Q: So you originally thought about selling SIGG water bottles on HealthEGoods.com, why did you decide not to? How long ago was this?
A: In 2005, a SIGG representative contacted me to see if we would be interested in carrying the SIGG product on HealthEGoods.com.
I was familiar with SIGG before they contacted me. To be honest, I felt honored that they would call me and would want my site to offer them to the public. I saw enormous monetary benefit and continued the conversation with him.
I learned quickly that SIGG was made of aluminum and not stainless steel.
I told him I was not interested as the bottle was made of aluminum and aluminum is a toxic metal. He told me they have lab reports showing no evidence of aluminum leaching into the bottle contents.
I was quite impressed by that and so I inquired further: “How is that possible to have an aluminum bottle without any leaching of aluminum?”
The SIGG rep told me about their proprietary lining that does not interfere with taste does not come off when the bottle is dented, dropped, or otherwise banged around.
I then of course asked, “I need to know at least the main components of the liner. I don’t need to know how you mix them or apply them, just let me know what chemicals you use or material.”
Proprietary.
As a physician, proprietary does not cut it. You have to make sure you know exactly what goes into your patients – or your customers. Proprietary information protects only the manufacturer, not the consumer.
I told the rep that I would never carry SIGG unless they came forward with a lab report showing me the materials used in the lining.
The CEO called me a few months later and went over the same information.
“No aluminum in the contents”
“No bad taste”
“Durable”
“Made in Switzerland”
“Labs on the lining material, please,” I asked. Sorry we cannot do that but I assure you it is safe. Our product is made in Switzerland.
Not interested.
Q: How did you feel about not being able to gain more information on the ingredients of their liners?
A: Lack of trust would be the best way to describe the feeling.
Q: Did the term “proprietary” make you feel uneasy about carrying SIGG? Were there other reasons too?
A: As a physician, the term proprietary always makes me feel uneasy. It is my job to know what is in a product before I prescribe, recommend, or offer it to my patients or the general public.
Proprietary information benefits only the manufacture. It does not benefit the consumer at all and it may harm them.
Proprietary information is common in the marketplace and I am okay with it in certain situations. It is usually okay if a company discloses their ingredients but the amounts remain proprietary. This is all I wanted from SIGG.
SIGG was definitely not correct in hiding from me, or the public, the chemicals used in their liner.
To answer your other question if there were other reasons not to carry SIGG, yes there was one more. The bottle was made of aluminum.
Q: Though the ingredients of the liners were not disclosed to you, you obviously believed that they still may have possibly contained BPA, why was that?
A: I always questioned the lining in aluminum cans even though they sit on store shelves and in kitchens.
I figured why would their lining be much different than the one in aluminum cans if the technology was already there and approved to prevent aluminum leaching?
Q: You mentioned you also did not like that SIGG water bottles
contained aluminum, why?
A: Aluminum is a heavy metal and a toxic one in minimal concentrations. Research shows a connection between aluminum and a host of health conditions. The main health conditions that come to my mind immediately are Alzheimer’s and early-onset dementia.
Q: How did you feel when you first heard the news about SIGG liners originally containing BPA?
My first thought was: “I knew it!” However, after a few hours set in, I became angered knowing that they hid this knowledge from the general public. How many people trusted them purely because they said the bottle was made in Switzerland and had a powerful brand recognition? Millions.
How many people bought SIGG bottles based on that trust? I’d venture to say millions.
Q: Do you know anyone who owned a SIGG water bottle, and if so, how did they feel about the news?
A: Some classmates of mine had SIGG bottles but they did not for long after I told them about them being aluminum and contained an unknown lining. They switched over to Klean Kanteens. This was way before SIGG disclosed the news.
The only people I have personally spoken with about the SIGG issue is with my suppliers.
My suppliers know I dig and request lab reports and they put up with me. I made sure that they knew I did the same with SIGG years ago and they understood then why I put them through it.
