Tupperware & BPA – 2 Years Later

I love stats. Something that is a record of growth is even better and I’m happy to say when viewing the traffic stats for Mommy Footprint, my blog continues to grow and flourish with new subscribers and people coming to the site. I also enjoy seeing what Google searches land upon Mommy Footprint and lately I’ve received a high number for Tupperware and BPA. I wrote about this topic back in June 2008 after wondering how Tupperware was handling customer concerns regarding their products that did contain BPA.  They were not arguing the fact that certain products sold did contain BPA – there was a section on their site that has now been removed that listed product names of Tupperware items made with BPA.  Now when you click on the link listed in my article from 2008 – you are taken to a page that describes which recycling codes are labelled on the bottom of NEW Tupperware products in the 2010 catalogue. So if you are trying to look up which recycling codes match your Tupperware pieces that are older than 2010 – this will not help you. Because Tupperware deemed their products ‘to last forever’ and therfore, never require to be recycled, they haven’t stamped the recycling codes on the bottom of their products (apparently this has now changed). By recycling code I mean the resin number (1-7) so that consumers are left to wonder if their product was made with polycarbonate plastic (number 7). I still have the list of products that was published back in 2008 from the Tupperware site if you are wanting to look up older Tupperware products that aren’t coded and you are concerned. They are listed at the bottom of this article.

My other reason for re-visting Tupperware and BPA was the surprise and disappointment in how Tupperware handled parents questioning Tupperware products when BPA entered the media years ago. The Tupperware view on the BPA situation was basically: we don’t think BPA is as dangerous because governmental regulatory agencies approve of the use of BPA , it is needed to produce certain Tupperware products, we don’t sell baby bottles, we’ve ensured that polycarbonate plastic is not in any of the children’s items we sell.  I wanted to re-visit the site and see what progress Tupperware had made over two years later. Another shocker – they haven’t changed their opinion!  I’ve taken a few hard looks at the Tupperware site over the last few days and they stand by the belief that BPA is an approved substance for use in food contact products.  For the entire blurb, click here to read. I guess my question would be then why effective March 2010, did Tupperware cease using polycarbonate for the small number of products sold in the US and Canada?  And with the millions of Tupperware products that have been purchased and used since it was introduced to consumers in 1946…why wouldn’t a refund be offered to someone concerned that their Tupperware item containing BPA? Yes, only 10% of their products were previously made with polycarbonate plastic (that contains BPA) but with the amount sold over the last 50 years – we are talking about a lot of plastic.  And if the products are made to ‘last forever’ – who knows how many Tupperware products 10 years ago, 15 years ago, 20 years ago were made with BPA?

The fact my site is receiving lots of hits on an article I wrote over 2 years ago about Tupperware and BPA – shows that people are still mystified by plastic products that were never labelled properly.  People that struggle with the questions “is it wasteful to throw something away when I’ve been using for years?”  ”Am I being paranoid about plastics?”  If you are finding my site because you are at a loss to know what to do with unlabelled Tupperware – phone their customer service department and get answers.

I’ve never owned Tupperware – it wasn’t anything I ever invested in although don’t get me wrong…I’ve purchased a fair amount of polycarbonate plastic in my life. My take on plastic today? Tupperware or otherwise?  Plastic is plastic. I think it’s one of the most damaging man-made materials ever developed. It was widely untested when first brought to consumers and companies like Tupperware marketing to moms stating their products would save busy moms time and convenience is a wonderful thing – especially for parents. So we bought what they said…hook, line, and now we suffer. These man-made, untested materials have brought our families the worst diseases and planet pollution. Never heat food/liquid or freeze in plastic containers.   The act of putting plastic in dishwashers will also cause the material to breakdown with our detergents and hot water.

Here is my list that was once posted on the Tupperware site that is no longer there. I shudder to think that a product called a ‘Heat ‘N Serve/Rock ‘N Serve container has BPA. I would think the name suggests you are heating food in some capacity. And I think people that own a Tupperware product that does contain polycarbonate plastic should demand their money back and remind Tupperware that it’s not just about baby bottles. Yes, BPA has been banned from baby bottles – but nobody wants this chemicals leaching into their food. Older children and adults are not big fans of infertility, cancers of the breast & prostate – to name a few, and more.  BPA is still a big deal and people want to stay away from it. Sorry that you didn’t think to code your products properly, but that is not the consumers problem. It is our right to know if chemicals are in the products we use and your responsibility to answer those question. And I think – give us our money back if I, the consumer is not satisfied.

