Monday, April 23, 2012

What you need to know about BPA


Introducing Cheeki BPA Free water bottles, they are what I choose to use for my family!


PLAY MY INTERVIEW BELOW





At Cheeki we are extremely proud of our stainless steel products.
Our product range consists of bottles for kids, mums, dads, adults, sports people, coffee guzzlers and soup connoisseurs - and everyone else who wants a healthy, environmentally friendly container to drink from.
Our Products are all
  • built from premium grade 304 18/8 stainless steel
  • BPA-free (Bisphenol A)
  • use non-toxic inks
  • multi-use - reducing the amount of plastic heading to land-fill 
  • no inside lining – no chemicals leaching into your drink
  • bright and colourful
Our designs are original and all gorgeous.  They fit in with and enhance any lifestyle. 


Cheeki was founded on the promise of a healthy, environmentally friendly, cost effective and fun alternative to our world’s harmful dependence on disposable water bottles and coffee cups. 

Established by Simon Karlik and co-directors, Larry and Robyne Dimant in May 2009, Cheeki has become Australia’s leading brand of stainless steel water bottles with recent expansion into the New Zealand market.  Since inception, Cheeki’s business offering has grown significantly to include environmentally sound flasks, mugs and shakers.  Cheeki’s retail space has also expanded from traditional channels to include pharmacies, health food stores and newsagencies. 

The Healthier Choice – Make Cheeki Your Way of Life
Cheeki’s range of products is completely BPA-free.  Bisphenol-A or BPA has been identified as a potential carcinogen that is found within many common household plastics including some baby and water bottles.  A chemical used in the manufacture of plastics, BPA has been linked to brain synapse, breast cancer as well as reproductive and developmental impairments.  You cook from a stainless steel pot – why not drink from stainless steel too?

Cheeki uses a Food Grade 304 stainless steel (also known as 18/18) and features varnish paint for durability. 

The Cheeki Passion
Cheeki began with a passion, and the passion for Planet Earth continues to grow.  Every day we strive to provide Australians with a sustainable alternative to plastic.  Plastic is made from toxic chemicals that cause air pollution and then takes hundreds of years to decompose, filling up our oceans and clogging up our landfills.  Reusing common plastic containers and bottles can cause the plastic to break down and leach those toxic chemicals back into drinking water. 

Break Even
Safe and cost-effective!  Cheeki bottles are so economical, you only need to refill the bottle five times as compared to purchasing five bottled waters to ‘break even’ – this saving makes Cheeki the best and easiest choice on the market. 

Suit Your Taste
Cheeki continuously adds to the range, to make sure there is something to suit everyone that is fun, on-trend and that inspire a healthier choice.   Available in a variety of shapes, designs and sizes starting from 350ml all the way to 1.2 litre, there is something for everyone from babies, toddlers, athletes, travellers and everyday users.    




     Bisphenol A ( more commonly referred to as BPA ) is widely used in the linings of many canned foods and beverages as well as in many hard plastic containers and thermal receipt paper. BPA has been in use for over 50 years, and is often used to make plastics hard and shatter-resistant. It's also used to coat metal items like the inside of food cans, bottle caps and canned drinks. You can find BPA in plastic baby bottles, sports equipment, compact discs, water bottles, medical equipment, dental sealants, eyeglass lenses, electronic devices, paints, and countless other consumer products.
 BPA leaches because the ingredients used in producing polycarbonates and epoxy resins are just loosely bound enough that they break down under heat or when damaged.






      Seven U.S. states have banned BPA in some products ( infant products, specifically - Connecticut, Minnesota, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York Wisconsin, Vermont, and Washington State ) , Denmark and France have restricted it, Canada designates it a "toxic chemical," and Germany warns consumers to avoid it. I found this list online, and was quite taken aback by the number of large food companies that still use BPA in packaging. To be fair - most companies do have plans to phase out BPA. However, most have set the phase out date far in the future - some as late as 2020.




 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expressed "some concern" about BPA's potential effects on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and young children but has not banned it. Specifically, scientists believe BPA consumptionespecially among women of child bear age is strongly cautioned - the effects of BPA are cumulative, and perinatal exposure to BPA has significant risks to the unborn child.

 How are recyclable plastics marked?



  In general, plastics that are marked with recycle codes 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 are very unlikely to contain BPA. Some, but not all, plastics that are marked with recycle codes 3 or 7 may be made with BPA.

     Why is this connected with Clean Eating?  Clean Eaters try to eliminate unnatural things from our consumption - and quite clearly, BPA is one we can easily avoid if we take some common sense steps and make a few key swap outs. Most of us have a plastic water bottle within arm's reach at all times. That bottle must be BPA Free.

     If you're concerned about exposure to BPA, follow these simple suggestions from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences:
  • Don’t microwave polycarbonate plastic food containers. (Look for the recycling symbol #7 on the bottom.)
  • Reduce your use of canned foods over all
  • When possible, opt for glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers, particularly for hot food or liquids.
  • Use baby bottles and toys that are BPA-free.
      As there is a clear link between heat and BPA leakage from canned products, aim to keep your canned goods as far from the stove as possible, in a cool pantry with good air flow to lower the ambient temperature. Don't heat water in the microwave in plastic containers, and make sure all food containers you use in the microwave are labeled "BPA-Free"