All the suppliers I spoke to about this situation could not believe that companies would still sell SIGG. Nor could they believe that the public continues to buy from them.
I agreed.
Q: Do you think it’s fair to say that ex-SIGG CEO Steve Wasik lied to SIGG’s customers up until August 2009?
A: I am not sure what CEO Wasik knew about the lining. SIGG has been around for a long time. I cannot say he lied or did not lie.
What I can say is if Wasik knew his lining contained BPA when he talked with me on the phone back in 2005, he was holding back important information which I and the public should have known.
Wasik was likely hoping the news on BPA was not true.
Surprisingly, BPA is still controversial: safe or not safe. The FDA has not ruled on it yet.
To me, BPA is a no brainer. It is toxic in minute amounts without any question. You don’t create a chemical compound intended to work as an estrogen replacement and then throw it into billions of containers, toys, and products throughout the world.
Companies concerned only about money which use BPA in their products are siding with the groups saying BPA is safe. Companies concerned about the public’s safety are removing BPA from their products quickly. Philips AVENT is one such company.
Philips AVENT first denied the dangers of BPA and were not pleased with me when I asked their representative to make only BPA-free products. However, after a few months, they turned around. For a company as large as AVENT, a few months is quite fast.
Q: Do you think that it was fair that Steve Wasik basically took the biggest fall in the SIGG BPA revelation, or do you think the entire company is to blame?
A: I would be speculating here as I do not know the internal workings of SIGG. Personally though, I will never buy from them nor will I offer their products to anyone.
Q: Do you think that by SIGG offering to replace old SIGG water bottles with new ones that that will be enough to make their past customers give them a second chance, or remain customers in general?
A: SIGG still has a very loyal following. How? I do not know. Divorce happens a lot if someone cheats but some couples still stick it out.
SIGG cheated. Who’s left?
Q: As a consumer, would you ever consider buying a SIGG product
in the future?
A: No. SIGG is still using aluminum as their base.
No. SIGG is still using a lining.
No. SIGG lied and held back information which may have put the public at risk.
Q: What are your thoughts on the new liners?
A: SIGG is replacing BPA-lined aluminum bottles with some other lining in their aluminum bottles. Currently, this lining is deemed as safe. But will it be safe in a few years from now? Maybe. Maybe not.
Q: How do you feel now about not wanting to carry SIGG water
bottles back in 2005, you obviously made a very good choice.
A: I am glad that I go through the process of checking and checking and checking products before I bring them in.
I have found countless products which I did not bring in due to safety concerns. SIGG is only one.
It takes much longer to bring in a product and offer it to my patients or the public; however, my goal is not purely to make a sale.
My goal is provide only safe, effective products while at the same time educating the public about dangerous, ineffective ones.
Q: For those that are looking for safe and healthy, toxin-free water bottles, what would be your top recommendations?
A: For on the go, I use a lab-tested stainless steel water bottle, nothing else.
For home use, I use glass.
Keep in mind though that BPA is not only found in water bottles.
BPA is found in:
-cute little bath toys
-canned foods except for those by EDEN foods
-storage containers
-store receipts
-medical equipment
-dental fillings
-and others
Look at wikipedia for more information on BPA. It is quite reliable.
StainlessWaterBottles.org has research summaries on BPA. Readers should subscribe to keep up to date with the latest in BPA research and to find alternatives which are safe.
Q: Do you have any overall thoughts on SIGG as a company, or the truth being revealed about their “proprietary” liners from before August of 2008?
A: I am glad that SIGG finally came out and told the truth. However, I wonder why they did after holding it back for so many years.
Did SIGG actually come out and admit it or were they forced to admit it?
SIGG never gained my trust nor will they ever now.
Dr. Ben and StainlessWaterBottles.com are Here to Help!
If you have any questions or comments regarding the SIGG BPA fiasco let us know, Dr. Ben and the staff at StainlessWaterBottles.com are here to help! Feel free to call us at (800) 594-4916, comment down below, or email us at any time.
