I am sure that many of you have read or at least heard rumor of the issues surrounding the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA) and it's use in lexan water bottles.  There has been a huge amount of media about this issue in the last while.  In talking to many of our customers it has become very clear to me that there is a substantial amount of confusion about the issue.  For 15 years Peterborough has looked to us for information and advice on a host products.  In keeping with that tradition we have done some digging to determine to the best of our ability the seriousness of the risks involved.

It has been our position since the concerns about BPA came into the media earlier this year that we would make any reports that we found available to our customers and allow them to make their own decisions.  You may have noticed the report from the European Food Safety Authority among others by our bottle display.  Many western nations or groups of nations (remember that generally the EU has much tougher environmental and health standards than we do) have already completed studies of BPA and found it to be safe.  There is no doubt that BPA is not good for one if ingested in quantity.  The issue is how much it leaches out of any given product under normal use.  Keep in mind that you have been exposed to it since the early sixties in the lining of every canned good you have ingested.  That's right, every soup, coke, beer or canned vegetable. 

We have been criticized by some for not immediately pulling the product from our shelves but we feel that the choice should be up to the customer.  Currently, the lexan products here at Wild Rock are only available over-the-counter so that a person who has not thought specifically about the issue will not inadvertently purchase one. 

It is our wish that we not be responsible for wasting our customer's money and the world's resources by encouraging people to replace their current drinking bottles if they do not need to.  In an effort to make the issue more simple there are a number of items below that are directly quoted from the Health Canada study.  I think what you will see is that the concerns are very specific and do not apply to most of us.  Those with small children should certainly do some research to determine how to proceed as the risk is much greater for infants.  This seems to be mostly due to the fact that lexan bottles are often heated when used for feeding.

Quote from the Health Canada Study.

"The preliminary research tells us the general public need not be concerned. In general, most Canadians are exposed to very low levels of bisphenol A and it does not pose a significant health risk.

Our focus now is on the health of newborns and infants under 18 months. Science tells us that exposure levels are below those that could cause health effects, but since they are close to the levels where potential effects could occur, the Government wants to be prudent and reduce exposures further.

Studies have shown the main source of exposure for newborns and infants is from bisphenol A migrating from the lining of cans into liquid infant formula and migrating from the polycarbonate baby bottles into the liquid inside following the addition of boiling water."

Quotes from the Health Canada Question and Answer page: