Stainless steel water bottle market soars
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A healthy and green choice By Virginia Heffernan When Guyot Designs started making stainless steel water bottles in 2005, the Maine, U.S.A.-based company was promoting a greener alternative to plastic, one that would last longer and be recycled more easily. Little did they know that their bottles would soon be in hot demand for health and safety reasons. In 2007, Canada decided to reassess the safety of bisphenol A (BPA), a compound used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics found in household items such as baby bottles, water bottles, and food storage containers. The announcement triggered a response by retailers, and suddenly sales of Guyot’s stainless steel bottles were soaring. . As a precautionary measure, Canada added the chemical to its list of toxic substances in 2008 and, after declaring BPA safe in its current use, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. is now reconsidering the issue. . Consumer responses Retailers, including high-profile names such as Wal-Mart and Toys “R” Us, are not waiting for the results of the FDA investigation. They have responded swiftly to consumer demand by taking plastic water bottles off their shelves and replacing them with metal ones. . “I think there’s a lot of room for stainless bottles in the marketplace,” says John Steed, product manager for Guyot. “More and more people are concerned about plastic in general now. The BPA scare put a lot of metal bottles on shelves, and that, in and of itself, seems to reinforce people’s concerns.” . Although aluminum is another alternative to plastic in bottles, the metal has to be lined – commonly with a BPA-containing epoxy resin. . Guyot’s bottles are made from 316L (S31603) stainless steel, a grade that is highly resistant to corrosion. California-based Klean Kanteen, Guyot’s largest competitor, uses food-grade 304 (S30400) stainless steel also called 18/8. Both of these stainless steel grades are commonly used in other food-contact applications such as cutlery, cookware, commercial food processing equipment, as well as water treatment and distribution systems. . Other benefits On top of being a healthy choice, stainless steel is a better environmental alternative to plastic because the alloy lasts a long time and is readily recyclable. Customers have the opportunity to return old bottles so that Guyot can have them recycled, closing the life cycle loop. . “Stainless steel is durable, so it lasts longer and is fully reclaimable, thus kept out of a landfill when the bottle is at the end of its useful life,” says Steed. . Stainless steel has other advantages. It is easy to clean, sanitary, and doesn’t pick up flavours from the substances contained in the bottle. Along with the health and environmental benefits, those features should solidify stainless steel’s high standing in the water bottle market for a long time to come. . How Green is my Bottle? The New York Times took an in-depth look at the issue of stainless steel containers versus plastic
bottles. The article:
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