Moms and families have depended on Rubbermaid storage containers for decades to help keep foods safe and fresh, earning Rubbermaid a reputation as one of the world’s most trusted brands. Concerns have been raised recently about potential health effects of Bisphenol A (“BPA”), a chemical commonly used to improve the performance of some plastics. Rubbermaid uses plastics that contain BPA in a small number of food storage containers and water bottles to improve resistance to stains and odors.

BPA has been used safely in the manufacture of thousands of products for years and its use fully complies with U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other historically stringent public health regulators in the European Union and Japan.

Even though only a fraction of Rubbermaid-branded food storage containers and water bottles contain BPA, we believe strongly in helping consumers make informed choices. It’s all part of Rubbermaid’s focus on listening to, and responding to, our valued customers.

Recent news coverage has suggested that plastic containers and bottles labeled with the number “7” material identification code on the bottom contain BPA. While all polycarbonate plastics containing BPA are labeled with the number “7” identification code, not all plastics labeled with the number “7” contain BPA. The number “7” code is assigned to the “Other” category, which includes all plastics not otherwise assigned to categories #1-6. The majority of Rubbermaid food and beverage containers are assigned to category number “5”, although some non-BPA containing products are assigned to category”7” due to their unique combination of plastic types.

 

Premier	Stainshield	Stainshield Canisters (#7 type plastic)	Measuring Cups	Endurance beverage bottles	Polycarbonate Chug beverage bottles (#7 type plastic)	Polycarbonate Sip beverage bottles (#7 type plastic)
Elegan Steamer	Elegan Cake Keepers	Elegan Pitchers & Mixing Pitchers	Elegan Water Dispenser	Elegan Cheese Tray	Elegan Dry Storage	Elegan Bulk Storage

Produce Saver	Easy Find Lids	Lock-Its	Flex & Seal	TakeAlongs	Collapsibles	Double Airtight Seal Canisters
Stackable Canisters	Flex & Seal Canisters	Cylinder Canisters	Round Jars	Square Jars	Durable Egg Keepers	Bread Keeper
Durable Butter Dish	Butter Dish	Durable Cake Keeper	TakeAlong Chip & Dip Tray	Egg Keeper	Durables	Twist & Seal
Servin' Saver Plus	Servin' Saver	EZ Topps	Munchettes	Basic Container	Elegan Bowls & Serving Bowls

Chug Bottles - (#5 type plastic)	Sip Bottles	Squirt-Top Bottles	MixerMate Bottles	MixerMate Pitchers	Mixing Pitchers	Classic Pitchers
Classic Pitchers	Ice Cube Tray	Ice Cube Bins	Litterless Juice Boxes	Basic Bottles	Basic Bottles	Water Dispeners
Juice Box with Sleeve	TakeAlong Bottles	Sip n' Sport	Chuggable	Elegan Cups	Cool Contours

Ice Chests / Coolers	Marine Ice Chests / Coolers	Water Coolers	Water Jugs	Blue Ice Icolator	Blue Ice Packs	Blue Ice Blankets

Consumer health and safety are Rubbermaid’s paramount concern, so we have compiled the following information to better inform our consumers about Bisphenol A (BPA).

Q: What is Rubbermaid’s response to November 2008 reports by Good Housekeeping on Bisphenol A (“BIS–fen–all A”)?
Good Housekeeping affirmed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s standards that BPA as used in our food and beverage storage containers is safe for consumers. However, we are questioning the claims by Good Housekeeping that there are even trace amounts of BPA in our Easy Find Lids containers, as BPA is not found in the facility or the process used to manufacturer Easy Find Lids. In January 2009, we conducted an independent 3rd party test to further analyze the results. We sent samples of our Easy Find Lids containers, as well as the individual raw materials used to manufacture Easy Finds Lids to this 3rd party facility. They did not find any detectable BPA in any of the samples we sent them.

Q: What is Rubbermaid’s response to reports by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that high levels of Bisphenol A (“BIS–fen–all A”) can increase the odds of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and liver abnormalities?
A: We are aware of these recent reports and take the findings very seriously. Use of plastics made with BPA fully complies with standards from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as the historically stringent regulators of public health issues in the European Union. We will continue to closely monitor this and other issues related to BPA.

Q: What is BPA?
A: Bisphenol A (“BIS–fen–all A”) is a chemical used by hundreds of manufacturers as a building block of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins for food surface applications.

Q: Is BPA dangerous?
A: We are aware that there have been some concerns raised recently about possible health effects, but BPA has been used safely in the manufacture of hundreds of products for decades. Use of plastics made with BPA fully complies with standards from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as the historically stringent regulators of public health issues in the European Union. There have been no reports of illness connected to BPA.

Q: Is it in Rubbermaid products?
A: Only a few. Consumer demand for food storage containers that better resist stains and odors led to the inclusion of plastics that contain BPA in “Premier,” a new and popular line of products. Only a small fraction of Rubbermaid-branded food storage containers and water bottles are made with plastics that contain BPA.

Q: Why does Rubbermaid use it?
A: Consumer demand for food storage containers that better resist stains and odors led to the inclusion of plastics that contain BPA in “Premier,” a new and popular line of products. We use plastics made with BPA to achieve these performance enhancements because it has been used safely in the manufacture of hundreds of products for years.

Q: Which products are made from plastics that contain BPA?
A: Because we believe strongly in helping consumers make informed choices, we clearly distinguish which products include BPA and we offer dozens of BPA-free food storage products with similar functionality.

Q: Where else can consumers find reliable information on BPA?
A: Consumers can visit the following web sites for more information:

• European Food Safety Authority study - www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press_room/press_release/pr_bpa.html
• American Chemistry Council - www.bisphenol-a.org
• Environmental Protection Agency - www.epa.gov/endocrine/about.html
• American Council on Science and Health - www.acsh.org/search/home_result.asp

Q: Which government and regulatory agencies have reviewed polycarbonate?
A: Many government and regulatory agencies, including those listed below, have conducted comprehensive testing and review of polycarbonate (which contains BPA) and determined that it poses no health risk to humans.

• The Environmental Protection Agency (USA)
• The Food and Drug Administration (USA)
• The European Commission Scientific Committee on Food
• The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment
• Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare

Q: Health Canada has moved to ban the sale of baby bottles containing BPA in Canada. What is Rubbermaid’s stance on Health Canada’s decision?
A: Rubbermaid does not make or sell baby bottles, but there are some Rubbermaid food and beverage containers that are made from polycarbonate which do contain Bisphenol-A (BPA). The Canadian government has not questioned the safety of BPA in plastic food and beverage containers. Consumer health and safety is of paramount concern at Rubbermaid, so we will continue to monitor Health Canada’s guidance regarding BPA.