Products listed on the Tupperware site back in June 2008 confirming they contained BPA:

Heat ‘N Serve/Rock ‘N Serve: Container

Ice Prisms: Bowls, Pitcher & Tumbler Set

Kitchen Duos

Microsteamer: Base

Microwave Cooker – Oval: Cover

Microwave Luncheon Plate

Quick Chef Base

Sheerly Elegant Line

Tumbler Bouquet & Pitcher Set: Pitcher

~~

Related Articles:

Tupperware Items Made From #7 Plastic

Response From Tupperware Regarding BPA & Refunds

Alternatives To Freezing Food In Plastic

Skin Reaction to Tagless Labels

I’ve learned a lot from the Z Recommends watchdog group (a concerned mom and dad) that started the website Zrecs a few years ago.  As far back as September 2008, they were reporting about sores on the back’s of children that resembled minor chemical burns. What were these sores being caused by?  Tagless labels in infant clothing seemed to be the culprit and the companies receiving internet buzz for having this problem included Carters, Circo and Gerber. What ink is making these tagless labels? Plastisol type and solventborne polyurethane. One contains PVC and phthalates, the other contains small levels of formaldehyde in the urethane. Okay – now fast forward to Nov 28th 2009.. . Zrecs and the Center for Environmental Health search nation wide for onesies sold at Target stores (brand name Circo) to be tested because a onesie (picture here) tested three times the legal limit for lead content.  Was it only this one isolated onesie – no!  Zrecs asked it’s thousands of readers to send in any of the Circo ‘green baby’ onesies and all 30+ tested the same ~ having over 1,000 ppm lead content.

Some of you might think this is mass hysteria, but people, chemical burn-type rashes from a tagless label printed with chemical ink on baby clothes. A store like Target that sells millions of products and this was a Target-branded onesie.  To me, it just reconfirms so many things. The big names do not have a trusted track-record with our children.  Advocacy groups, blogs, and websites had to be created to bring awareness to the fact so many household items are dangerous to children. If you want more information on the onesie sold at Target, read the full article on the Zrecs site. They have a picture of the garment and at this time, it’s the only Target item to be concerned with.  But when the opportunity presents itself to purchase more trustworthy and sustainable products – remember this article. I cannot believe the measures parents need to arm themselves with before purchasing clothes, toys, household items for their family! It’s why with the huge sales happening around American Thanksgiving and post-Christmas – I truly worry that stores are dumping toxic product at reduced rates because they are so cheap to begin with or a potential recall is about to happen.

I must admit, I felt like a wet blanket writing my article on Black Friday talking about being aware of discounted items and asking if we really need massive amounts of ‘stuff’.  It would have been so much more fun to talk about the great sales that were happening here, there, and everywhere! I swear by my theory that before a major recall happens from a company, you’ll find the product or brand discounted for months at stores that are known for amazing prices (Winners, etc.).  Shopping for children’s products in this fashion is just not any good for their health.  Many of you know I’ve been battling this Christmas with things to buy my children. Going shopping and buying lots of ‘stuff’ is fun, but I’m staying as true as I can to the course of sourcing toys from sustainable stores, handmade items from local artisans, and it just feels better. I can’t wait to share some of my great finds…but for now I just want to thank sites like Zrecs for helping me sleep a little easier at night because I haven’t yet got my degree as an environmental engineer (which btw – seems to be a qualification these days to being a parent).   =)

Related articles:

Polyester PJs and Flame Retardants

PVC & Christmas Toys

Little Inkers – Growing PVC & Phthalate Free Kids

Melissa & Doug Toy Recall

Okay…I sound paranoid, but I believe the big chains that sell toys, mark them on major sales before a recall to dump their stock.  Keep you’re eyes wide open for big sales on painted wooden Melissa & Doug toys. I’ve documented this paranoia before.  <smile>  I’ve received a tip from Karen that there’s been a recall of the Melissa & Doug product ‘Geometric Stacker’, item number 094730.  The problem is the level of Barium is not at a safe level in the paint. 

Toys R Us has issued an advisory and you can call them at (800) 869-7787 if you are concerned.  Approximately 300 were sold in Canada and the toys were sold from February 2008 until August 2008 at Toys “R” Us stores nationwide. Yes, Melissa & Doug manufacture their toys in China. I wonder if it’s just a matter of time before more products are recalled because of this problem.  I have purchased many of their toys in the past, luckily, most are puzzles.  When are companies go to produce and manufacture toys within North America?  I would pay more to know that the product is safe.

Response From Tupperware Regarding BPA & Refunds

In a previous article about Tupperware using #7 plastics, I had questioned if the company would recall or refund money if a customer was concerned about their product being made from polycarbonate #7 plastic.  The issue being the widely controversial chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) that is a material used to produce polycarbonate plastic.  With so many other companies recalling massive amounts of products because of parents and consumers worried about the BPA controversy….I really was expecting a different answer than I received. (more…)

Last Call for Recalled Plastics

I spent this morning returning my plastics containing BPA to Zellers.  They confirmed that Friday (May 9th) is the final day you can return recalled baby products without a receipt.  The kind folks at Zellers customer service work off their own recall sheet and let you know what they’ll take back in return for an in-store gift card.  So anyone out there who hasn’t sorted through their old bottles, sippy cups, Avent breast pump, etc. time is running out.  London Drugs is no longer taking products without the receipt and Zellers follows on Friday.