Health | BPA restrictions

Hi Framework team,

First of all I am really enthusiast about this product ! :star_struck: Thanks bringing a new solution about modularity and repairability, this is exactly the kind of product I search. :ok_hand:

However, I am concerned about BPA use in your product. :cry: On this page, you mention the following :

:warning: WARNING : This product can expose you to chemicals including […] Bisphenol A (BPA), 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

I have 2 questions about this :

  1. France is currenlty restricting use of BPA, and try to expanse it to Europe. Have you anticipated this constraint (even if by now it could still allow you to provide laptops to these countries) ? :eu: :clipperton_island: edit : meaning hypothetical law strengthening
    Please note I do not know situation in California, sorry if I ask a ā€œdumb questionā€. :man_shrugging:

  2. Due to health impacts, do you plan to find another solution in your industrial process ? :hammer_and_wrench:

But even with my little concerns, congrats about this product ! :tada: Everything is made to easyly replace any part, without performance sacrifice. Hope you will be able in next years to expand idea of repairability, and provide your laptop at any place in the world. :airplane: :earth_americas:

Best development wishes and regards, Emmanuel

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In the state of California any product that contains any amount of materials or chemicals that are even remotely carcinogenic are legally required to be labeld with the above statement. The labeling requirement can get out of hand sometimes.

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Thank you @XenoCow for clarification :slightly_smiling_face: :+1:

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*can get out

Because the message has to have 20 characters

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A little more context on this: BPA is a chemical that’s used as a precursor to many plastics’ fabrication, primarily for transparent Polycarbonate. As a chemical it has been shown recently to be slightly water soluble. It also has an interesting side effect of binding to estrogen receptors in the body, making it biologically active with possible bad side effects for children and developing young adults when ingested. Its truly awful solubility makes is basically impossible to enter your body any other way.

The leftover bits of BPA in manufacturing processes are very very low in quantity, but over prolonged contact with water they will dissolve into the solution. Without a solvent like water or acetone though, it will stay embedded in the Polycarbonate matrix.

Why is this relevant for the Framework laptop? Because the framework laptop isn’t intended to get wet. In other words, unless people start using their laptop as a plate for their food all the time, the BPA cannot migrate anywhere.

A reading of the french legislation bans BPA containing products from being part of anything that touches food. That means packaging, utensils, plates, bottles, whatever. These make sense as over extended periods of time in contact with food, the water in that food will encourage migration of BPA out of the polycarbonate. Thankfully most people won’t use their laptops as leaky €1000 bottles.

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Haha thanks @Frosty for this comparison :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: I see immedialty what you mean :+1:

Reason of my post was because when I saw mention of BPA, I thought ā€œtraces of an endocrine disrupter ? could it be bad for me ? :fearful: and even if not, could this product be not marketable due to future local laws ? :thinking:ā€

As you said, if I do not use laptop in my swimming pool, BPA should not have impacts. :diving_mask: But if we could have materials with less health impacts, could it be better ? :arrow_up:
I think health could be an added value to environmental aspect of Framework laptop. :four_leaf_clover: :syringe:

However I have to say that my selfish concerns should not up the price without community agreement ! :moneybag:
This subject could just be an improvement point for future products. :man_shrugging:

I am also worried about additionnal restrictions that could apply in France (extand to non-alimentary products for example), then Europe, that could delay future distribution of Framework laptop. :truck:
(But indeed, ā€œcouldā€ or will not happen)

Thank you for your complete reply, it helped me :+1: it is good to know point of view of other people

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I agree wholeheartedly! Consumers should be able to make educated decisions about what their purchases are made of, and further health/environmental impacts their purchases support. From unethical mining of raw materials to unexpected health effects, it’s good there are administrations like the EPA, FDA, and their non-american counterparts to fund research and understanding of these things.

With respect to the Framework laptop, I have no expectation that any upcoming legislation will cause blanket restrictions on BPA content in laptops anywhere, though of course unexpected policies could always prove me wrong :slight_smile: This is simply because there are so many more compounds in laptops (e.g. heavy metals) which could be much more biologically threatening than BPA, but also pose no threat to users simply because of the way laptops are and are not used.

As with everything it comes down to the fact there are no bad materials, only bad applications for those materials. For example, lead (plomb) is wonderful and ideal if you want radiation shielding. However, put it in paint and you find out children start eating it to terrible neurotoxic effect. The first way to use lead protects you from acute radiation burns and cancer, and the second exposes children to permanent brain damage.

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