Yesterday I was dismayed to see a report published by a German consumer group that said to avoid bamboo cups for hot drinks. It is hard enough to encourage people to switch to reusables that a potential health implication is the last thing that’s needed!
I reached out to eCoffee, one of the leading producers of bamboo coffee cups, and they have sent me their certifications and the testing guidelines that are followed, which they say Stiftung Warentest did not adhere to.
I am still working my way through the paperwork, but I have a suspicion that the truth sits somewhere in the middle (as it often does). There is likely some scaremongering in the Stiftung Warentest report and there is also the possibility that regulations needed tightened or testing procedures changed to better mimic actual usage.
I could write about the old toxicology adage that “The dose makes the poison” and how we are surrounded by so many chemicals in modern life (and the fact that EVERYTHING in life is made of chemicals), so overreacting to one ingredient seems like overkill.
But I have also just finished writing about unforeseen consequences and being willing to dig a little deeper: this is perhaps a good example in action. So I’ll be looking into the further and please do feel free to message me if you have any further questions.