaiam – known as the go-to for yoga gear – “quietly added information to its retail website which admits to independent lab test results showing leaching levels at 23.8 parts per billion.”
That’s twenty TIMES the amount of BPA that was found in the Sigg bottles. And, yes, these were bottles being marketed as “BPA-free.”
Among those still being marked as BPA-free, the company has added this disclaimer: “We also took additional steps to help ensure your safety via independent laboratory tests that go well beyond FDA requirements. An independent lab subjected our aluminum water bottles to continuous extreme heat — nearly 200 degrees Fahrenheit — in an environmental chamber for three days while the bottles were filled with water. Under these extreme conditions, a trace amount of BPA (23.8 parts per billion) was detected in the water inside the bottle.”
Trace amounts, huh? Does that sound like it’s BPA FREE?
Studies have linked BPA to everything from cancer and obesity to problems with brain function and mood disorders. And recently the stories of BPA issues have been mounting. The latest? Kids don’t need to even ingest it themselves – a pregnant woman (maybe one doing prenatal yoga – ahem) who intakes BPA may be creating aggression in her kids.
I gave birth just four years ago, and the amount of information on BPA has seemed to quadruple in that time. So too have the number of companies marketing “BPA-free” products . . . and those whose claims are falling flat.
Do you look for the BPA-free label? Do you trust it?
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[...] want more info? Check Strollerderby, JustGetThere, Mother Nature Network, and of course, Z [...]
(Green)Grounded » Blog Archive » Not Even Touching Gaiam commented on Oct 08 09 at 11:18 pmT commented on Oct 08 09 at 5:52 pmGlad I don’t have those bottles. Sounds like the vaccine makers saying they are free of thimerosol when in fact they contain “trace amounts”.
Ali commented on Oct 08 09 at 6:39 pmWe never use plastic. Glass only.
bettywu commented on Oct 08 09 at 11:45 pmor like people panicking about thimerosol when there are no proven ill effects from it!
And your own link shows that “The NTP has negligible concern that exposure of pregnant women to bisphenol A will result in fetal or neonatal mortality, birth defects, or reduced birth weight and growth in their offspring.”
And your big scientific link on aggression? A local news story on a preliminary, 250 person study that looks at no other factors.
Stop peddling fear without real science behind it.
Larissa commented on Oct 09 09 at 1:25 amThing is, you don’t have to be using plastic to be exposed to BPAs. They’re in linings to metals as well – not just water bottles but canned foods as well. Even if you go all Little House on the Prairie and can your own food, the canning jar lids have BPAs on them as well. It is insidious.
PlumbLucky commented on Oct 09 09 at 8:11 amOkay, but BPA was the original estrogen replacement therapy…tell me how THAT can be any good?
abqgirl commented on Oct 09 09 at 8:29 amThe thing that stinks about all of this is that you can’t even make an informed choice. When we buy plastics the only thing I can count on is a company’s reputation and their word that it’s bpa-free (or pthalate free or pvc free) but given all the false claims even the “good” companies lie. I’m glad to see more web sites like skin deep and others popping up as independent sources so we can at least try to do our own research before buying. Like Larissa said, you can’t get away from it all you can do is try to limit your exposure and part of that is by trusting manufacturers.
John Muir commented on Oct 09 09 at 1:28 pmCommentsGaiam the world’s leading supplier of yoga inspired products, also continues to manufacture “PVC” yoga mats representing MILLIONS of “PVC” mat sales over the last decade including PVC yoga mats to kids (YogaKids Mats) …… Fashionably green? No, much worse……. ethically compromised and corrupt. Gaiam consciously strategically unapologetically sells PVC yoga mats because of the substantial profits it derives from the aggregate sales of mats. Consumers should be very suspicious of all claims that Gaiam represents for its Green Yoga products going forward.
Joe commented on Oct 09 09 at 1:55 pmThis just in – exposing humans to 200 degrees for three days isn’t good for them, either…
Bec commented on Oct 09 09 at 2:07 pmOMG OMG WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!1!1!
Better now? I agree with abqgirl; it sucks that consumers are not able to make informed choices when they don’t have the right information. That’s about all I’m willing to take from this article.
Botanist commented on Oct 09 09 at 10:23 pmAli, does not glass leach lead?
sgy commented on Oct 13 09 at 4:33 pmChimicles & Tikellis is investigating a potential class action lawsuit on behalf of consumers that have purchased aluminum water bottles made by Gaiam. Specifically, C&T is investigating allegations that Gaiam aluminum water bottles have tested positive for high levels of the toxic chemical bispenol A (“BPA”). Gaiam reportedly advertised its aluminum water bottles as being BPA-free.
If you have purchased an aluminum water bottle made by Gaiam, please contact the attorneys below.
Attorneys to Contact:Benjamin F. Johns (BFJ@chimicles.com)
Matthew D. Schelkopf (MatthewSchelkopf@chimicles.com)
361 West Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA 19041 Phone: 610-642-8500
Cyndi commented on Oct 19 11 at 3:14 amwe could all just make little cups with our little hands and drink water that way and then we can be ‘safe’.
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