The FDA on BPA (Bisphenal A)

Bisphenol-A (BPA) has been involved in countless studies regarding human health. BPA is a chemical used to make polycarbonate plastics. Polycarbonate plastics are lightweight, have a high-performance rating and possess attributes of clarity, heat and electrical resistance that make it ideal for many applications.

Polycarbonate plastics are one of many different kinds of plastic with the plastic identification code of 7 (which is the catch-all category). Some common applications include: CDs, DVDs, electronic equipment, automobiles, sports equipment, some reusable food containers, some drink containers and more.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved BPA as a chemical used in food contact materials in the early 1960s. That approval was renewed in August 2008. However, just a couple of months ago in June, the FDA announced that it will review the science of BPA again in the late summer or fall.

The American Chemistry Council asserts that, "Under normal conditions of use, there are no known health risks from exposure to bisphenol A from consumer products, including food-contact materials." Please see bisphenol-a.org for more information.

This same organization also states that recent studies have shown that under exaggerated conditions polycarbonate plastics may release trace amounts of residual BPA. However, safety assessments conclude that potential human exposure to BPA is more than 400 times lower than the safety levels set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The American Chemistry Council says that you would have to eat more that 500 pounds of canned food and beverages every day for the rest of your life to exceed the safe level established by the EPA.

As with every issue, there is another side. This post merely states what the FDA is saying.

Don't forget the barcode (and everything else)

There are a lot of guidelines, regulations, and even laws that stipulate what you should and shouldn't put on your product label. Let's go through some of the elements of a complete label and what should be included.

Please note, there are different regulations for different kinds of products. You will want to do your research for your particular product and product category to make sure that your product label complies with regulations. The regulations for cosmetic products, for example, are different than for beverages.

Let's take a look at the elements included on a typical cosmetic product label (click here or image to enlarge).

Logo. Your product should have it's own logo. A container typically contains a product that is one of many offered by a company. Think of Suave® shampoo. It has it's own logo. Suave® is one of the brands owned by Unilever®. You have to look hard to find Unilever® on the Suave® bottle. Think of your products as brands offered by your company.

Statement identifying the commodity. This should tell your customers what's in the bottle, what it's used for, why it's special, and why they need it. This should be featured prominently. Examples could be "Hydrating facial cream that reduces lines and wrinkles" or "Refreshing mouth rinse for reducing bad breath." Who doesn't want fewer wrinkles and reduced bad breath?

Net quantity/capacity statement. You need to tell your customer how much they're getting. Is there a dozen? How many ounces? Fluid ounces? You also need to provide the metric equivalent. In this case, 6 fl oz / 180 ml. This is typically included on the front panel at the very bottom.

Sales copy. If you've read any of the other articles in this blog, you know that you've got less than three seconds to persuade a customer to buy your product. USE SALES COPY. You want to sell your product right? Use your label to do that. It's your best salesperson.

Ingredients. Many consumers have allergies to different ingredients. Providing a list of ingredients can help influence their purchase. This may also be required by various regulating organizations; you'll want to research what's required.

Contact information. You need to include the name and place of business of the product's manufacturer, packer, or distributor. You will want to provide some way for your customers to contact you if need be. This is also required by most regulatory agencies.

Bar Code. Bar codes, or UPCs, are amazing and they're everywhere. You can apply to the Uniform Code Council (UCC) for permission to enter the UPC system. There is an annual fee for the privilege. In return, the UCC provides you with a six digit ID number (the first 6 digits of the bar code) as well as guidelines on how to use it. The remaining five digits of the UPC are your item number(s). The 12th digit is automatically generated. Read this article from howstuffworks for more information on UPCs.

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What is sustainable packaging and how do I do it?

It's official. Sustainable packaging has matured from fad to trend, according to experts. What is sustainable packaging and how can small, medium and large businesses adapt?

Fortunate for us, there is a coalition of sustainable packaging experts who can help us understand all things sustainable. They are called, you guessed it, The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC).

Sustainable packaging is (1) beneficial, safe and healthy (2) meets market criteria for performance and cost and is (3) made and recycled using renewable energy. There are other criteria, refer to the SPC website for the full definition.

So what are some ways that you can make your product offering more sustainable?

Lightweight the package. Not all 8 oz boston round containers are of equal weight. Within the 8 oz boston rounds are containers that use more or less plastic. If your product performance is not compromised by using a lighter weight container, go for it.

Offer refills. If it makes sense economically and logistically for customers to get a refill, you might want to offer that service to them. You might even incentivize them by offering a discount on their refill since they've already purchased the package.

Accept returns. Some companies accept returns of the primary package. You could set up a loyalty program by offering a free gift to customers that return a certain number of your containers.

Recycle. Remember, ALL plastics are recyclable. Look on the bottom of each container and you can see the resin identification code. This tells you which recycling streams it can put into. You should also remember that not all materials can be recycled in all areas.

There are more ways to make your packaging more sustainable. Just with any other fad-turned-trend, your creativity is the only limit.