RSL, Chemical Management, and
California Resident Information

Related to Proposition 65

BearVault Materials

BearVault uses a proprietary polycarbonate resin because of its extraordinary strength-to-weight advantages. This translates into a lighter weight, stronger bear canister for adventurers like you, who are hauling the weight over long distances because you care – not just about your next meal, but also about protecting bears and keeping them wild. We use a specially-formulated food-grade polycarbonate that meets federally regulated levels as set by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), code 21CFR177.1580 . Our polycarbonate housing also complies with European standards for food-safe containers, as set by the European Union Law, Commission Directive 2002/72/EC.

California Resident Information

BearVault cares about the safety of its products and is committed to compliance with all applicable health and safety requirements. California’s Proposition 65 law requires the following warning to be given to consumers in California:

WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including carbon black, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer, and bisphenol A, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

Our polycarbonate housing contains BPA (bisphenol-A), one of around 950 chemicals subject to Prop 65 regulations. The concentration of BPA in our product is minuscule, but still present: less than 100 ppm (parts per million) – in other words, it makes up less than 0.0001 of the canister housing, according to our supplier. A Prop 65 warning informs consumers of likely exposure; Note, however, that it is not a regulatory decision that a product is “safe” or “unsafe”.

If you are concerned about exposure, you can reduce it with actions like washing your hands after using our products. We also recommend that you use and care for the product as follows:

  • Pack your food in bags or containers within the BearVault. This minimizes exposure, and also helps with organization and keeping the food clean for your consumption while you’re working in your camp kitchen.
  • Wash your canister with cold water and a mild soap. Use hot water only if necessary.
  • Keep your canister away from damaging chemicals, like DEET.

Restricted Substance List (RSL)
Although the RSL is typically used for textile products, we comb data sheets on our component materials to compare them with the premier RSL standard, the RSL_23, provided by the American Apparel and Footwear Association. The following components of our products have been identified on the list:
             Bisphenol-A               <=100 ppm
             Methylene Chloride <=  10 ppm

Based on the RSL_22, these substances exceed thresholds set in the Washington CPSA for children’s products, but they do not exceed any thresholds for the category of goods in which they are intended to be used. Long story short, don’t give a baby a BearVault as a teething toy. For the product category BearVaults are in, they do not have any restricted substances.