It's really interesting you bring up BPA. Because in doing so you've pretty much answered your question.
BPA had been used in food & beverage packaging for DECADES before its potentially toxic nature came to light.
So why shouldn't people be concerned with other substances deemed safe at the present moment, particularly when they're being used in ways that directly contradict the recommendations and usage guidelines of the manufacturer?
Nothing's guaranteed 100% safe. We all determine where we're going to draw the line for ourselves in regards to product safety, what we consume, etc. But in my opinion... wanting to know a little bit more about such products is intelligent and healthy. Not paranoid. I could come up with an almost endless array of substances that were used for long periods of time, according to their intended use, before the detrimental health affects were known given enough time. Asbestos & tobacco come to mind immediately.
Thanks primarily to Brewtus, we're on the path now to actually knowing what plastic the rubbermaid liners are made of (posted in the 'other thread), and I've posted related links to NSF & FDA certifications and useage guidelines, which, assuming we have the actual material targetted, begin to paint the use of coolers as mash tuns in a postive light. It won't answer all the questions, but it's enough to satisfy many in regards to the line they draw.
I'm sure there will be more than one response following this along the lines of "We knew that all along". But that fact is... no... you didn't. You just assumed everything was GTG and happened to (maybe) be right. It's like claiming psychic powers for guessing the result of a coin toss.
