FAQ: Is Tupperware BPA Free? Part 1

Are your containers BPA free?

Several readers have inquired about Tupperware plastic food containers and whether they contain BPA or not as well as why Tupperware often does not have a resin code (1-7) on the bottom of its containers.

Do note that any plastic food containers that you own which have visible scratches, pitting or have melted as a result of heat in a microwave or dishwasher, should NOT be used to store or prepare food. As previously noted, you should either 1) throw them away or 2) use the containers for non food storage like in your garage or bathroom.

Are your Tupperware containers BPA free? Here’s what the Tupperware Website disclosed (BPA is used in polycarbonate production for plasticware):

• Only 10 percent of Tupperware’s products are from polycarbonate (which also contains biphensol-a or BPA). The R & D group at Tupperware believe this is the sturdiest type of plastic for its customers, which resists high heat (like in a microwave).
• Consumers are becoming more concerned about the health effects from cooking and preparing food in polycarbonate (non BPA free) plastic containers, so in March 2010 Tupperware began using other materials for children’s products in the US and Canada. *Note: If you have or use plastic containers to serve or prepare food, which were purchased prior to March 2010, it is recommended that you stop using these immediately due to the toxins contained in such products and the health risks involved especially in young children.**

Do you wonder if your Tupperware containers are BPA Free or not? Are you looking for that recognizable resin code on the bottom of your plastic container to determine whether it can be recycled? Yes, I have a few of those containers too. No recycling code, is this container safe for my family to use?

According to Tupperware, “because Tupperware® products contain a lifetime guarantee and were not originally intended for recycling, they were not labeled with recycle codes. Now that the code system and recycling practices have become more widely adopted internationally, Tupperware will begin to systematically place raw material codes (recycling codes) on all products.”

Tupperware has also provided a quick and easy guide to determine which products from the Spring/Summer 2010 catalog are BPA free.

What should you do with all those plastic cups, storage containers, and other plastic food containers? I strongly suggest you reuse them for other things, but not food to reduce and eliminate the risk of leaching toxins into your body in addition to your family. I use mine to store my loose change, hair ties, extra buttons and sewing kits, paperclips, rubberbands, hooks and nails, and the like. They work great in bathrooms, closets, garages, and under the sink – just don’t use them for storing food.

Keep you and family BPA free by following these helpful tips. What other products do you have questions about regarding the dangers of BPA? Ask them here, and I’ll investigate the answer for you.

**Read part 2 to view a video created by Tupperware about BPA. Very informative!