Sigg Water Bottles

Company Highlight

   In our second issue of OLM, more than a year ago, we warned our readers about the health risks associated with plastic bottles and containers leaching BPA (bisphenol A) into our food, water, and other beverages. A year and a half ago, when  Treehugger.com asked Steve Wasik, CEO of SIGG whether the lining in their aluminum bottles contained BPA, they were told the formula of their water-based epoxy lining was proprietary, stating that the bottles consistently tested at “no detectable levels” of BPA. One parent, who saved her email exchange with Steve Wasik, illustrates exactly how evasive he was when asked the direct question.
   As hoards of consumers sought an alternative to plastic water bottles due to the BPA threat, SIGG stood behind their evasive answers, never revealing the fact that their liners did contain BPA.
   New SIGG liners are BPA free. On SIGG’s Q&A page, the question is posed, “What is the SIGG liner made of? Do they contain BPA?”  A link, rather than an answer, takes the reader to a letter from CEO, Steve Wasik apologizing to angry customers who responded to the letter he posted in August.
   Starting with the letter in August, we discover Wasik revealed (with pride) that SIGG began development of a BPA free liner in June 2006, a new liner, which has only been in use since August 2009. He goes on to remind customers that the old liner, which did contain trace amounts of BPA, was thoroughly tested and “showed 0% leaching of BPA.” 
   In his September letter, Wasik is apologizing to his obviously angry customers (hundreds of emails, and “nearly as many blog and Twitter posts”) for his prior communication or lack thereof. “I am sorry that we did not make our communications on the original SIGG liner more clear from the very beginning.” And, “I learned that many of you purchased SIGG bottles - not just because they were free from leaching and safe - but because you believed that SIGGs contained no BPA.”
   He is also announcing a voluntary exchange program, (not a refund program), which is in place until October 31, 2009.

   SIGG claims aluminum from their bottles does not leach into liquids, even if the lining is scratched or broken. They also claim aluminum is not toxic and that there is no link between aluminum and Alzheimer’s. If aluminum is not toxic, why do they have a liner in the first place?
   Also, it appears they still have difficulty answering direct questions, which makes us wonder why they posted the question in the first place. This is verbatim from the SIGG site:
   “Q. What Are SIGG Tops Made Of? Do They Contain BPA?
   A. The primary ingredient utilized in the manufacturing of SIGG bottle tops is Polypropylene (PP). It is recyclable.
   The softer, white material on the SIGG screw tops is Santoprene, a thermoplastic rubber which helps to ensure a secure, leak-proof seal.
   The material used to make SIGG bottle tops fulfills the requirements of materials intended to come into contact with food as described in: FDA, CFR, Title 21(2004) 177.1520 a) (3)(i)(c)(1), 8b) and c) 3.1a Olefin polymers.”
   If the answer to question number 2 is no, why didn’t they say so? This sounds a lot like the earlier rhetoric regarding the liner.
   So let’s get this straight. Customers buy SIGG bottles to avoid BPA, not knowing SIGG’s bottle liner contains BPA. SIGG does not tell customers the lining, which is used to keep liquids from coming in contact with the aluminum bottle has BPA in it until they come out with a BPA free lining, which (as before) was developed to protect liquids from coming into contact with aluminum for absolutely no reason because (SIGG claims) aluminum is not toxic to humans. Yeah, right. We’ll stick with stainless steel bottles.