Kingsport, Tenn., USA - Aug. 17, 2015 - Consumers are inundated with information about the safety of plastic, much of it creating confusion about what is safe. Here's one truth: Tritan™ from Eastman is a safe plastic. Testing confirms Tritan is BPA- and BPS-free. People looking for food containers, water bottles and small appliances can visit retail stores or go online to find hundreds of products made with Tritan.

Tritan™ from Eastman is free of bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol A (BPA). Testing to support the safety of Tritan also has shown it is free of estrogenic and androgenic activity. These facts are supported by a series of tests performed by four independent sources, including recent BPS testing by Intertek. In addition, government regulatory and standards agencies around the world have cleared Tritan for use in a wide variety of food contact applications.

"We understand there's conflicting information and questions about the true safety of plastics claiming to be BPA-free," said Burt Capel, vice president and general manager, Specialty Plastics, Eastman. "It's important for us to be transparent, address misperceptions and set the record straight that Tritan™ is free of BPA and BPS. For years, shoppers have known Tritan as the tough, clear plastic used in many housewares items. They can rest assured that Tritan also is and always has been a safe plastic."

To help consumers feel confident about the safety of Tritan™, Eastman is sharing how Tritan refutes general plastic safety misperceptions.

A common generalization about plastics is that BPA-free plastics are unsafe because BPA has been replaced by BPS. This is not the case with Tritan™ from Eastman.

BPA is a chemical that can be used to harden plastic, but bisphenols (BPA or BPS) never have been part of the chemical makeup of Tritan™ from Eastman. The unique composition of Tritan ensures that BPA is neither used nor generated in the manufacturing of Tritan. Because bisphenols are not used in the makeup of Tritan, BPS does not replace BPA in Tritan. Tritan is and always has been a BPA-free and BPS-free plastic.

Another common generalization about plastics is that recycling code 7 indicates products contain BPA. Tritan™ is classified as recycling code 7 but does not contain BPA.

Resin Identification Codes (RICs), often referred to simply as recycling codes, identify the type of material from which a product is made. These codes are used to help separate products entering the recycling stream. Codes 1 through 6 each classify specific types of plastic materials, while Code 7 is an "other" category that refers to materials not fitting one of the other six categories. Use of Code 7 is not an indication of whether the plastic contains BPA. Tritan™ is a unique specialty plastic material; therefore, it doesn't fit into the categories covered by codes 1 through 6 and is classified as "other." Materials such as acrylic and nylon also are classified as recycling code 7; these materials, like Tritan, are BPA-free materials.

For more information and answers to frequently asked questions about Tritan™ as a safe plastic, visit TritanFromEastman.com,TritanSafe.com and social media channels for Tritan.

About Tritan™ plastic safety
Tritan™ from Eastman is confirmed through independent third-party testing to be BPA-free and BPS-free. Four independent, third-party labs have shown Tritan is free of any estrogenic and androgenic activity. Multiple government regulatory and standards agencies have approved the use of Tritan from Eastman in food contact products. These agencies include Health Canada, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, European Food Safety Authority, European Commission, China's Ministry of Health and Japan Hygienic Olefin and Styrene Plastics Association. Much more information about the clarity, durability, safety and design of Tritan is available at www.TritanfromEastman.com. There, you can find more information about products made with Tritan and read customer reviews on many of the products. In addition, detailed third-party testing data information and frequently asked questions about plastics safety are available on www.TritanSafe.com.

About Tritan™ from Eastman
Products made with Tritan™ plastic are clear, durable, safe and stylish. Tritan looks like glass but won't shatter, and the material is durable like stainless steel but won't dent or ding. In addition, a product made with Tritan lasts, so whether you drop it, throw it in the bottom of a backpack or wash it a hundred times, these products won't crack, shatter or warp. Products made with Tritan come in just about any shape and color, from neon sippy cups to crystallike tumblers.

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