FocusUS Eastman may gain from bisphenol A fears

26 April 2008 00:11  [Source: ICIS news]

By Lane Kelley

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--US producer Eastman Chemical may benefit from the recent concerns over plastic bottles containing bisphenol A (BPA), a retailing executive said on Friday.

Eastman has introduced its Tritan plastic partly because it was durable and free of BPA, a company spokeswoman said

Some of the nation's largest retailers are choosing the Tritan as they begin phasing out plastic bottles made with polycarbonate (PC), which, in turn, is made with BPA.

Pacific Market International of Seattle began using Tritan for its Aladdin water bottles, said Carol Schreitmueller, director of research and development.

Pacific initially began selling water bottles made with Tritan because they were more durable than those made with PC, Schreitmueller said.

"I thought, here's a cool new material," Schreitmueller said. "The non-BPA thing was not their big focus. It's a completely new monomer."

Schreitmueller said Eastman has been helpful to her and other companies seeking alternatives to PC bottles.

"Fear is not a good way to get business," Schreitmueller said.

Another Seattle retailer has chosen Tritan for its new water bottles, a company official said this week.

REI, an outdoor equipment retailer, removed all PC water bottles from its shelves earlier this month, said Megan Behrbaum, REI spokeswoman.

Behrbaum said the move does not mean the retailer thinks BPA is unsafe.

"As a retailer it's not our role to interpret science," Behrbaum said. "We just wanted the decision to be made easy for our customers."

Another company, Nalgene,  has introduced bottles made with Tritan. Others include CamelBak Products, Carlisle Food Service, Vita-Mix and Playtex Products.

For more on BPA and PC visit ICIS chemical intelligence

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Author: Lane Kelley
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