With so much debate and controversy over BPA and it’s harmful affects, I decided to speak to Ron Vigdor, President of Born Free, maker of BPA free sippy cups and bottles. The importance of the discussion regarding BPA cannot be over stated. It is because of consumers like us who demand change that the industry and government has taken action. There has been decades of conspiracies to cover up this known harm because plastic is a $374 billion industry. The FDA has known about the potential danger of BPA since 1997 yet they have not banned BPA and are only influenced by lobbyists from the plastic industry. Meanwhile, children in the US have been and are still being exposed to the possible harms while more studies and test are conducted and analyzed. There are technicalities that make this issue terribly confusing but instead of waiting for the FDA to give us a clear understanding, we have decided to rely on the one rule parents have always followed – to better be safe than sorry.
Why did you start Born Free?
I saw a documentary in 2006 regarding the harm caused by BPA in plastics and it inspired me to develop products that would do good and be good.
Why is BPA so dangerous?
BPA (bisphenol-A) is an endocrine destroyer, hormone mimicker, causes cancer, diabetes, early puberty and learning and developmental delays and alters the gene physiques in the womb if ingested by the mother. It was used as a birth control substance in the early 1900’s. BPA is particularly harmful to fetuses and babies under the age of 3 because of their inability to properly and fully synthesize and filter waste. The waste stays in their bodies longer and this causes more damage.
How do you make plastic without BPA and why was it ever used ?
Polycarbonate is the cheapest type of plastic to manufacture. BPA is added to give plastic clarity and strength. Born Free uses the same compound found in ballistic missiles, it is a medical grade plastic that has been tested. All our products are 100% free of BPA, phthalates and PVC free. Our products conduct heat at high temperatures without degrading and can be microwaved and boiled. Some products claim to be BPA free but not on 100% of their parts. They also may not be phthalates and PVC free.
You mentioned microwaving. I personally don’t like microwaving, but is it safe?
Heating plastics is never good in any way, shape or form. But for sterilization boiling is best. Born Free does not encourage microwaving because of its adverse effects but also it creates heat spots where food or liquid does not heat evenly. These heat spots can degrade the bottle and can shatter or cause warping.
This is not related to BPA but it’s the questions we all want to ask. Can you make a truly leak proof sippy cup?
Born Free has a free flowing venting system that is leak proof. It is designed to flow freely when it is turned on its side, as a part of our philosophy. Once the nuzzling starts, the baby should get liquid without having to suck too much, which can cause colic and inner ear infections. Other sippy cups that claim to be “leak free” have a stopper that requires the baby to suck too much, which can cause colic. And when the stopper is finally released, too much liquid goes to the back of the throat too quickly, which can cause inner ear infections. Our venting system has a ring that prevents leaking from the sides (through the threads) and another ring that has grooves to allow air to go in which prevents colic.
