I hate to sound jaded, but I had a sinking feeling that my jazzy aluminum SIGG bottle was a little too good and squeaky clean to be true. If the inside of your SIGG brand aluminum bottle has a coppery gold liner like mine does (see the top right image), then you should definitely retire your bottle. It was just revealed that all SIGG bottles manufactured before August 2008 were made with a gold lining that contains trace amounts of BPA (Bisphenol A), which is a hazardous organic compound that disrupts the human endocrine system and can lead to very serious health concerns. Many of us invested in SIGG bottles thinking that we were taking out an insurance policy of sorts (both for our own health and that of our planet's) so this latest bit of news is rather distressing.
Now that they've fessed up, they seem to be trying to make amends with their offer to replace old SIGG bottles with a new versions that are equipped with their improved "EcoCare Liner". Personally, I'm just a little bit hesitant to trust that this liner will be any safer, but for those of you who want to give it a whirl, just send an e-mail to liners@mysigg.com informing them that you have an old BPA SIGG bottle that you'd like a replacement for. While they request that consumers mail in their old bottles at their own expense, they will supposedly send a new one out to you at no cost. I'm wondering what everyone here thinks about this turn of events. Are you thinking more and more about using your cupped hands to get a good drink of water instead of test driving yet another iffy portable bottle?
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HERE'S AN UPDATE:
I did contact SIGG last week via e-mail and finally got a response from them today:
"At this time we cannot offer you a refund for your bottles, however we understand your concern and will gladly replace your bottle[s] with brand new SIGG bottles featuring our EcoCare, BPA free liner. We ask that you return your old bottles to us as proof of purchase and so that we may recycle them. Please confirm you have the old liners in all bottles being returned to us by visiting http://mysigg.com/liner - New liner bottles, or stainless steel bottles returned to us will only be returned to you and slow down the replacement process significantly. Please print and fill this out and ship the bottle[s] back to us. Upon receipt, we will issue you a gift certificate pin code good toward the purchase of replacement bottles on mysigg.com, this will include the shipping. No need to return any tops or the caps currently on your bottles, as these are BPA free and may come in handy as extras when you receive your replacement[s]. We enclose a mailing label with the appropriate RMA, please USE THIS shipping label on the outside of your package so that we may expedite the processing of your return. Failure to use this label will cause your package to be misdirected in our warehouse, and seriously delay your replacement. Please note that this mailing label does not include postage for the bottles you are returning. We are sorry for the inconvenience. You may choose to keep your current bottle as they have been proven not to leach, [http://mysigg.com/bulletin/testing.html] but if you want to upgrade your bottle[s], you will have to bear the cost of returning it to us. Thank you in advance for your kind understanding in this regard. If you have any questions, please hit reply to this email [liners@mysigg.com] and let us know."
Anita Quincy
said on August 27, 2009
Elizah Leigh
said on August 27, 2009
Diana Hickman
said on August 28, 2009
Linda Lucille
said on August 28, 2009
"While aluminum is lightweight, it can leach toxins and chemicals when it gets hot or comes in contact with anything acidic. Studies have also linked aluminum exposure to Alzheimer's disease. To ensure that the drinks inside aluminum bottles are safe, the bottles must be lined with something.
The most common materials used to line aluminum bottles include plastic or baked-on epoxy, both of which can leach BPA and other toxic chemicals or can get scratched, exposing the aluminum underneath. Ceramic is another material used to line aluminum bottles, but it's more rigid and can crack.
We chose 18/8, food-grade stainless steel instead of aluminum or plastic because the metal is inherently safe and toxin-free. Stainless steel is made of many elements and minerals that come from the earth, including some of the very same minerals recommended by the FDA as part of a healthy human diet.
Food-grade stainless steel is used in the brewing, food and winemaking industries too. It’s the material of choice because it doesn’t retain or impart flavors.
All our caps are BPA-free polypropylene (pp#5) too, and we offer stainless steel cap options for Classic bottles as well.
Of even greater concern is the fact that many companies won't release information about what the liner on their aluminum bottles is actually made from. The liner can also retain flavors, which can make your drinks taste funky.
The stainless steel used to make Klean Kanteens™ is time-tested, safe and completely free of BPA, phthalates, lead and other toxins. It's fine for acidic beverages or foods, and doesn't retain or impart flavors. That's why it's the material most commonly used in food preparation and by the brewing and wine-making industries."
Kieran K.
said on August 31, 2009
Barnabas Abraham
said on August 31, 2009
Meena Kapur
said on August 31, 2009
ECO GIRL
said on April 13, 2010
Diana Hickman
said on April 14, 2010