The search for a safe chemical that makes plastic easy to shape, yet hard and clear, has been going on for years in the promotional products industry. It’s easy to understand why—drinkware is a key driver in many programs. We’ve talked here about the BPA-free initiatives that began when the FDA first banned bisphenol A in baby bottles and sippy cups five years ago. We’ve also pointed to the “regrettable” substitutions of BPF and BPS since that time—new chemicals that are at least as dangerous as the BPA they replaced.
But the reality is that BPA was not banned then, and it’s still not banned in other products you source frequently in our industry. The chemical is still found in some liners of food cans and bottle tops, plastic water bottles, eyeglass lenses, and safety equipment. Even some thermal papers used in retail store receipts have BPA-based coatings. Right now, federal regulators consider the small levels of exposure associated with BPA leaching to be safe enough for your clients, although research has the jury on BPA and its replacements still out. Despite a lack of federal direction on this issue, more than a dozen states have pressed forward, passing laws banning or restricting the use of BPA in a variety of products.
“It’s going to be hard to get plastics that are cheap, clear, odorless and lightweight and all the things we want out of them—but not have them leach,” Deborah Kurrasch, a medical geneticist at the University of Calgary, told CTV News. Ms. Kurrasch leads a study on BPA that’s been going on since 2015. “It’s going to be a tall order. At some point society needs to have a conversation about what we’re willing to tolerate.”
In practical terms, all of this suggests that a “BPA-free” label for products you are sourcing might be of little consequence to a client, or their customer. Some of the alternatives to BPA that our industry is using “could be as bad, if not worse,” said Michael Antoniou, a molecular geneticist at King’s College London, advising there needs to be caution when it comes to sourcing alternatives.
Meanwhile, manufacturers still describe BPA as an exceptional industrial chemical. Not only does it make plastics hard, clear, and long-lasting, it’s the basis for resins that protect canned foods from coming in direct contact with metal, which prevents corrosion and preserves flavor. The Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group, an industry organization, describes BPAs as providing “high-performance benefits in a wide array of consumer and industrial products that perform well in harsh settings.”
All of this might be murky enough for many clients to still feel comfortable with BPA and its substitutes, and not ask whether it’s time to discuss how much risk they should tolerate. For those who aren’t comfortable and looking to avoid the bisphenol family altogether, options are very limited. But, there are options. Two drink bottle makers, Nalgene and Camelbak, promote their BPA, BPS, and BPF-free products, constructed using a completely different material called Tritan. As with so many other promo products, retail trends may lead the way on this one. It might just be that your risk-averse client may want you to take them down the no-bisphenol path (again), sooner than later. It’s always a good idea to be prepared with the right answers to customer concerns, and that’s truly a consultative selling opportunity you can take advantage of.
Jeff Jacobs has been an expert in building brands and brand stewardship for 40 years, working in commercial television, Hollywood film and home video, publishing, and promotional brand merchandise. He’s a staunch advocate of consumer product safety and has a deep passion and belief regarding the issues surrounding compliance and corporate social responsibility. He retired as executive director of Quality Certification Alliance, the only non-profit dedicated to helping suppliers provide safe and compliant promotional products. Before that, he was director of brand merchandise for Michelin. You can find him still advising Global 500 Brands on promo product initiatives, working as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem, traveling the world with his lovely wife, or enjoying a cigar at his favorite local cigar shop. Follow Jeff on Twitter, or reach out to him at jacobs.jeffreyp@gmail.com.