Senators Charles Schumer and Diane Feinstein introduced a bill yesterday that would ban bisphenol-A in all children's products, banning any products testing postive a mere 180 days from the bill's passage into law. This dovetails nicely with the House investigation into the suspicious tunnel vision the FDA exhibited in their declarations of BPA as safe for human consumption. They've just expanded their investigation to include the CPSC, which oversees many infant feeding products as well.
We've posted two documents to Flickr under Creative Commons licenses:
- The BPA-Free Kids Act of 2008 (page: 1|2|3|4)
- A recent letter sent by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to the FDA requesting documents pertaining to their approval of bisphenol-A as a safe substance and threatening a subpoena. A committee spokesperson told ZRecs last week that the FDA had missed the deadline but "has indicated they intend to comply with the Committee's request and are compiling information." (page: 1|2|3)
If you're looking for more on BPA, try:
13 comments:
BPA in bottles, cans,... is a concern among many but what about toys? All kids put toys in there mouth! Baby and toddler toys are a big concern. Has anybody researched this? Exersausers have lots of teething toys attached are those safe...?
The ban would encompass toys, too - all products intended for children younger than 7.
So, all children's product, but isn't there BPA in plastics used in food storage and consumption as well? E.g., the lining of almost all canned goods? I also wonder about the ziploc and glad semi-disposable storage containers...anyone know if they are safe? Especially with all the heating and scrubbing from cleaning...they get scratched and such.
Look for the recycle symbol on the bottom of the reusable/disposable containers. All the Glad and Ziploc containers I have are #5 which is polypropylene. PP does not contain BPA or phthalates. Still I avoid using them in the microwave, or washing them in the dishwasher. Who knows what they will find next. :-(
@Cecily, there certainly are other product areas which contain BPA, including food can linings. We would not be surprised to see this change in the next year. As Jassica says, most storage containers are PP, and should be labeled as #5. As a consumer, understand that polycarbonate is an expensive plastic, and typically found in products that need to be pretty durable or seek clarity for aesthetic reasons (although there are alternatives which can achieve both effects).
I feel so ignorant about this topic. Time for me to do some research...
I see where the Klean Kanteen is a great brand for stainless steel water bottles. I was wondering if Z recommends the Sigg brand as a good brand for childrens water bottles?
@Cecelia, Welcome! After you've had a look around, let us know if you have any unanswered questions.
@Anonymous: We do think Sigg's small water bottles (the .3 or .4 liter size) with the sport cap is a good option for kids. The limiting factor is the cap design - kids need to be old enough to firmly twist it in the right direction to open and close it, so it's no good for toddlers. We should pull Z's back out and see if she's up to the task (she'll be 4 in August).
Aren't SIGG's made of aluminum?
Ok I finally read the bill. Now I have a few concerns about it. I understand that BPA is believed to affect young children more so than older ones. But I find it disturbing that they have labeled BPA ‘as a banned hazardous substance’, and that this label only applies to children under the age of seven. It scares me that people can be so naive to think that these chemicals can only affect people of certain ages. Age has no boundary when it comes to toxins. I also realize this has become a legal matter, and things often go in steps and very slowly. I just hope they eventually label BPA ‘as a banned hazardous substance’ for people of ages 8 to 25, then 26 to 50, etc. Get a clue! Ban it in all consumable goods products!
(Page 1 line 8 ) The bill defines ‘Childrens Product’ as ‘a consumer product designed for or intended for use by…a child 7 years of age or younger…’
(Page 2 line 25) - Any ‘children’s product’ that contains a detectable amount of BPA shall be treated as a banned hazardous substance.
Thanks Z for staying on top of this. You rock.
Thanks me! I didn't realize the Sigg brand was made of aluminum, I thought it was made of stainless steel. That wasn't what I really wanted so I am returning mine. Thanks. I believe the thermos brand has a sippy cup made of stainless steel also.
I just had to share the email I received from Gerber today. I emailed them requesting specific information on the type of plastic in some of our sippy cups, knowing that the recycling code on the bottom could mean a number of different plastics. Here's what they wrote:
"Safety is our top priority at Gerber Products Company. We have a history of helping parents raise happy, healthy babies, since 1928.
We are aware of recent media reports focusing on polycarbonate and Bisphenol-A (BPA). Bisphenol-A is a key component used to make polycarbonate plastic. We would like to help consumers understand why leading manufacturers of baby bottles, including Gerber, have concluded that polycarbonate is safe.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has considered relevant data available regarding the use of polycarbonate and has concluded that products made with polycarbonate are safe for use as intended.
Additionally, other leading scientific and regulatory authorities in Europe have concluded that the use of food contact polycarbonate for baby bottles is safe. In a recent letter to FIT Pregnancy magazine, the FDA stated that it sees no reason to ban or otherwise restrict the currently authorized food contact applications of polycarbonate.
The following Gerber Cups are made of polycarbonate:
Gerber® Transition Cup
Gerber® Fun Grips® Soft Starter Cup
Gerber® NUK® Learner Cup
The following Gerber Cups are not made of polycarbonate:
Gerber® Fun Grips® Cup
Gerber® Fun Grips® Color Change Cup
Gerber® Sip & Smile™ Cup
Gerber® Sip & Smile™ Insulated Cup"
I'm tempted to email them back and ask them if they're aware of the fact that some of our Senators find the FDA's findings to be ridiculous. If the company is so concerned with the safety of our children, it seems to me they should be airing on the side of caution rather than relying on the FDA - an organization known for lies and half-truths!
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