xtemujin
Senior Member
Here is the full article from Canada.
Chemical fears prompt MEC to pull popular Nalgene bottles
Dominique Price, The Ottawa Citizen; With files from Reuters
Published: Saturday, December 08, 2007
Mountain Equipment Co-op has become the first major Canadian retailer to stop selling products that contain the controversial chemical bisphenol A.
Canada's largest outdoor-goods chain has pulled water bottles and food containers made of polycarbonate plastic from its shelves over worries about bisphenol A, which studies have linked to cancer and reproductive problems in animals.
Among the products pulled from the shelves were Nalgene water bottles, the brightly coloured containers that have become a bestseller across Canada.
It joins Patagonia as the only other major retailer in North America to take this action.
Some North American researchers and environmentalists have shown the chemical, which can mimic the effects of the hormone estrogen in cells, can cause several types of cancer as well as developmental, neural, behavioural and reproductive harm in animals.
Health Canada spokesman Joey Rathwell says the chemical has been categorized as a reproductive toxin and is currently being assessed.
MEC's move surprised the sporting goods industry.
"I guess MEC just got tired of all the questions," an employee at Red Pine Outdoor Equipment, a Nepean wholesale distributor, said.
Red Pine, however, "has no problem with Nalgene" and will continue to sell the product favoured by students, sports teams and outdoor enthusiasts.
MEC spokesman Tim Southam says the co-op's decision shouldn't come as a surprise. MEC has been following the polycarbonate question closely for several years, he said, during which time a number of the retailer's 2.7-million members have voiced concerns.
But MEC's precautionary measure was based more on regulatory uncertainty than on members' complaints, Mr. Southam said.
To his knowledge, MEC hasn't heard of any cases of polycarbonate-induced health problems. "This is where the uncertainty lies," Mr. Southam said. "There are no visible effects. The science is complicated, and inconclusive."
Health Canada is investigating polycarbonates as part of its Challenge to Industry Program, calling for product information from manufacturers and distributors. Health Canada plans to release a report in May under the federal government's Chemical Management Plan, recommending which products to "phase out."
The McGuinty government recently announced an expert panel will review toxic chemicals, including bisphenol A.
Mountain Equipment Co-op was congratulated for its initiative by Toronto-based Environmental Defence.
"The writing is on the wall for bisphenol A. When a product loses consumer confidence to this extent it's obviously time to move to the safer, comparably priced alternatives," said Dr. Rick Smith, Executive Director of Environmental Defence.
"We congratulate MEC for this leadership and fully expect this to start a snowball effect with other retailers taking similar steps."
Nalgene representative Tom Cummins says that, as a U.S. manufacturer, the Nalgene corporation meets all applicable manufacturing standards and will continue to ensure its products are safe. "Important agencies across the globe agree that there is no danger posed to humans from polycarbonate bottles," he said yesterday in an e-mail statement.
MEC's decision on selling Nalgene bottles isn't final, Mr. Southam says -- depending on the government's ruling this spring, MEC members may see the blue, pink or grey water bottles back on the shelf.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2007
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=7fba3f11-d69b-45c8-85ea-5d39a4cd0733
Chemical fears prompt MEC to pull popular Nalgene bottles
Dominique Price, The Ottawa Citizen; With files from Reuters
Published: Saturday, December 08, 2007
Mountain Equipment Co-op has become the first major Canadian retailer to stop selling products that contain the controversial chemical bisphenol A.
Canada's largest outdoor-goods chain has pulled water bottles and food containers made of polycarbonate plastic from its shelves over worries about bisphenol A, which studies have linked to cancer and reproductive problems in animals.
Among the products pulled from the shelves were Nalgene water bottles, the brightly coloured containers that have become a bestseller across Canada.
It joins Patagonia as the only other major retailer in North America to take this action.
Some North American researchers and environmentalists have shown the chemical, which can mimic the effects of the hormone estrogen in cells, can cause several types of cancer as well as developmental, neural, behavioural and reproductive harm in animals.
Health Canada spokesman Joey Rathwell says the chemical has been categorized as a reproductive toxin and is currently being assessed.
MEC's move surprised the sporting goods industry.
"I guess MEC just got tired of all the questions," an employee at Red Pine Outdoor Equipment, a Nepean wholesale distributor, said.
Red Pine, however, "has no problem with Nalgene" and will continue to sell the product favoured by students, sports teams and outdoor enthusiasts.
MEC spokesman Tim Southam says the co-op's decision shouldn't come as a surprise. MEC has been following the polycarbonate question closely for several years, he said, during which time a number of the retailer's 2.7-million members have voiced concerns.
But MEC's precautionary measure was based more on regulatory uncertainty than on members' complaints, Mr. Southam said.
To his knowledge, MEC hasn't heard of any cases of polycarbonate-induced health problems. "This is where the uncertainty lies," Mr. Southam said. "There are no visible effects. The science is complicated, and inconclusive."
Health Canada is investigating polycarbonates as part of its Challenge to Industry Program, calling for product information from manufacturers and distributors. Health Canada plans to release a report in May under the federal government's Chemical Management Plan, recommending which products to "phase out."
The McGuinty government recently announced an expert panel will review toxic chemicals, including bisphenol A.
Mountain Equipment Co-op was congratulated for its initiative by Toronto-based Environmental Defence.
"The writing is on the wall for bisphenol A. When a product loses consumer confidence to this extent it's obviously time to move to the safer, comparably priced alternatives," said Dr. Rick Smith, Executive Director of Environmental Defence.
"We congratulate MEC for this leadership and fully expect this to start a snowball effect with other retailers taking similar steps."
Nalgene representative Tom Cummins says that, as a U.S. manufacturer, the Nalgene corporation meets all applicable manufacturing standards and will continue to ensure its products are safe. "Important agencies across the globe agree that there is no danger posed to humans from polycarbonate bottles," he said yesterday in an e-mail statement.
MEC's decision on selling Nalgene bottles isn't final, Mr. Southam says -- depending on the government's ruling this spring, MEC members may see the blue, pink or grey water bottles back on the shelf.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2007
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=7fba3f11-d69b-45c8-85ea-5d39a4cd0733
