Seeking Safer Packaging from Food Companies

Companies that use BPA in their food packaging are taking insufficient steps to move to alternatives, according to a report issued by Green Century Capital Management, an investment adviser to the environmentally responsible Green Century Funds, and As You Sow, a nonprofit organization.

The report, entitled Seeking Safer Packaging, surveys 20 major companies in the packaged food industry to identify the actions they are taking to address concerns about BPA. Fourteen of the companies responded.

The report found that all of the companies surveyed use BPA, even though “continued use of BPA in packaging where alternatives are available poses potential risks to companies and shareholders.” Furthermore, “None of the companies presented clear plans for the phasing out of BPA from all applications for which alternatives exist.”

The report did find, however, that some of the companies surveyed have begun to research and test alternatives to BPA, and have plans to phase out the chemical in some products. Hain Celestial has found alternatives to BPA and “believes it can begin to transition to BPA-free packaging for some of its products in the first half of 2009.” Hain received a grade of C, the highest grade awarded in the report.