Reusable water bottles sold here mostly did not leach BPA: CASE

Out of 20 different reusable plastic water bottles tested, Bisphenol A was only detected in one of them, and it was within the acceptable limit, says the Consumers Association of Singapore.
Channel NewsAsia 13 Jan 16;

SINGAPORE: Tests on 20 different reusable plastic water bottles sold in the Republic have shown that almost all of them had no detectable levels of Bisphenol A (BPA) leaching into the water, according to a study by the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE).

BPA, a carbon-based synthetic compound used to make plastics such as polycarbonate and polysulfone, has been linked to heart problems and diabetes in humans. The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore adopts the European Union BPA migration limit of 0.6 μg per ml – the tolerable amount of BPA that may transfer to liquid in a plastic container, and has also banned BPA in baby bottles.

Of the 20 water bottles tested, no BPA was found in 19 of them, and the last one – by Chinese manufacturer Zenxin – had BPA within the acceptable limit, said CASE. The Zenxin polycarbonate bottle, which did not carry a “BPA-free” claim, released 0.08 μg of BPA per ml of water, within the EU limit.

The bottles, which came in different sizes and prices and were from a variety of brands, were purchased from supermarkets, neighbourhood retail outlets and outdoor shops in Singapore, said CASE.

CASE also advised consumers to follow the bottle manufacturers’ usage and cleaning instructions, and to only use them as recommended "in order to reduce the deterioration of the product and the leaching of harmful chemicals".

- CNA/av

Reusable plastic water bottles here mostly did not leach BPA: CASE study
Today Online 13 JAn 16;

SINGAPORE — A study of 20 brands of reusable plastic water bottles sold here has found that most of the bottles did not leach Bisephenol A (BPA) under normal usage conditions.

The exception was one bottle from the brand Zenxin, but the level of BPA detected was well within the European Union (EU) BPA migration limit adopted by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, which regulates such food-contact articles.

There have been health concerns related to human exposure to BPA, a carbon-based synthetic compound used to make certain plastics, with links to heart problems and diabetes in humans. Previous studies on animals have also shown that very high doses of BPA are likely to affect the liver and kidneys.

In the study, two bottles each from 20 different lesser-known brands of reusable plastic water bottles were bought by CASE mystery shoppers from supermarkets, neighbourhood retail outlets and outdoor shops island-wide. The prices of the bottles ranged from S$2.50 for a 400ml bottle to S$30 for a foldable 1.5-litre bottle. Eleven of the bottles carried “BPA-free” claims and nine did not.

During the test, the bottles were filled with distilled water and kept at a constant temperature of 40°C for 24 hours. The water was then tested for BPA.


Test results of CASE's study of BPA leaching in 20 brands of reusable plastic water bottles sold here.
ND indicates "not detected".


Test results showed the polycarbonate bottle made by Zenxin, a Chinese manufacturer, released 0.08mg of BPA per millilitre of water, which is within the migration limit of 0.6mg of BPA per millilitre of water. The bottle, which is sold for S$6.90, did not carry a “BPA-free” claim.

CASE noted that bottles made using good manufacturing practices may not leach BPA, even if it forms part of the base material.

The European Food Safety Authority has deemed that although BPA could pose some risk to consumers, current BPA exposure levels in the market are too low to adversely affect human health. In Singapore, the AVA has banned the use of BPA in infant feeding bottles sold here as a precautionary measure given infants’ high food intake-to-body weight ratio.

Test shows reusable plastic bottles here safe
Jessica Lim, Straits Times AsiaOne 14 Jan 16;

The Case test involved filling the plastic bottles with distilled water and keeping them at 40 deg C for 24 hours. The water was then tested for Bisphenol A (BPA). There have been health concerns related to human exposure to BPA, with a study showing a link between high urinary BPA levels and heart problems and diabetes.

A check by Singapore's consumer watchdog has found that reusable plastic water bottles here are, more likely than not, safe to use.

The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) bought 20 brands of reusable plastic bottles from supermarkets, neighbourhood retail outlets and outdoor shops here.

Two samples of each - from lesser-known brands and costing between $2.50 and $30 - were sent to a laboratory to test for Bisphenol A (BPA), a carbon-based synthetic compound used to make plastics such as polycarbonate (PC) and polysulfone (PSU).

BPA-based plastic is clear and tough, making it popular for consumer goods such as water bottles, compact discs and can linings.

The test involved filling the bottles with distilled water and keeping them at 40 deg C for 24 hours. The water was then tested for BPA.

Results showed that the bottle from Chinese manufacturer Zenxin - which did not claim to be BPA-free - released 0.08 micrograms of BPA per millilitre of water. This is well within the European Union's BPA migration limit of 0.6mcg/ml, adopted by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA). No BPA was detected in the other 19 bottles.

There have been health concerns related to human exposure to BPA. A study by the University of Exeter in England suggested a link between high urinary BPA levels and heart problems and diabetes. Other studies on animals have also shown that very high doses of BPA are likely to affect the liver and kidneys.

Since 2008, several countries, such as the United States and Australia, have investigated BPA safety, prompting some retailers to withdraw PC and PSU products.

The AVA also prohibits the use of BPA in infant feeding bottles.

Case president Lim Biow Chuan said that although its tests were "encouraging", consumers should follow the usage and cleaning instructions of the water bottle makers. This, he said, would help to reduce the deterioration of the product and the leaching of harmful chemicals, especially when the bottles are heated.

He added: "We decided to do the checks because many of us have such water bottles and children use them, too. If we don't conduct a check on such commonly-used items, then we will be remiss in our duty."

Engineer Yeo Min, 32, said she was glad Case's results were positive. She said: "I'm happy the study didn't find anything because if it did, I would probably have to stop using my bottles. It's good to know that what is on the market is safe to use."