Plastics Manufacturers Reconfirm PET Bottles Do NOT Contain BPA

Consumers Are Confusing Two Different Plastics

New York, NY — In an effort to ease unwarranted consumer fears, the PET Resin Association has reiterated that food and beverage containers made from the polyester plastic known as PET do not contain Bisphenol-A (BPA).

BPA is a compound used to make polycarbonate, a different type of plastic that is used in some baby bottles, the lining of metal cans, and reusable sports bottles.

Some legislators and advocacy groups have recently called for a ban of polycarbonate bottles and containers used by infants and toddlers, citing a possible connection between BPA and developmental and reproductive disorders. The FDA and other international health authorities have ruled BPA safe.

“Unfortunately many consumers and media reports have confused polycarbonate with polyethylene terephthalate, which is PET,” explains Ralph Vasami, executive director of the PET Resin Association (PETRA). “We want the public to know that PET doesn’t contain any BPA and never has. Although the names of the two plastics may sound somewhat similar, they are chemically different.”

PET is a clear, strong and lightweight plastic belonging to the polyester family. It is used for virtually all individual and 2-liter water and soft-drink bottles sold in the U.S, and is a popular packaging choice for foods and beverages around the world because it is hygienic, retains freshness and is break resistant.

“The safety of PET bottles and food containers has been repeatedly demonstrated under all sorts of conditions through 30 years of testing and approval by virtually every health-safety agency in the world,” said Vasami.

Consumers can easily identify a PET bottle or container by its #1 recycling code. PET is the only plastic with that code.

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Contact: Ralph Vasami
Tel: (212) 297-2125
Email: [email protected]
Download Press Release: (pdf)