By Christine Frietchen on September 2, 2009 in
Sigg, maker of popular metal water bottles has always been tight-lipped about its proprietary liner material, but always insisted that their bottles were BPA-free. Treehugger.com was one site that was always suspicious about the liner contents, but were assured by Sigg CEO Steve Wasik that the liners didn't contain BPA (See this 2008 article from Treehugger.) In an about face, Sigg CEO Steve Wasik now admits in a press release that Sigg water bottles made prior to August 2008 did indeed contain "a trace amount" of BPA in their liner material.
Sigg maintains that the older liner never leached BPA. But the nondisclosure has plenty of columnists feeling betrayed.
BPA (bisphenol A) is a chemical that's been linked to health problems in animals, and in humans is suspected to contribute to heart disease and diabetes, as reported in a Time magazine article. The chemical, though not condemned by the FDA, has enough consumers and manufacturers concerned that BPA-free alternative plastics, including baby bottles and BPA-free water bottles, are now easy to find.
As we reported in our review of water bottles, consumers like Sigg water bottles for their good-looking designs, but caginess on the BPA issue prompted us to rate Klean Kanteen water bottles more highly overall; these bottles are made of stainless steel, contain no BPA and are recyclable.
In January 2009, Sigg introduced a new type of liner made of copolyester that's certified to be 100% BPA free.
For owners of Sigg water bottles made prior to August 2008 -- those that have BPA-containing liners -- Sigg will replace your old bottles for free provided you pay for one-way shipping. The company, however, insists these older bottles are still perfectly safe. How can you tell if your Sigg water bottle has one of the older BPA-containing liners? Take a look inside (you might need a flashlight). If the liner is a dull yellow, you've got the newer liner. If it's a copper color, you've got the BPA liner.
Additional sources:
Fitness-industry publication SNEWS broke the story first. You have to be a subscriber to read the report, however.
Treehugger.com has been covering Sigg for several years, including an article by Lloyd Alter on this latest development.
A WalletPop article by Sarah Gilbert represents just one of the angry opinions on the Sigg revelation.
This article at ZRecommends also comments on the controversy and includes screen shots to help you figure out whether you have an old or new Sigg bottle.
To request replacement Sigg water bottles, owners are instructed to send an email to liners@mysigg.com