Statement from Greg Garrigues, President of Laken USA

Laken USA is thrilled that Michael Hodgson and SNEWS have helped draw attention to the pressing need for market regulations and testing standards for BPA Free reusable bottles in the article — “Aluminum Bottles You Are Selling May Not Be BPA Free.” Laken has lead the BPA Free bottle category by being the first company to introduce a BPA Free liner to aluminum bottles and is accredited under ISO 9002 standards to insure healthy aluminum bottles.

Laken has taken a leadership role in a movement to demand accredited, worldwide BPA standards for healthy aluminum and stainless steel water bottles. As a commitment to this position, Laken has partnered with the Outdoor Industry Association as a consultant in drafting Senator Charles Schumer’s bill to ban BPA in food and beverage containers for infants and toddlers. Hopefully the momentum caused by the SNEWS article, and increased public attention around this issue, will lead to federally regulated BPA standards– especially in children’s bottles.

As an amendment to the article, we want to reiterate Laken’s position in calling for industry-wide testing standards to test to the utmost-degree, guaranteeing BPA Free safety standards and to officially express concern that even with posted test results, not all tests are created equal. At a minimum, BPA levels cannot be detected if tests do not follow basic testing standards:

• Levels: Competitor’s test to 20 μg/L vs. Laken’s tests to .5 μg/L
• Liquid Temperature: The temperature of the liquid inside the bottle must reach at least 40 degrees Celsius for at least 24 hours.
• Wear & Tear: Quality control standards to test the durability of the lining, and time lapse liner adherence tests.

Laken has a history of transparency and integrity (please visit: http://bit.ly/3Yqo53 for additional information) or contact retail partners for testaments to this statement. Laken’s commitment to accredited BPA Free standards and high quality manufacturing practices are insured by the following procedures:

• Laken has always maintained an open and transparent dialog with consumers and retailers about the content of our coating.
• Laken’s liner is a 100% BPA Free, does not leach BPA, contains no VOC’s in application nor phthalates, NOGE, BADGE, or BFDGE.
• Laken is first to introduce an accredited BPA Free liner, a polyamide, which is close in chemical makeup to nylon.
• To ensure liner consistency, before the liner is baked to the bottle’s inner lining, a mechanical, optical-eye scans the inside of each bottle to verify that the coating is even.
• Laken’s bottles are coated internally and externally before the threads are set on the outside of the mouth, which is a unique advantage to Laken’s manufacturing process and prevents any exposure to aluminum.
• Laken’s external coating is polyester-based, which is food friendly and BPA Free. This finish compliments the thicker walls of a Laken bottle to make an overall, more durable bottle, with a longer life. The longer life amortizes the embodied-energy invested in the bottle over a longer period, and enhances the sustainability of a reusable bottle.
• Laken’s lids are made from food grade polypropylene in a regulated Spanish manufacturing facility and are also third-party tested to ensure the lids won’t expose consumers to PVC or other volatile chemicals. The polypropylene is the same as PP#5 and is 100% recyclable.
• At the end of a Laken bottles’ life and to adhere to the company’s commitment to the environment, all of its components, including the lids, are 100% recyclable.

Laken’s nearly 100-year-legacy (founded 1912), strict adherence to accredited BPA certification and attention to quality is what makes Laken the worldwide standard for healthy aluminum and stainless steel water bottles. Accredited under ISO 9002 standards, Laken’s Spanish manufacturing facility adheres to the highest standards of the industry to ensure customers receive safe and fun drinking bottles. www.lakenusa.com.

For additional information, please visit Lakenusa.com where test results are posted and to engage in this conversation on our blog. I’m also available for any questions at greg@lakenusa.com. For press inquiries, please contact Liz Hutchins at liz@rippleeffectrelations.com.

Sincerely,

Greg Garrigues

President, Laken USA