Is Canned Water BPA-Free?
Quick answer: The aluminum beverage can industry moved away from BPA-based linings years ago, and today's cans — including NEA's — use modern food-safe, non-BPA linings. Just as important, canned water avoids the microplastics that plastic bottles shed into your drink.
Why cans have a lining at all
Aluminum is reactive, so beverage cans have an ultra-thin interior coating that keeps the metal and the drink separate and preserves taste. The question people ask is what that lining is made of.
BPA and the shift to BPA-free linings
Older can coatings sometimes used BPA (bisphenol A). As concern grew, the industry transitioned to non-BPA (often labeled BPA-NI, "BPA non-intent") linings across most beverage cans. Modern canned water is made with these newer, food-safe coatings rather than BPA-based ones.
The bigger picture: plastic vs cans
BPA aside, the headline difference between a can and a plastic bottle is microplastics. Plastic bottles continuously shed tiny plastic particles into the water they hold, especially with heat and time. An aluminum can is an inert metal barrier that blocks light and oxygen and does not shed plastic into your water.
What NEA uses
NEA is plastic-free by design. Our spring water comes in a 16.9 fl oz aluminum can made with a modern food-safe lining — no plastic bottle, no microplastics, and a package that is infinitely recyclable. A share of every purchase supports restoring marine ecosystems.
Shop NEA canned spring water →
Frequently asked questions
Do aluminum water cans contain BPA?
Most modern beverage cans, including canned water, use non-BPA (BPA-NI) food-safe linings. The industry largely phased out BPA-based coatings years ago.
Is canned water better than plastic bottled water?
For many people, yes: aluminum cans do not shed microplastics the way plastic bottles do, they block light and oxygen, and they are infinitely recyclable.
Does the can lining affect the taste?
A good food-safe lining keeps the aluminum and the water separate, so properly made canned water tastes clean — not metallic.
