On February 16, the Oregon Senate rejected a bill intended to protect our children from exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) by banning the manufacturing, distributing or selling of reusable food and drink containers made with BPA if the containers were intended for use primarily by children less than 3 years old. That would have included baby bottles and sippy cups. The vote was 15 to 15.

“Despite warnings from leading medical organizations, NIH, and FDA regarding the detrimental health impacts of BPA, industry pressure has triumphed over protecting the health of Oregon’s children,” says Renee Hackenmiller-Paradis, program director for environmental health at the Oregon Environmental Council (OEC). “We are extremely disappointed in what should have been a simple vote for Oregon’s leaders to put children’s health first.”

OEC, along with many other organizations and individuals, continues to work toward government regulation eliminating BPAs from both children’s products and food storage containers, including metal-based cans. BPA is a hormone-disrupting chemical that has been shown to have negative health impacts even at low exposure levels and it’s extremely prevalent in food- and drink-related products. According to OEC, “Testing in 2007 by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found 93 percent of Americans age 6 and up were exposed to BPA. Children in the study had the highest levels of BPA, followed by teens and adults.”

Until the government takes action to regulate the use of BPA in children’s and food storage products, it’s up to parents to protect our own families. Here are a few simple ways to limit your family’s exposure to BPA:

• Avoid reusable polycarbonate plastic water and baby bottles, especially those labeled #7 PC. Choose glass or stainless steel, or if you must use plastic, look for bottles labeled PP #5 which are BPA-free.
• Avoid polycarbonate plastic food containers and table ware, again, especially those labeled #7 PC.
• Minimize the use of canned foods and canned drinks. BPA is present in many cans used to store foods, including fruits, vegetables, beans, soda and more.

For more information about the effects of BPA, efforts to regulate the use of BPA at the state and federal levels, and how to avoid BPA exposure – as well as how you can get involved in the effort to eliminate BPA from our families’ lives – visit OEC online.

February 22nd, 2010 | Category: Health and Wellness