Information regarding BPA

There has been a lot of media coverage recently about a suspected dangerous chemical BPA being used in various plastics. We would like to assure you that BPA is not in any of our packaging.

BPA (Bisphenol A) is an organic compound with two phenol functional groups. It is a difunctional building block of several important plastics and plastic additives. The chemical is commonly used to make clear and hard plastics and is only dangerous if the tolerable daily intake of 0.05mg/kg of body weight is exceeded.

While the actual facts are still being disputed, several scientific studies have  indicated that BPA may be linked to diabetes, obesity, attention deficit disorder, breast and prostate cancers, early puberty and skewed reproductive health.

BPA is widely used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic drink bottles and packaging, and in the lacquer that lines food and drink cans. BPA leaches, in small amounts, into the food and drink contained by these linings and plastics. Studies are currently investigating this in the US.

The flexible packaging Convex manufactures and sells mainly consists of materials such as polyester, polypropylene and polyethylene. These materials do not contain BPA. In addition, New Zealand does not commonly manufacture or import any products known to have BPA.

There are seven classes of plastics used in packaging applications. Type 7 is the “other” class, and some type 7 plastics, such as polycarbonate (sometimes identified with the letters “PC” near the recycling symbol) and epoxy resins, and can be made using a bisphenol A monomer.

Type 3 (PVC) can also contain bisphenol A as an antioxidant in plasticizers.
Types 1 (PET), 2 (HDPE), 4 (LDPE), 5 (polypropylene), and 6 (polystyrene) do not use bisphenol A during polymerization or package forming.

We hope you have found this information useful. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding our products or BPA.

Regards
Owen Embling
Managing Director